Social Security provides critical benefits to millions of seniors and disabled Americans, but the money for the program has to come from somewhere — namely, your paycheck. The amount of Social Security tax you’ll pay will depend on your income, but if you’re a high-enough earner, you could pay a maximum of $7,886.40 in 2017 provided you’re not self-employed.
All workers are required to pay their share of Social Security taxes. That money is then used to pay current beneficiaries and keep the program afloat.