FICA stands for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act—the law that funds Social Security and Medicare. When you see FICA taxes on your paycheck, you're paying into two separate programs: one for retirement and disability benefits, and one for health insurance once you turn 65. Unlike income tax, which goes to general government revenue, FICA money is earmarked for these specific programs. Understanding how much you pay, why the rate is what it is, and how it differs from income tax helps explain a significant portion of what leaves your paycheck.
The articles here explain how FICA works: why employees and employers each pay a percentage, how self-employed people handle FICA differently, what happens to FICA taxes if you change jobs or earn over a certain threshold, and how FICA interacts with your overall tax situation. You'll learn why FICA appears separately from income tax on your W-2 and what those numbers actually represent.