The taxes imposed under the Social Security Act consist of:

Business · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021

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The taxes imposed under the Social Security Act consist primarily of two types: the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax and the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA) tax. These are payroll taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare programs.

1. FICA Tax: This tax is split into two parts: - Social Security Tax: This part of the FICA tax goes towards funding the Social Security program, which provides retirement benefits, disability benefits, survivor benefits, and benefits for eligible family members. - Medicare Tax: This part contributes to Medicare, the health insurance program for individuals who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant).

Employers and employees each pay half of the FICA taxes, which are a percentage of the employee's income up to certain income limits for Social Security Tax. Medicare tax, on the other hand, does not have an income cap and continues on all levels of earned income.

2. SECA Tax: For those who are self-employed, the SECA tax combines the responsibilities of both employer and employee portions of FICA. Self-employed individuals pay the full percentage covering Social Security and Medicare taxes but may deduct half of this self-employment tax as an adjustment to income on their federal income tax return.

The rates and income caps for these taxes can change with new legislation, so it's essential to stay current with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines or consult a tax professional for the most updated information.

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