Do I Have To Pay FICA If I Am Working And Collecting Benefits?

Do I have to pay FICA taxes on my earnings if I also collect Social Security

Yes. There is no exemption for paying the (FICA) payroll taxes that fund the Social Security and Medicare systems. As long as you work in a job that is covered by Social Security, FICA taxes will be withheld from your paycheck. The same goes if you remain actively self-employed. If your annual net profit from your business is more than $400, you have to pay your share of Social Security and Medicare — as both employer and employee — via the (SECA) taxes you pay with your federal tax return.

Keep in mind

Your work income could lower your benefit if you claimed Social Security before reaching (66 and 4 months for people born in 1956 and gradually rising to 67 for those born in 1960 or later). That’s because early filers are subject to Social Security , which trigger withholding from benefits if your income exceeds an annual cap (in 2022, it’s $19,560). Updated March 7, 2022

More on Social Security and Taxes

Q& A Tool

Find the answers to the most common Social Security questions such as when to claim, how to maximize your retirement benefits and more. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.