How is Social Security Financed?
Social Security is financed through a dedicated payroll tax. Employers and employees each pay 6.2 percent of wages up to the taxable maximum of $113,700 (in 2013), while the self-employed pay 12.4 percent.
In 2011, $564 billion (70 percent) of total OASI and DI income came from payroll taxes. The remainder was provided by interest earnings ($114 billion or 14 percent) and revenue from taxation of OASDI benefits ($24 billion or 3 percent), and $103 billion in reimbursements from the General Fund of the Treasury - almost exclusively resulting from the 2011 payroll tax legislation.
The payroll tax rates are set by law and for OASI and DI apply to earnings up to a certain amount. This amount, called the earnings base, rises as average wages increase.
| Year | OASI | DI | OASDI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 and later | 5.30 | 0.90 | 6.20 |
| SOURCE: 2012 OASDI Trustees Report. | |||