Medicare Blog

why is my total income different from medicare and ss wages

by Prof. Caroline Larkin Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago

The most common questions relate to why W-2 Wages differ from your final pay stub for the year, and why Federal and State Wages per your W-2 differ from Social Security and Medicare Wages per the W-2. The short answer is that the differences relate to what wage amounts are taxable in each case.

Are Social Security wages and Medicare wages the same?

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 are my Medicare wages lower than my regular wages?

Medicare wages are reduced by pre-tax deductions such as health/dental/vision insurances, parking and flex spending but not reduced by your contributions to a retirement plan (403b or 457.)

What is the difference between your wages and your Social Security wages?

Earnings represent taxable wages, tips and other compensation, while Social Security wages refers only to the wages that are subject to the Social Security tax. Certain pretax deductions and wages are not subject to taxation and are excluded from these sections of a W-2.

Why are my Social Security wages so much lower than my wages?

The other mystery on your W-2 is why your Social Security wages differ from your actual pay. If you earned less than $118,500 in 2015, expect your Box 1 wages to be less than Box 3 and 5 wages, says Wang, since you can shelter more of your earnings from federal taxes than you can Social Security and Medicare taxes.

Why are my Medicare wages higher than my salary?

The most common reason relates to 401(k) contributions (W2, Box 12, Code D). They are subject to payroll tax, but not to federal income tax. On many W2s, 401(k)s will explain this difference.

Why are Medicare wages higher than actual wages?

There is no maximum wage base for Medicare taxes. The amount shown in Box 5 may be larger than the amount shown in Box 1. Medicare wages include any deferred compensation, retirement contributions, or other fringe benefits that are normally excluded from the regular income tax.

Why does my gross pay not match my salary?

Gross pay is what employees earn before taxes, benefits and other payroll deductions are withheld from their wages. The amount remaining after all withholdings are accounted for is net pay or take-home pay.

What makes up Social Security wages?

Social Security is financed through a dedicated payroll tax. Employers and employees each pay 6.2 percent of wages up to the taxable maximum of $147,000 (in 2022), while the self-employed pay 12.4 percent.

What income is subject to Social Security and Medicare tax?

If you work for an employer, you and your employer each pay a 6.2% Social Security tax on up to $147,000 of your earnings. Each must also pay a 1.45% Medicare tax on all earnings. If you're self-employed, you pay the combined employee and employer amount.

Why does my gross income not match my W-2?

Why is My W-2 Different from My Salary? The compensation may be different on a W-2 vs a final pay stub, but here's why. Your salary is a gross dollar amount earned before taxes and deductions. Meanwhile, your Form W-2 shows your taxable wages reported after pre-tax deductions.

What is the difference between wages and Medicare wages?

Box 1 (Wages, Tips and Other Compensation) represents the amount of compensation taxable for federal income tax purposes while box 3 (Social Security Wages) represents the portion taxable for social security purposes and box 5 (Medicare Wages) represents the portion taxable for Medicare tax purposes.

How much will I get from Social Security if I make $30000?

1:252:31How much your Social Security benefits will be if you make $30,000 ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou get 32 percent of your earnings between 996. Dollars and six thousand and two dollars whichMoreYou get 32 percent of your earnings between 996. Dollars and six thousand and two dollars which comes out to just under 500 bucks.

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