For FERS employees, the Social Security maximum wage base is rising from $90,000 to $94,200. That is the portion of their salaries on which they pay the 6.2 percent “FICA” tax—there is no limit on the 1.45 percent Medicare tax paid by both FERS and CSRS employees. Also, for those retired under FERS, the earnings test applying to Social Security beneficiaries aged 62-through “full retirement age”–for 2006 it is 65 and eight months–is increasing from $12,000 to $12.480. Those beneficiaries lose $1 in Social Security benefits for every $2 in earnings through employment or self-employment above the limit. A separate earnings test applies only to earnings for months in the year an individual reaches full retirement age prior to the individual attaining that age. One dollar in benefits will be withheld for every $3 in earnings above $33,240. There is no limit on earnings beginning the month an individual attains full retirement age. In addition, the amount of Social Security earnings needed for such earnings to be “substantial” for purposes of the windfall elimination provision will be $17,475.