Social Security for 2011 is 4.2% for employees. However, factoring in a Medicare payment, the total employee FICA contribution is 5.65% - my error for saying 6.2%
Further -
http://www.federalbudget.com/
SOCIAL SECURITY is not part of the Federal Budget. It is a separate account and has its own source of income ("Payroll Taxes"). Social Security payments go in the Social Security trust fund, and should NOT be counted as general revenue. The trust fund is supposed to be used to pay future benefits. But....keep reading....
As of August 2010, there is less being paid into the Social Security Trust Fund than is being paid out to beneficiaries. Social Security is now using its "surplus". Government agencies that borrowed from the trust fund, now have to pay the money back. But they've spent it. Where will they get it? More bail outs (taxes) coming. And here is a "must read" about the problem.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/...zi_scheme.html
Your payroll taxes are going into a bottomless hole!
http://www.federalbudget.com/socsec.html
Here is a link to the Social Security Administration's FAQ page about the Trust Fund,
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/P...a/fundFAQ.html
and their latest Report (August 2010).
https://www.socialsecurity.gov/press...e10-pr-alt.pdf
Beware the term "Social Security Surplus"; there is no such thing. Social Security is a Ponzi Scheme, there is never more in the Trust Fund than will ever be needed.
Social Security must be fixed. Here is a debate page.
http://www.federalbudget.com/SSdebate.html
And here is more information on the Root Problem with Social Security.
http://www.federalbudget.com/rootproblem.html