Payroll Tax Calculator
Free payroll tax calculator. Calculate Social Security, Medicare, FUTA, and state unemployment taxes for both employers and employees in 2026.
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Understanding Payroll Taxes in 2026
Payroll taxes are the taxes deducted from employee paychecks and paid by employers to fund Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance. Unlike income tax, payroll taxes are split between employer and employee — each pays an equal share of FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes. For 2026, the combined FICA rate is 15.3%: Social Security at 12.4% (6.2% each) on earnings up to $168,600, and Medicare at 2.9% (1.45% each) on all earnings with no cap.
Employees earning above $200,000 ($250,000 married filing jointly) pay an additional 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax — this is employee-only, the employer does not match it. Employers also pay Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) at 0.6% on the first $7,000 of each employee's wages, plus state unemployment tax (SUTA) which varies by state and employer history, typically 0.5-5.4%. These employer-only taxes add approximately $500-$2,000 per employee per year beyond the FICA match. Calculate your employee take-home with our Paycheck Calculator.
The True Cost of an Employee
Hiring a $65,000/year employee costs significantly more than $65,000. Beyond the salary, employers typically pay: FICA match ($4,973 = 7.65%), FUTA ($42), SUTA ($189), health insurance contribution ($6,000-$14,000/year for employer share), workers compensation ($500-$3,000 depending on industry), 401K match (if offered, typically 3-6% = $1,950-$3,900), and paid time off (2 weeks PTO = $2,500 in paid non-productive time). Total employer cost for a $65,000 employee: approximately $78,000-$92,000, or 20-40% above the base salary.
This is why many companies hire contractors for certain roles — a contractor earning the equivalent of $65,000 costs only $65,000 (no FICA match, no benefits, no unemployment tax). However, misclassifying employees as contractors carries severe IRS penalties. Understand your own tax burden with our Self-Employment Tax Calculator.