Final answer:
To determine the total annual FICA tax for an annual salary of $165,000, calculate the Social Security tax and Medicare tax. The total FICA tax is $9,014.10.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the total annual FICA tax for an annual salary of $165,000, you need to calculate the Social Security and Medicare taxes. The Social Security tax is 6.2% of the gross annual income, while the Medicare tax is 1.45% of the gross annual income.
First, calculate the Social Security tax by multiplying $106,800 (the maximum taxable earnings) by 0.062. The result is $6,621.60. Since the salary exceeds the maximum taxable earnings, the total Social Security tax is $6,621.60.
Next, calculate the Medicare tax by multiplying $165,000 by 0.0145. The result is $2,392.50. The total FICA tax is the sum of the Social Security and Medicare taxes, which is $6,621.60 + $2,392.50 = $9,014.10. Therefore, the correct answer is option b) $9,014.10.