U.S. · Social Security · 2027
2027 Social Security wage base.
The official 2027 taxable maximum, what it costs you in Social Security tax, and the month your paycheck stops being taxed for it.
The Social Security wage base for 2027 is $192,300, up $7,800 from $184,500 in 2026. The most an employee pays in Social Security tax is $11,922.60 (6.2%), matched by the employer. Medicare tax of 1.45% has no limit.
Your numbers
Your payroll tax
The 2027 payroll tax numbers
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security wage base (taxable maximum) | $184,500 | $192,300 |
| Employee rate, Social Security + Medicare | 7.65% | 7.65% |
| Self-employed rate | 15.30% | 15.30% |
| Medicare (HI) earnings limit | none | none |
| Earnings needed for one quarter of coverage | $1,890 | $1,970 |
| Maximum Social Security benefit, worker retiring at full retirement age | $4,152 a month | $4,188 a month |
| Maximum employee Social Security tax (6.2%, our arithmetic) | $11,439.00 | $11,922.60 |
| Maximum self-employed Social Security tax (12.4%, our arithmetic) | $22,878.00 | $23,845.20 |
The SSA fact sheet publishes the first six rows. The last two rows are our multiplication of the wage base by the Social Security rate, which the fact sheet gives as 6.2% for the Social Security part of the 7.65%. The base rises $7,800, or about 4.2%, from 2026 to 2027. That is a different adjustment from the 3.6% cost-of-living increase, which raises benefits.
How the wage base works
The wage base is the most a person pays Social Security (OASDI) tax on in a year. Once your earnings pass $192,300 in 2027, the 6.2% Social Security tax stops for the rest of the year, and your employer stops matching it. Medicare tax of 1.45% has no ceiling, and earned income above $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly) is hit with an extra 0.9% Medicare tax that only the employee pays. The fact sheet notes that the 7.65% and 15.30% rates shown do not include that 0.9%.
Someone who is self-employed pays both halves, which is why the self-employed rate is exactly double the employee rate. The same $192,300 cap applies to the Social Security portion of self-employment tax.
Worked examples
Salary of $250,000 in 2027, single. Social Security tax: 6.2% of $192,300 = $11,922.60. The remaining $57,700 is not subject to it. Medicare: 1.45% of $250,000 = $3,625.00. Additional Medicare tax: 0.9% of the $50,000 over $200,000 = $450.00. Total employee payroll tax: $15,997.60. Your employer also pays $11,922.60 + $3,625.00 = $15,547.60 and does not match the 0.9%.
When does the cap hit? At $250,000 paid evenly, monthly pay is $20,833.33. $192,300 ÷ $20,833.33 is 9.23, so the Social Security tax stops during month 10, October, and take-home pay rises for the last two or three months of the year. A bonus paid early in the year moves that date earlier.
Salary of $60,000. You never reach the base: Social Security tax is 6.2% of $60,000 = $3,720.00 and Medicare is $870.00, a total of $4,590.00, which is the usual 7.65%.
What else moves with the wage base
A higher wage base raises the amount of earnings that can build your Social Security record. In 2027 you need $1,970 of covered earnings for one quarter of coverage, and the maximum monthly benefit for a worker retiring at full retirement age is $4,188. It also raises the tax cost for high earners: the maximum Social Security tax for an employee goes from $11,439.00 to $11,922.60, an extra $483.60 a year. Two related limits are on their own pages: the earnings test limit ($25,560 under full retirement age in 2027) and the 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 1, 2026.
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedThe Social Security wage base also caps the Medicare tax.
What the source saysSSA's fact sheet lists maximum taxable earnings of $192,300 for Social Security (OASDI only) in 2027 and no limit for Medicare (HI only). [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Security wage base for 2027?
$192,300. SSA's 2027 fact sheet lists the maximum taxable earnings for Social Security (OASDI only) as $184,500 in 2026 and $192,300 in 2027. Medicare (HI) has no limit.
What is the maximum Social Security tax in 2027?
6.2% of $192,300, which is $11,922.60 for an employee; the employer pays a matching $11,922.60. A self-employed person pays both halves, 12.4%, or $23,845.20 on earnings up to the base. These are our calculations from the SSA wage base and the 6.2% rate.
Does the wage base apply to Medicare tax?
No. Medicare tax of 1.45% applies to all earnings, with no cap. Earned income over $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly) also owes an extra 0.9% Medicare tax, paid by the employee only.
How much did the wage base go up from 2026?
$7,800, from $184,500 to $192,300, an increase of about 4.2%. The COLA for 2027 is 3.6%, but that is a separate adjustment that raises benefits, not the wage base.
Do I stop paying Social Security tax after I earn $192,300?
Yes, for that calendar year. Once your wages from an employer pass the base, withholding of the 6.2% stops, so your paychecks get bigger until year-end.
What is the 2027 quarter of coverage amount?
$1,970 of covered earnings earns one quarter of coverage, up from $1,890 in 2026.
Is the 2027 wage base final?
Yes. SSA published it with the 3.6% COLA announcement on October 14, 2026. It is an announced figure, not a projection.
Not tax advice
This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Your payroll withholding depends on your employer and your facts. Confirm anything that matters with the SSA, the IRS, a CPA or an enrolled agent. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.