What is OASDI (2026) | PaycheckByState

What is OASDI? OASDI stands for Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, the official name for Social Security tax. Employees pay 6.2% of wages up to a yearly cap of $184,500 in 2026. Once your year-to-date wages reach the cap, OASDI withholding stops for the rest of the calendar year.

What does OASDI mean on my paycheck?

OASDI stands for Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance. It is the government's formal name for Social Security tax, and it is the same deduction most pay stubs also label SOC SEC, FICA-SS or fold into a combined FICA EE line. See every other code in pay stub abbreviations explained.

OASDI is one of the two taxes that make up FICA. The other is Medicare — see what MED EE means.

The 2026 OASDI rate and wage cap

Employees pay 6.2% of wages toward OASDI. Unlike Medicare, it has an annual cap: the Social Security wage base, set at $184,500 for 2026 by the Social Security Administration. Once your year-to-date wages pass that amount, OASDI withholding stops for the rest of the calendar year and starts again each January.

OASDI by salary

Annual pay	Wages taxed for OASDI	OASDI tax / year	Per biweekly paycheck
$30,000	$30,000	$1,860	$72
$60,000	$60,000	$3,720	$143
$100,000	$100,000	$6,200	$238
$150,000	$150,000	$9,300	$358
$184,500	$184,500	$11,439	$440
$250,000	$184,500 (capped)	$11,439	$440

See the full breakdown for your own numbers in the free paycheck calculator.

Why OASDI stops mid-year

Because the $184,500 cap applies to the calendar year, not each paycheck, high earners often notice their take-home pay rise in the final pay periods of the year — the 6.2% OASDI line disappears once year-to-date wages cross the cap. It reappears on your first paycheck the following January. This is separate from Medicare, which has no cap and keeps applying to every dollar. See what YTD means for how to track this on your own stub.

What OASDI actually pays for

OASDI funds Social Security's retirement, survivors and disability benefits: monthly payments to retired workers, to the spouses and children of workers who have died, and to workers who become disabled before retirement age. It is a separate program from Medicare, which pays for hospital and medical insurance for people 65 and older or with certain disabilities.

How to check your OASDI line

Take your gross pay for the period (before any Section 125 pre-tax benefits).
Multiply by 6.2%. It should match your OASDI or Social Security line, unless your year-to-date wages have crossed $184,500.
401(k) contributions do not reduce OASDI wages; only certain pre-tax benefits like health premiums do.
If the amount looks wrong and you are below the cap, ask payroll to check your Social Security wage figure.

This is general information, not tax or benefits advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is OASDI on my paycheck?

OASDI stands for Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance — the official name for Social Security tax. It is 6.2% of your wages, taken from every paycheck up to a yearly cap ($184,500 in 2026).

Is OASDI the same as Social Security?

Yes. OASDI is the formal, legal name; "Social Security tax" and "SOC SEC" on a pay stub mean the same deduction.

Why did my OASDI deduction stop?

Once your year-to-date wages reach the annual wage base ($184,500 for 2026), no more Social Security tax is withheld for the rest of the year. Your paycheck gets slightly larger as a result.

Is OASDI the same as FICA?

OASDI is one half of FICA. The other half is Medicare tax (1.45%, no cap). Together they are usually labeled FICA EE on a stub.

Does my employer pay OASDI too?

Yes, a matching 6.2%, which does not reduce your pay. Self-employed workers pay both halves (12.4%) through self-employment tax.