Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA)

The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) is a U.S. law that requires payroll taxes to fund Social Security and Medicare programs. These taxes are paid by both employers and employees, and they are deducted from employees’ wages.

FICA taxes include:

• Social Security tax: 6.2% of wages, up to a wage base limit ($142,800 in 2021).
• Medicare tax: 1.45% of wages, with no wage base limit. High-income earners may be subject to an additional 0.9% Medicare tax on earnings above certain thresholds.

Employers are responsible for withholding FICA taxes from employee paychecks and matching the amounts withheld for both Social Security and Medicare. FICA taxes are reported on quarterly payroll tax returns (Form 941) and must be paid as part of Federal Tax Deposits (FTDs).

Failure to withhold or pay FICA taxes can result in penalties and enforcement actions from the IRS, making compliance with FICA requirements essential for all employers.