Social Security is 6.2% employer, 6.2% employee...but most economists would say that the employee pays both halves, since the cost is directly related to a spec

Social Security is 6.2% employer, 6.2% employee...but most economists would say that the employee pays both halves, since the cost is directly related to a specific person's job. (this year there's a temporary cut in the employee half as a stimulus measure) There's also a similar 50/50 Medicare payroll tax that totals 2.9% of each worker's salary. Total hit on most Americans for both programs is 15.3% of gross income. What's scary is that is nowhere near enough revenue to sustain either.