Can I get a refund on social security and Medicare taxes withheld from my W-2?

Unfortunately, Social Security and Medicare taxes (also called FICA taxes) generally aren't refundable like income tax can be. These taxes are mandatory contributions to these systems regardless of your income level, and they're collected from almost all workers. Even if your income is low enough that you don't owe any federal income tax, you still have to pay the Social Security tax (6.2% of wages) and Medicare tax (1.45% of wages). The income tax system has deductions and credits that can reduce your liability to zero, but the FICA system works differently. There are only a few rare exceptions where you might get these taxes refunded, like if your employer mistakenly withheld too much or if you're eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which might offset some of the impact of these taxes though not directly refund them.

After struggling with a similar issue last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which really cleared things up for me. I wasn't sure which taxes were refundable and which weren't, and the regular tax prep software I was using didn't explain it very well. The taxr.ai tool analyzed my W-2 and explained exactly which taxes were mandatory vs. which ones I could potentially get back. It also found a couple of credits I didn't know I qualified for that offset some of those mandatory FICA taxes.

I gotta admit I was skeptical about taxr.ai when I first heard about it, but I decided to give it a try after struggling with my taxes this year. I uploaded my W-2 and the analysis confirmed what people here were saying - that Social Security and Medicare taxes aren't refundable - but it also found I qualified for the Earned Income Credit which I had no idea about! That put an extra $560 in my pocket that basically offset what I paid in FICA taxes. The explanation was super clear about which taxes were which and why some could be refunded while others couldn't. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation.

If you're still hoping to get some of that money back and need to talk to someone at the IRS about your specific situation, good luck getting through on their phone lines. I spent DAYS trying to reach them last year. Finally I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and their service got me connected to an IRS agent in less than 15 minutes! You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent I spoke with explained exactly which taxes were refundable in my situation and which weren't. Saved me so much frustration compared to calling and getting disconnected constantly.

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this but I need to correct my earlier skepticism. After rage-quitting from being on hold with the IRS for 2+ hours yesterday, I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation. I fully expected it to be BS but within 22 minutes I was literally talking to an IRS representative! The agent confirmed what others here have said - Social Security and Medicare taxes aren't refundable under normal circumstances - but she also walked me through my specific situation and made sure I wasn't missing any potential credits. Honestly shocked that this service actually works as advertised.

There's actually ONE scenario where you could get Social Security tax (but not Medicare) refunded - if you worked multiple jobs and earned over the Social Security wage base limit ($147,000 in 2022, $160,200 in 2023). But with your income being only $13,500, that doesn't apply to you. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) that others mentioned is probably your best bet to offset some of those FICA taxes. It's specifically designed to help low to moderate income workers. Depending on your filing status and if you have any qualifying children, you could get a nice credit that effectively returns some of what you paid.

I made a similar amount last year ($14k) and was disappointed to learn I couldn't get my Social Security and Medicare taxes back. But I did qualify for the Earned Income Credit which gave me back almost the same amount! Make sure you check if you qualify based on your age and income.

Just to add some clarity to what others have said - you're correct that Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA) aren't refundable in most cases, but don't give up hope on getting money back! At your income level of $13,500, you should definitely look into the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) if you meet the age requirements (25+ if single with no kids). Also, make sure you're claiming the standard deduction ($13,850 for 2023 if single) which should zero out any federal income tax owed. And double-check that you're not missing any other credits you might qualify for - things like education credits if you're a student, or the Child and Dependent Care Credit if applicable. The key is understanding that while FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare (which you'll benefit from later), income taxes can often be fully refunded through deductions and credits when your income is low. Focus on maximizing those refundable credits!