
The Hidden Half of Your Social Security Tax
For most working Americans, Social Security is seen as a built-in part of life: a deduction on every paycheck, with the promise of income in old age. What is never mentioned, and often unchallenged, is that this deduction, officially 6.2% of your wages, is only half the story. Your employer is legally required to match that contribution, bringing the total Social Security tax to 12.4% of your income. But where does that other half go?