Medicare Blog

what is additional 9 medicare tax

by Dr. Brandt Roob Jr. Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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A 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies to Medicare wages, self-employment
self-employment
Use Schedule SE (Form 1040) to figure the tax due on net earnings from self-employment. The Social Security Administration uses the information from Schedule SE to figure your benefits under the social security program.
https://www.irs.gov › about-schedule-se-form-1040
income, and railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation that exceed the following threshold amounts based on filing status: $250,000 for married filing jointly; $125,000 for married filing separately; and. $200,000 for all other taxpayers.
May 19, 2022

Full Answer

How to calculate additional Medicare tax properly?

  • Normal medicare tax rate for individual is 1.45 % of gross wages or salary
  • Normal medicare tax rate for self employed person is 2.9 % of Gross income.
  • If wage or self employment income is more than the threshold amount , only then you are liable for additional medicare tax .

Do employers match additional Medicare tax?

An employer must begin withholding Additional Medicare Tax in the pay period in which the wages or railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation paid to an employee for the year exceeds $200,000. The employer then continues to withhold it each pay period until the end of the calendar year. There's no employer match for Additional Medicare Tax.

When do you pay additional Medicare tax?

While everyone pays some taxes toward Medicare, you’ll only pay the additional tax if you’re at or above the income limits. If you earn less than those limits, you won’t be required to pay any additional tax. If your income is right around the limit, you might be able to avoid the tax by using allowed pre-tax deductions, such as:

Why is there a cap on the FICA tax?

Key Takeaways

  • Social Security and Medicare payroll withholding are collected as the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax.
  • Income tax caps limit do not apply to Medicare taxes, but Social Security taxes have a wage-based limit.
  • The cap limits how much high earners need to pay in Social Security taxes each year.

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Who pays the .9 Medicare tax?

Taxpayers who make over $200,000 as individuals or $250,000 for married couples are subject to an additional 0.9 percent tax on Medicare. The Additional Medicare Tax goes toward funding features of the Affordable Care Act.

Why am I being charged additional Medicare tax?

An individual will owe Additional Medicare Tax on wages, compensation and self-employment income (and that of the individual's spouse if married filing jointly) that exceed the applicable threshold for the individual's filing status.

What is the additional Medicare tax for 2020?

The FICA tax rate, which is the combined Social Security rate of 6.2 percent and the Medicare rate of 1.45 percent, remains 7.65 percent for 2020 (or 8.55 percent for taxable wages paid in excess of the applicable threshold).

What is the Medicare surtax rate for 2021?

0.9%The additional Medicare tax rate is 0.9%. However, the additional 0.9% only applies to the income above the taxpayer's threshold limit. 9 For example, if you earn $225,000 a year, the first $200,000 is subject to Medicare tax of 1.45%, and the remaining $25,000 is subject to additional Medicare tax of 0.9%.

How do I avoid Medicare surtax?

Despite the complexity of this 3.8% surtax, there are two basic ways to “burp” income to reduce or avoid this tax: 1) reduce income (MAGI) below the threshold, or 2) reduce the amount of NII that is subject to the tax.

What is the 3.8 Medicare surtax?

The Medicare tax is a 3.8% tax, but it is imposed only on a portion of a taxpayer's income. The tax is paid on the lesser of (1) the taxpayer's net investment income, or (2) the amount the taxpayer's AGI exceeds the applicable AGI threshold ($200,000 or $250,000).

What is the additional Medicare tax for 2022?

0.9%2022 updates 2.35% Medicare tax (regular 1.45% Medicare tax plus 0.9% additional Medicare tax) on all wages in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 for joint returns; $125,000 for married taxpayers filing a separate return).

At what income do you stop paying Medicare tax?

FICA tax includes a 6.2% Social Security tax and 1.45% Medicare tax on earnings. In 2021, only the first $142,800 of earnings are subject to the Social Security tax ($147,000 in 2022). A 0.9% Medicare tax may apply to earnings over $200,000 for single filers/$250,000 for joint filers.

How is Medicare surtax calculated?

It is paid in addition to the standard Medicare tax. An employee will pay 1.45% standard Medicare tax, plus the 0.9% additional Medicare tax, for a total of 2.35% of their income. A person who is self-employed will pay 2.9% standard Medicare tax, and an additional Medicare tax of 0.9%, for a total of 3.8%.

How is the Medicare surcharge calculated?

How Medicare Surcharges Are Determined. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from two years ago is what counts. This means that benefits for the current period are based on calculations from the income you earned two years earlier.

How does Medicare surcharge work?

How much is the Medicare Levy Surcharge? The levy is calculated based on your taxable income - the more you earn, the higher percentage you'll pay. As a single, you'll pay 1% if your taxable income is above $90,000, 1.25% if you earn over $105,000, and the maximum rate of 1.5% if you earn over $140,000.

How to calculate Medicare taxes?

If you receive both Medicare wages and self-employment income, calculate the Additional Medicare Tax by: 1 Calculating the Additional Medicare Tax on any Medicare wages in excess of the applicable threshold for the taxpayer's filing status, without regard to whether any tax was withheld; 2 Reducing the applicable threshold for the filing status by the total amount of Medicare wages received (but not below zero); and 3 Calculating the Additional Medicare Tax on any self-employment income in excess of the reduced threshold.

What form do you need to request an additional amount of income tax withholding?

Some taxpayers may need to request that their employer withhold an additional amount of income tax withholding on Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate, or make estimated tax payments to account for their Additional Medicare Tax liability.

What is the responsibility of an employer for Medicare?

Employer Responsibilities. An employer is responsible for withholding the Additional Medicare Tax from wages or railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation it pays to an employee in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year, without regard to filing status. An employer must begin withholding Additional Medicare Tax in the pay period in which ...

Can non-resident aliens file Medicare?

There are no special rules for nonresident aliens or U.S. citizens and resident aliens living abroad for purposes of this provision. Medicare wages, railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation, and self-employment income earned by such individuals will also be subject to Additional Medicare Tax, if in excess of the applicable threshold for their filing status.

Is railroad retirement subject to Medicare?

All Medicare wages, railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation, and self-employment income subject to Medicare Tax are subject to Additional Medicare Tax, if paid in excess of the applicable threshold for the taxpayer's filing status. For more information on ...

What is Medicare tax?

The Additional Medicare Tax applies to wages, railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation, and self-employment income over certain thresholds. Employers are responsible for withholding the tax on wages and RRTA compensation in certain circumstances.

When is Medicare tax withheld?

An employer is required to begin withholding Additional Medicare Tax in the pay period in which it pays wages in excess of $200,000 to an employee.

What happens if an employee does not receive enough wages for the employer to withhold all taxes?

If the employee does not receive enough wages for the employer to withhold all the taxes that the employee owes, including Additional Medicare Tax, the employee may give the employer money to pay the rest of the taxes.

What if an employer does not deduct Medicare?

An employer that does not deduct and withhold Additional Medicare Tax as required is liable for the tax unless the tax that it failed to withhold from the employee’s wages is paid by the employee. An employer is not relieved of its liability for payment of any Additional Medicare Tax required to be withheld unless it can show that the tax has been paid by filing Forms 4669 and 4670. Even if not liable for the tax, an employer that does not meet its withholding, deposit, reporting, and payment responsibilities for Additional Medicare Tax may be subject to all applicable penalties.

How to calculate Medicare tax?

Step 1. Calculate Additional Medicare Tax on any wages in excess of the applicable threshold for the filing status, without regard to whether any tax was withheld. Step 2. Reduce the applicable threshold for the filing status by the total amount of Medicare wages received, but not below zero.

How much did M receive in 2013?

M received $180,000 in wages through Nov. 30, 2013. On Dec. 1, 2013, M’s employer paid her a bonus of $50,000. M’s employer is required to withhold Additional Medicare Tax on $30,000 of the $50,000 bonus and may not withhold Additional Medicare Tax on the other $20,000.

How much is F liable for Medicare?

F is liable to pay Additional Medicare Tax on $50,000 of his wages ($175,000 minus the $125,000 threshold for married persons who file separate).

How much Medicare tax do you pay?

An employee will pay 1.45% standard Medicare tax, plus the 0.9% additional Medicare tax, for a total of 2.35% of their income.

What is Medicare tax?

The standard Medicare tax applies to all earned income, with no minimum income limit.

What is the threshold for Medicare 2020?

The 2020 tax year thresholds are as follows: Status. Tax threshold. single , head of household, or a qualifying widow (er) $200,000. married tax filers, filing jointly.

How much is Medicare for married couples?

The limit is $250,000 for married couples. This article explains the Medicare standard tax and the Medicare additional tax. It also looks at who pays the additional tax, how the IRS calculates it, and how the government uses the money.

Which Act expanded Medicare Part B preventive services?

The Affordable Care Act also expanded Medicare Part B preventive services to include:

How much do employers contribute to payroll taxes?

Employers contribute 1.45% for each employee, based on the employee’s monthly earnings. An employer must also deduct payroll taxes of 1.45% from their employees’ monthly earnings.

Does Medicare tax help with prescriptions?

The additional Medicare tax helps also helps lower the cost of Medicare Advantage plans and prescription medications.

What is additional Medicare tax?

The requirement is based on the amount of Medicare wages and net self-employment income a taxpayer earns that exceeds a threshold based on filing status.

How Do I Know Whether I Need to Pay the Additional Medicare Tax Withholding?

Generally, if you make more than $200,000 from a single employer, that employer will automatically withhold the Additional Medicare Tax from your wages. However, it might not be enough if you have additional wages from self-employment or another job or a working spouse. Generally, you'll owe the Additional Medicare Tax if your total income exceeds the following:

Where Do You Report the Additional Medicare Tax on Form 1040?

You'll use IRS Form 8959 to calculate your Additional Medicare Tax. This form will reconcile any additional Medicare withholdings you've had with what you owe, and you'll report the amount on IRS Form 1040.

What Are Medicare Wages?

Medicare wages are somewhat different from the wages on which you must pay income tax. They're an employee's total wages for the year, less certain benefit deductions, such as medical and dental insurance premiums, health savings accounts, and contributions to dependent care flexible spending arrangements.

What line is Medicare adjustment on 8959?

An adjustment can be made on Form 8959 beginning at line 10, if you're calculating the AMT on both self-employment income and wages. This adjustment functions to ensure that the Additional Medicare Tax is calculated only once on wages and only once on self-employment income when they're combined and exceed the threshold amount.

How much does Barney and Betty owe in Medicare?

Barney earned $75,000 in Medicare wages, and Betty earned $200,000 in Medicare wages, so their combined total wages are $275,000. Barney and Betty will owe the Additional Medicare Tax on the amount by which their combined wages exceed $250,000, the threshold amount for married couples filing jointly.

What is the Medicare tax threshold?

The Additional Medicare Tax applies when a taxpayer's wages from all jobs exceed the threshold amount, and employers are required to withhold Additional Medicare Tax on Medicare wages in excess of $200,000 that they pay to an employee. The same threshold applies to everyone regardless of filing status.

What is the Additional Medicare Tax?

Employees pay 1.45% of their earnings, employers pay another 1.45%, and self-employed individuals pay the full 2.9% on their own. Income up to a threshold amount is subject to the “regular” Medicare tax.

What is the extra tax on Medicare?

Under the Affordable Care Act, taxpayers who earn above a set income level (depending on filing status) pay 0.9% more into Medicare on top of the regular contribution. This extra tax is called the Additional Medicare Tax.

How much does my spouse pay in Medicare?

Your spouse earns $10,000. Since your joint earned income ($235,000) isn’t more than $250,000, you won’t owe Additional Medicare Tax. However, your employer will still withhold the tax from your paycheck on wages over $200,000.

What is the threshold for Medicare tax?

What is the Income Threshold for Additional Medicare Tax? If you are a high earner, you are subject to the 0.9% additional Medica re tax on earned income in excess of the threshold amount . The threshold amounts are based on your filing status: Single, head of household, or qualifying widow (er) — $200,000.

When does Medicare start withholding?

Your filing status isn’t important for this. Withholding starts when your wages and other compensation are more than $200,000 for the year.

Does Medicare tax withheld from paycheck?

Any tax withheld from your paycheck that you’re not liable for will be applied against your taxes on your income tax return. If you earn $200,000 or less, your employer will not withhold any of the additional Medicare tax. This could happen even if you’re liable for the tax.

How much Medicare tax is applied to a change in job?

Planning tip: An individual who changes jobs during the year (or begins work during the year) should determine whether the additional 0.9% Medicare tax will apply based on total expected earnings for the calendar year from all employers (including wages earned by a spouse, if applicable).

How much is Medicare tax in 2013?

Beginning in 2013, the employee portion of the Medicare tax is increased from 1.45% to 2.35% on wages received in a calendar year in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly; $125,000 for married filing separately) (Sec. 3101 (b) (2)). Employers must withhold and remit the increased employee portion of the Medicare tax for each employee whose wages for Medicare tax purposes from the employer are over $200,000 (Sec. 3102 (f) (1)).

What is the maximum Medicare tax rate for self employed?

Starting in 2013, the maximum rate for the Medicare tax component of the SE tax is 3.8% (2.9% + 0.9%). Self-employed individuals should include this additional tax when calculating estimated tax payments. Any tax not paid during the year (either through federal income tax withholding from an employer or estimated tax payments) is subject to an underpayment penalty.

When does an employer take into account the $200,000 threshold?

Generally, an employer takes into account only the wages it pays an individual during the calendar year when determining whether the $200,000 threshold has been met. For example, if an individual begins working for the employer in November, the employer does not consider any wages earned by that individual from another business prior to November to determine whether the $200,000 threshold has been met and the additional Medicare tax withholding applies. It only considers the amounts it pays in November and December to determine if or when the $200,000 threshold is met.

Who is responsible for paying Medicare tax?

The employee is responsible for paying any of the additional 0.9% Medicare tax that is not withheld by an employer (Sec. 3102 (f) (2); Prop. Regs. Sec. 31.3102-4 (b)). The additional tax will be calculated and reported on the individual’s federal income tax return.

Does Medicare apply to M and S?

But because M and S file a joint income tax return and their total combined wages are less than the $250,000 threshold for married filing jointly, the additional 0.9% Medicare tax does not apply to them. The $270 will be credited against the total tax liability shown on their income tax return.

Is Medicare tax deductible?

Any tax not paid during the year (either through federal income tax withholding from an employer or estimated tax payments) is subject to an underpayment penalty. The additional 0.9% Medicare tax is not deductible for income tax purposes as part of the Sec. 164 (f) SE tax deduction (Sec. 164 (f) (1)).

How much Medicare tax is due in 2013?

Starting with the 2013 tax year, you may be subject to an additional 0.9 percent Medicare tax on wages that exceed a certain threshold. The Additional Medicare Tax is charged separately from, and in addition to, the Medicare taxes you likely pay on most of your earnings.

How many parts are on Form 8959?

Form 8959 consists of three parts. Each part includes a short calculation to figure out how much Additional Medicare Tax you owe, if any. You complete only the part of the form that applies to the type of income you received. Fill out Part I if you received W-2 income. Fill out Part II if you received self-employment income.

How to fill out 8959?

Working through Form 8959 1 Fill out Part I if you received W-2 income. 2 Fill out Part II if you received self-employment income. 3 Fill out Part III if you received RRTA

What is the threshold for married filing jointly for 2020?

On the other hand, if you were married filing separately, you could end up owing more tax, because the threshold is only $125,000.

When do you file Form 8959?

If you have self-employment income , you file form 8959 if the sum of your self-employment earnings and wages or the RRTA compensation you receive is more than the threshold amount for your filing status.

Do you have to complete Form 8959?

If you had more than one type of income, such as W-2 income and self-employment income, you will have to complete all sections that apply. Once you complete Form 8959 and figure out the total Additional Medicare Tax you're responsible for, the final section of the form subtracts the tax you paid through withholding and estimated tax payments to determine if there is any Additional Medicare Tax due— which ultimately gets reported on your 1040 form.

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