What payroll taxes must an employer withhold for an employee?

In most years, your employer will deduct the following from your paycheck:

Social Security: 6.2% of your gross pay

Medicare: 1.45% of your gross pay

However, in 2011 Obama signed into a law a "payroll tax holiday" as part of the continued effort to stimulate the economy. For 2011 only, the social security tax coming out of your paycheck is 4.2% instead of 6.2%, meaning that this year you will take home more money than you would in a "normal" year.

Your employer matches these amounts too -- they pay another 6.2% for social security, and another 1.45% for Medicare. Under the payroll tax holiday, only your portion of social security is reduced to 4.2% -- your employer is still paying 6.2% of your pay into social security for you.