Is FICA the same as Social Security?

Not quite. FICA is the payroll tax law that covers two taxes: Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%, or 7.65% in all. Social Security is the bigger of the two parts. Many pay stubs show them as separate lines, sometimes labeled OASDI and Medicare.

The Social Security part stops once your wages for the year reach $184,500 in 2026, so the most anyone pays is $11,439. Medicare has no cap, and wages over $200,000 get the extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax. Your employer pays a matching 7.65% that never shows on your stub.

On a $60,000 salary paid every two weeks, FICA takes $176.54 a check: $143.08 for Social Security and $33.46 for Medicare. The FICA tax guide covers the rest, and the FAQ explains what OASDI means.