How does one go about stoping your employer from taking out FICA taxes?

Question

Maybe I should rephrase the question and ask...where do I found out how to become exempt from paying FICA -how do I qualify?

Answer 1

You may be confusing FICA with Federal Income Tax. FICA is Social Security and Medicare, and, except under VERY strict circumstances, you cannot be exempted. The specific circumstances are a) if you are retired and already receiving Social Security, or b) if your religion bars you from participating in the program.

See:
http://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/rulings/oasi/47/SSR83-02-oasi-47.html

for information on the latter.

As to Federal Income tax, if you will not owe taxes, you may enter "EXEMPT" on your W-4 (not W-2) form that you file with your employer. You will still need to file a 1040EZ form at the end of the year, and if you goofed up, and do owe taxes, may have to pay a penalty for not withholding enough, so be careful.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

The only way I know of to be exempt from paying FICA tax is to be enrolled in college and working on campus (School, college or University) You need to have a full time course load and work 20 hours a week (40 occasionally) and recieve no benefits. But this may vary from state to state.

Answer 3

You can't be exempt from paying FICA until you are over age 65 and not working. Changing your status to subcontractor and getting nothing withheld, and reporting on a 1099 form, only means you have to pay the Social Security Administration what you owe in FICA right out of your pocket each quarter instead of from each check.

Answer 4

There is no exemption from FICA, every working person pays.

The only way to stop it is to leave the USA permanently and renounce your citizenship & social security.

If there was a legal way to not pay, few people under the age of 50 would since its doubtful we will ever be able to draw social security anyway.

Answer 5

Everyone in a job covered by social security must pay FICA - you can't be exempt.

Many government jobs are covered by a government plan instead, and railroads have a separate plan, but pretty equivalent to social security. You still have to pay into these if you have a job in these areas.

Answer 6

You can't without a special federal exemption

Answer 7

That is very difficult to do. You need to be paid as a part time contracter, if you want them to stop withholding. As a full time employee, there is nothing they can do.

Answer 8

get elcted to the US congress...they dont pay..In the mean time support The Fairtax. learn about the Fairtax at:
http://www.fairtax.org
If youre under 40 once you learn about the fairtax you will support it

Answer 9

File Exempt on your w-2 forms, you have to tell your employer you want to do this

Answer 10

You can't.