Social Security tax calculator (2026)
This free Social Security tax calculator shows the 6.2% tax on your wages, up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500. Enter your wages to see your annual and per-paycheck amount.
Use it as a Social Security tax rate calculator to check the 6.2% rate, or as a US Social Security tax calculator for any wage — it applies the federal OASDI rules for 2026.
📅 Updated for the 2026 tax year · built from primary IRS & SSA sources
Social Security tax (2026)
$3,720/yr
≈ $143.08 per biweekly paycheck
- Rate
- 6.2%
- Wage base cap (2026)
- $184,500
- Taxable wages
- $60,000
Your employer pays a matching 6.2%. Self-employed people pay both halves. Estimate only — not tax advice.
How Social Security tax works
Social Security (the "OASDI" portion of FICA) is withheld at 6.2% from every paycheck, and your employer matches it for a combined 12.4%. Unlike Medicare tax, it has an annual wage base cap: once your 2026 wages pass $184,500, no more Social Security tax is withheld for the rest of the year — so the maximum an employee pays is about $11,439.
Self-employed workers pay both halves (12.4%) as part of SECA, with a deduction for the employer-equivalent portion. To see how Social Security tax fits into your overall paycheck, use the full take-home pay calculator.
Social Security tax rate calculator — FAQs
What is the Social Security tax rate for 2026?
The Social Security tax rate is 6.2% of wages for employees, and employers match it for a combined 12.4%. Self-employed workers pay the full 12.4% themselves as part of SECA.
Is there a Social Security wage base limit in 2026?
Yes. Social Security tax only applies to the first $184,500 of wages in 2026. Earnings above that cap are not taxed for Social Security, so the most an employee pays is about $11,439.
How much Social Security tax is withheld from each paycheck?
6.2% of your gross wages is withheld each pay period until your year-to-date wages reach the $184,500 wage base, after which no further Social Security tax is withheld for the rest of the year.