The most you will have to pay in Social Security taxes for 2024 will be $10,453. That’s what you will pay if you earn $168,600 or more. As its name suggests, the Social Security tax goes to the Social Security program. For 2024, it amounts to 6.2% for employees on all income up to $168,600. Employers deduct the tax from paychecks and match it, so that 12.4% goes to the program for each employee. If you’re self-employed, you’ll pay the full 12.4%, though you can deduct half on your tax return.
Consider working with a financial advisor as you assess your taxes and how that will affect how much you receive from the federal government.
What Is the Social Security Tax Limit?
You aren’t required to pay the Social Security tax on any income beyond the Social Security wage base limit. In 2023, this limit rises to $168,600, up from the 2023 limit of $160,200. As a result, in 2024 you’ll pay no more than $9,932 ($160,200 x 6.2%) in Social Security taxes.
Keep in mind that this income limit applies only to the Social Security or Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) tax of 6.2%. The other payroll tax is a Medicare tax of 1.45%, and you’ll have to pay that for all income you earn. In fact, for income over $200,000 (or $250,000 for couples filing jointly), the Medicare tax rate rises to 2.35%.
What Is the Social Security Tax?
The OASDI tax is the amount of money taken from your earned income to pay for Social Security benefits. You give up a portion of your salary, and your employer has to pay a matching portion as well. Employees and their employers across the country pay to fund the benefit payments that retirees receive. The idea is that you contribute to Social Security benefits throughout your career. Then, once you retire, current workers will keep contributing to the fund while you receive benefits. That way, the system can sustain itself.
The OASDI tax and Medicare tax are housed under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), which is why the FICA acronym may show up on your paycheck.
The Social Security tax is part of why your Social Security benefit is higher if you wait longer to retire. If you delay your retirement until you reach your full retirement age (FRA), then you will have been paying the tax for longer. (Furthermore, the later you start claiming benefits, the less time the system will have to pay you those benefits.) Working longer might also mean that your 35-year average income will be higher, which would also increase your benefit amount.
Bottom Line
Despite valid concerns about the potential depletion of the Social Security trust funds, the idea behind Social Security benefits is easy enough to understand. You pay into the system while you work, and it pays you back once you put down your briefcase for good. For most salaried employees, the tax you pay is 6.2%. However, that only applies to income you earn up to $168,600; income over the Social Security wage base limit won’t be subject to the tax.
Tips for Navigating Retirement
- If all of the age thresholds and eligibility requirements and conditions for your Social Security benefits have you feeling overwhelmed, you may be interested in using our Social Security calculator. You can fill in your information, and we’ll do the rest. We’ll let you know what you can expect in annual benefits once you retire.
- Social Security isn’t intended to be your sole source of retirement income – you should also have retirement savings. To make sure these savings are on pace to meet your income needs, consider working with a financial advisor who can develop a financial plan and help you invest. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
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