[congressman]

For an employed person the rate including Medicaid/Medicare deductions is 7.65%.

If you are self employed it is 15.3%

This is where most people are thrown off. They see that they pay 6.2% social security tax, and they think.. thats not so bad. But the fact is, your employer budgets the amount of money they can spend on their employees. This is for pay, benefits, taxes... If they set aside about 20% of their budget for it, this will typically not change --- regardless of what new fees, or expenses they are out. Its all they can afford and be profitable. With that said, your employee takes 6.2% of what they could be paying you, and pay the second half of your social security tax. This makes 12.4% that YOU pay for. Its just your employer is sendin the other half in for you. If they were required to pay all the tax, it was still be reflected in your pay --- with lower wages. ;-)

Now, do the math. whats 7.65 x 2? 15.3%... why do you think that is? hh: