Tax & Payroll
FICA Tax Withholding Calculator (2026)
Work out the Social Security and Medicare tax withheld from your wages, including the wage-base cap.
Preparing your result…
What this calculator does
Shows employee Social Security and Medicare tax on wages.
What your result means
Total employee FICA withheld for the year.
Formula
Social Security = min(wages, $184,500) × 6.2%; Medicare = wages × 1.45%
The step-by-step working for your own numbers appears with the result above and in the PDF report.
Frequently asked questions
Symbols and assumptions
- W
- Gross wages
- • Tax year 2026 figures from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 unless stated.
- • 2026 wage base $184,500.
- • Rates 6.2% and 1.45%.
Sources and review
Reviewed 2026-09-23 · Next review 2027-01-15
- • Additional Medicare Tax is excluded.
- • Federal only — state and local taxes are excluded.
- • Rules change annually; figures apply to tax year 2026 only.
- • Educational estimate, not tax advice.
Important limitation
This is an educational estimate based only on the values and formula shown. Verify current rates, rules, units, and professional standards before relying on the result. It is not personalized financial or investment advice.
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