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Below the Social Security wage cap, what is the employer's combined Social Security and Medicare tax rate?

7.65%: 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare.

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  1. 7.65% ✔
  2. 15.3%
  3. 3.825%

Why: Below the yearly Social Security wage cap, Social Security is 6.2% for each side and Medicare is 1.45% each. The employer withholds the employee's 7.65% and adds its own 7.65%.

Huh, didn't know that: Only Social Security has a yearly wage cap ($184,500 for 2026); Medicare has none.

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References

Answer: 7.65%. Below the yearly Social Security wage cap, Social Security is 6.2% for each side and Medicare is 1.45% each. The employer withholds the employee's 7.65% and adds its own 7.65%.

  1. IRS Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751
    The current tax rate for Social Security is 6.2% for the employer and 6.2% for the employee, or 12.4% total.
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. IRS Topic no. 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc751
    The current rate for Medicare is 1.45% for the employer and 1.45% for the employee, or 2.9% total.
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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