On a pay stub MED is the shortened code for Medicare tax and FICA is the shortened code for Federal Income Contributions Act. Both of these deductions contribute to some sort of long term plan that should help you out should there be a problem with your health (MED) or for when you retire (FICA).
What are the abbreviations on a check stub?
Apr 02, 2020 · When Medicare was enacted as a federal law in 1965, the funds to support the program became a payroll tax on earned income. The payroll taxes required for the Federal Insurance Compensation Act (FICA) are to support both your Social Security and Medicare benefits programs. Your employer makes a matching contribution to the Medicare program.
What is the Medicare surtax on my paystub?
FICA / MT: Medicare: A Medicare Tax; typically, 1.45% of taxable income. FICA / SS : Social Security: Social Security Tax; 6.2% of taxable income up to a certain limit depending on tax year. FUTA : Federal Unemployment Tax: FUTA tax is basically a federal payroll tax that is used to match state unemployment funds.
What shows up on a paycheck stub?
Mar 24, 1991 · Because beginning this year, Medicare taxes will be assessed on earnings up to $125,000 per year, nearly twice the $53,400 subject to Social Security taxes. Here’s what’s happening: Since 1967,...
What does Medicare mean on my paycheck?
Jul 10, 2019 · This is the summary section of the pay stub; What’s On A Pay Stub? Personal and Check information includes your personal information, filing status (single or married), as well as the withholding number, according to your IRS form W-4. The earnings section shows your earnings from the pay period and includes overtime.
What is Medicare coming out of my paycheck?
The current tax rate for social security is 6.2% for the employer and 6.2% for the employee, or 12.4% total. The current rate for Medicare is 1.45% for the employer and 1.45% for the employee, or 2.9% total.
Why does Medicare take money from paycheck?
The federal government also deducts money as your contribution to its Social Security and Medicare programs. You'll be required to give a percentage of your income, currently 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare, to help fund these programs.Oct 31, 2016
Do I have Medicare if I pay Medicare tax?
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), taxes withheld from your pay help pay for Medicare and Social Security benefits. If you're self-employed, you generally still need to pay Medicare and Social Security taxes. Payroll taxes cover most of the Medicare program's costs, according to Social Security.
Does everyone have to pay Medicare tax?
Who pays the Medicare tax? Generally, all employees who work in the U.S. must pay the Medicare tax, regardless of the citizenship or residency status of the employee or employer.Feb 18, 2022
What Is Included on A Paycheck stub?
Although every company prints paychecks that are unique in their own way, there are some aspects of the employee paycheck that employers must inclu...
Additional Items That May Appear on Your Paycheck Stub
Although not required, the following are items that may appear on your paycheck stub and are useful to money management and relevant to your employ...
Common Abbreviations Used on Paycheck Stubs
1. YTD: Year-to-Date 2. FT or FWT: Federal Tax or Federal Tax Withheld 3. ST or SWT: State Tax or State Tax Withheld 4. SS or SSWT: Social Security...
Exercise Good Money Management Skills: Be Proactive
If you need further explanation on how to read your paycheck stub or if a particular calculation doesn’t seem correct, consult your Human Resources...
How to Understand Pay Stub Abbreviations?
Some company usually imposes its own set of pay stub abbreviations to make it easier for employees to understand.
Pay Stub Abbreviations commonly used by all major payroll companies
Here are some of the general pay stub abbreviations that you will run into on any pay stub.
Why Pay Stubs are important?
Pay stubs are important for employees because it has your earned income and taxes deducted from your paycheck which helps you get your final net pay. Many people use pay stubs to verity their income for a house, apartment, car, or loan.
Final Thoughts
The above-listed pay stub abbreviations are generally used by most payroll companies. You may also be able find more resources in your employee handbooks or HR department.
What deductions are on pay stubs?
Common pay stub deductions include federal and state income tax, as well as Social Security. These federal and state withholdings account for much of the difference between your gross income and net income. There may be other deductions as well, depending on the programs that you sign up for with your employer.
What is included in the earnings section of a paycheck?
The earnings section shows your earnings from the pay period and includes overtime. It also shows pre-tax deductions for different employee benefits that you may receive, such as health insurance and retirement contributions.
What taxes are deducted from paycheck?
In a payroll period, the taxes deducted from a paycheck typically include Social Security and Medicare taxes , otherwise known as FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act). The following taxes and deductions are what you can expect to see on your paycheck, explained in detail below.
What is withholding on a paycheck?
Withholding refers to the money that your employer is required to take out of your paycheck on your behalf. This includes federal and state income tax payments, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and Worker’s Comp.
What is a flexible spending plan?
A flexible spending plan allows you to set aside pre-tax dollars for medical expenses including health insurance copayments, deductibles and prescription drugs. Contributions to a flexible spending account are deducted from your pre-tax income.
How much does a worker contribute to Medicare?
Every worker contributes 1.45% of their gross income to Medicare and every employer pays an additional 1.45% on behalf of each employee.
Can you report errors on your pay stub?
Any errors in your deductions are your responsibility to report. The last thing you want is for an error to be repeated through several pay periods. If you have questions about any of the information listed on your pay stub, be sure to contact your payroll provider.
What are the items on a pay stub?
Additional Items that May Appear on Your Paycheck Stub 1 Insurance Deductions: Monthly payments for such types of insurance as health (medical and dental), and life insurance. 2 Retirement Plan Contributions: Plans such as 401 (K) or 403 (B) retirement savings plans. 3 Leave Time: Including vacation hours or sick hours. Most employers will detail how many hours have been used to date and how many hours are remaining for the calendar year. 4 Childcare Assistance: If offered by your employer, this amount may appear on each paycheck as a pre-tax benefit. 5 Important Notices: Employers often use a portion of the paycheck stub to communicate important pieces of information to their employees such as wage increases or notifications about tax filings.
What is the other part of your paycheck called?
But if you find yourself living paycheck to paycheck and need to improve your money management skills, you need to pay close attention to the other perforated portion of your paycheck, called the paycheck stub (also known as the explanation statement.)
Is childcare assistance a pre-tax benefit?
Childcare Assistance: If offered by your employer, this amount may appear on each paycheck as a pre-tax benefit. Important Notices: Employers often use a portion of the paycheck stub to communicate important pieces of information to their employees such as wage increases or notifications about tax filings.
Is Medicare withholding mandatory?
Medicare: Like Social Security withholdings, Medicare withholdings are also mandatory. Every employee pays 1.45% of their paycheck toward Medicare, and every employer contributes an additional 1.45% on behalf of the employee. Upon eligibility for Social Security, an employee is entitled to coverage for a majority of their medical expenses.
What Is FICA Tax?
FICA stands for the Federal Contributions Act that requires employers to withhold three different types of taxes taken out of an employee's paychecks. These taxes are mainly used for two things: first, to cover Social Security retirement payments for older Americans; and, second, to cover premiums for Medicare (Hospital Insurance) benefits.
What Does FICA Stand For?
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) is a federal tax law equally split between the employer and employee. The amount is a percentage of each employee's taxable income consisting of the Social Security and Medicare payments.
Is FICA Mandatory?
As per law, FICA taxes are mandatory employment taxes that an employer needs to calculate and withhold in each employee payroll. The employer splits the cost in half with the employee deducting the amount due from the employee's paycheck.
How Is FICA Calculated?
As discussed earlier, the FICA tax for most employees is mainly composed of two amounts, the Social Security portion and the Medicare portion. The next question is how much the FICA tax is and how FICA on a paycheck stub is calculated for each employee.
Should Self-Employed Workers Pay FICA Tax?
Unless your business is incorporated, you must pay both portions of the FICA tax for the employer and employee as a self-employed worker. Instead of the federal tax, your check stub would show "Self-Employment" tax in its place.
What is the Employers' Responsibility for FICA Payroll Taxes?
After each payroll, employers are responsible for withholding and submitting FICA taxes for their share and the employee's share. Some employers could submit the payments semi-weekly or monthly depending on their tax liability for the previous four quarters.
FICA Tax Exemptions
Almost everyone working has to pay Social Security and Medicare Taxes. Whether you are a part-time or full-time employee or self-employed, you are required to withhold FICA taxes. This also includes resident aliens and many non-resident aliens.
What do you see on a pay stub?
But, when you are trying to decipher it all, it can look pretty intimidating. On your pay stub, you’ll see some common payroll abbreviations and some that aren’t so common.
What does "earning" mean on a pay stub?
Earning abbreviations show where your money is coming from. This includes not just regular pay, but possibly also vacation pay or even administrative leave. Every kind of pay will have an abbreviation on your pay stub.
What does FICA med mean?
FICA - Med - FICA stands for the “Federal Insurance Contributions Act” and Med stands for “ Medicare .”. This is the Medicare contribution that you pay at 1.45%. FICA - SS - This stands for “ Federal Insurance Contributions Act - Social Security.”. It is the mandatory social security that you’ll pay.
What is the Medicare tax rate if you make more than the threshold?
The employer’s rate matches that rate. If you make more than the threshold set by the IRS, you will have to pay an additional Medicare tax of 0.9%.
What is the Medicare tax rate for 2019?
In 2019, the tax rate for employees was 1.45% for Medicare and 6.2% for Social Security. High-income employees are charged an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax. Employers have the responsibility of withholding FICA taxes from their employees’ wages.
What is FICA tax?
FICA Tax. FICA is an acronym for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. This act was introduced in 1930 to cover Social Security. Both you and your employer will pay into this tax. Now, the tax is divided into Medicare and Social Security tax which is why you will probably see these two items on your paystub rather than just FICA.
Do self employed people pay Medicare taxes?
If you are self-employed, you will pay self-employment tax, which is the equivalent of both employee and employer portions of the Medicare Tax. In 2019, the rate of Medicare tax was 1.45% of an employee’s gross earnings. The employer’s rate matches that rate. If you make more than the threshold set by the IRS, you will have to pay an additional ...
Do you pay Medicare tax on your paystub?
The Medicare program ensures all Americans 65 years and older have access to federal health insurance. The Medicare tax that you see on your paystub is what supports this program. Both employees and employers must pay Medicare tax .
