YEAR

October 24, 1998

This table compares the relative value of the earnings wage base from 1937 to 1998. ADJUSTED BY CPI indicates what the earnings wage base would have been, had it been adjusted by cpi (inflation). ADJUSTED BY AVERAGE WAGE indicates what the earnings wage base would have been, had it been adjusted by the Social Security Administration's reported average wage since 1951. COMPARED TO 1998 indicates how much more in real dollars, the 1998 wage base is, for each year.

In Summary today's earnings wage base is 90% more than in 1951 based on the increase in average wages. The earnings wage base is 1059% greater now than in 1937 adjusted for inflation.

Social Security & Medicare Tax Rates www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/taxRates.html

For Social Security's link to the actual Social Security Tax table, www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/oasdiRates.html.

Social Security's wage baswe limit link is www.ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/cbb.html

For a list of government links to US Treasury Rates, Inflation, Trust Fund Data, Period Life Tables and more check out www.justsayno.50megs.com/reference.htm.

COMPARISON OF THE FICA BASE TO CPI, AVERAGE WAGE AND 1998 $'S

ADJUSTED BYCPI ADJUSTED BY AVERAGE WAGE COMPARED TO 1998

YEAR

ANNUAL EARNINGS BASE

BASE

%

BASE

%

BASE

%

1937 $3,000 $3,000 0.0% $5,900 1059.3%

1938 $3,000 $2,917 2.9% $6,100 1021.3%

1939 $3,000 $2,917 2.9% $5,900 1059.3%

1940 $3,000 $2,938 2.1% $5,900 1059.3%

1941 $3,000 $3,229 -7.1% $5,900 1059.3%

1942 $3,000 $3,521 -14.8% $6,500 952.3%

1943 $3,000 $3,625 -17.2% $7,100 863.4%

1944 $3,000 $3,708 -19.1% $7,300 837.0%

1945 $3,000 $3,792 -20.9% $7,500 812.0%

1946 $3,000 $4,479 -33.0% $7,700 788.3%

1947 $3,000 $4,875 -38.5% $9,100 651.6%

1948 $3,000 $5,021 -40.2% $9,900 590.9%

1949 $3,000 $4,917 -39.0% $10,200 570.6%

1950 $3,000 $5,208 -42.4% $10,000 584.0%

1951 $3,600 $5,521 -34.8% $3,600 -0.0% $10,600 545.3%

1952 $3,600 $5,563 -35.3% $3,824 -5.9% $11,200 510.7%

1953 $3,600 $5,604 -35.8% $4,038 -10.8% $11,300 505.3%

1954 $4,200 $5,563 -24.5% $4,058 3.5% $11,400 500.0%

1955 $4,200 $5,583 -24.8% $4,246 -1.1% $11,300 505.3%

1956 $4,200 $5,750 -27.0% $4,543 -7.5% $11,300 505.3%

1957 $4,200 $5,917 -29.0% $4,684 -10.3% $11,600 489.7%

1958 $4,200 $6,021 -30.2% $4,725 -11.1% $11,900 474.8%

1959 $4,800 $6,125 -21.6% $4,959 -3.2% $12,100 465.3%

1960 $4,800 $6,208 -22.7% $5,154 -6.9% $12,300 456.1%

1961 $4,800 $6,250 -23.2% $5,256 -8.7% $12,500 447.2%

1962 $4,800 $6,333 -24.2% $5,519 -13.0% $12,600 442.9%

1963 $4,800 $6,438 -25.4% $5,655 -15.1% $12,800 434.4%

1964 $4,800 $6,500 -26.2% $5,886 -18.4% $13,000 426.2%

1965 $4,800 $6,625 -27.5% $5,992 -19.9% $13,100 422.1%

1966 $6,600 $6,854 -3.7% $6,351 3.9% $13,400 410.4%

1967 $6,600 $7,063 -6.5% $6,705 -1.6% $13,900 392.1%

1968 $7,800 $7,396 5.5% $7,166 8.8% $14,300 378.3%

1969 $7,800 $7,854 -0.7% $7,580 2.9% $15,000 356.0%

1970 $7,800 $8,292 -5.9% $7,956 -2.0% $15,900 330.2%

1971 $7,800 $8,563 -8.9% $8,356 -6.7% $16,800 307.1%

1972 $9,000 $8,854 1.6% $9,175 -1.9% $17,400 293.1%

1973 $10,800 $9,625 12.2% $9,749 10.8% $18,000 280.0%

1974 $13,200 $10,813 22.1% $10,328 27.8% $19,600 249.0%

1975 $14,100 $11,563 21.9% $11,100 27.0% $22,000 210.9%

1976 $15,300 $12,125 26.2% $11,866 28.9% $23,500 191.1%

1977 $16,500 $12,938 27.5% $12,577 31.2% $24,600 178.0%

1978 $17,700 $14,104 25.5% $13,576 30.4% $26,200 161.1%

1979 $22,900 $15,979 43.3% $14,764 55.1% $28,600 139.2%

1980 $25,900 $17,979 44.1% $16,094 60.9% $32,400 111.1%

1981 $29,700 $19,583 51.7% $17,714 67.7% $36,400 87.9%

1982 $32,400 $20,333 59.3% $18,689 73.4% $39,700 72.3%

1983 $35,700 $21,104 69.2% $19,599 82.2% $41,200 66.0%

1984 $37,800 $21,938 72.3% $20,751 82.2% $42,800 59.8%

1985 $39,600 $22,771 73.9% $21,635 83.0% $44,500 53.7%

1986 $42,000 $23,021 82.4% $22,278 88.5% $46,200 48.1%

1987 $43,800 $24,042 82.2% $23,698 84.8% $46,700 46.5%

1988 $45,000 $25,104 79.3% $24,866 81.0% $48,800 40.2%

1989 $48,000 $26,271 82.7% $25,850 85.7% $51,000 34.1%

1990 $51,300 $27,875 84.0% $27,044 89.7% $53,400 28.1%

1991 $53,400 $28,729 85.9% $28,052 90.4% $56,700 20.6%

1992 $55,500 $29,563 87.7% $29,497 88.2% $58,400 17.1%

1993 $57,600 $30,375 89.6% $29,751 93.6% $60,100 13.8%

1994 $60,600 $31,188 94.3% $30,549 98.4% $61,800 10.7%

1995 $61,200 $31,979 91.4% $31,774 92.6% $63,500 7.7%

1996 $62,700 $33,042 89.8% $33,328 88.1% $65,100 5.1%

1997 $65,400 $33,604 94.6% $67,300 1.6%

1998 $68,400 $68,400 0.0%

COMPARISON OF THE FICA BASE TO CPI, AVERAGE WAGE AND 1998 $'S
		ADJUSTED BYCPI		ADJUSTED BY AVERAGE WAGE		COMPARED TO 1998
YEAR	ANNUAL EARNINGS BASE	BASE	%	BASE	%	BASE	%
1937	$3,000	$3,000	0.0%			$5,900	1059.3%
1938	$3,000	$2,917	2.9%			$6,100	1021.3%
1939	$3,000	$2,917	2.9%			$5,900	1059.3%
1940	$3,000	$2,938	2.1%			$5,900	1059.3%
1941	$3,000	$3,229	-7.1%			$5,900	1059.3%
1942	$3,000	$3,521	-14.8%			$6,500	952.3%
1943	$3,000	$3,625	-17.2%			$7,100	863.4%
1944	$3,000	$3,708	-19.1%			$7,300	837.0%
1945	$3,000	$3,792	-20.9%			$7,500	812.0%
1946	$3,000	$4,479	-33.0%			$7,700	788.3%
1947	$3,000	$4,875	-38.5%			$9,100	651.6%
1948	$3,000	$5,021	-40.2%			$9,900	590.9%
1949	$3,000	$4,917	-39.0%			$10,200	570.6%
1950	$3,000	$5,208	-42.4%			$10,000	584.0%
1951	$3,600	$5,521	-34.8%	$3,600	-0.0%	$10,600	545.3%
1952	$3,600	$5,563	-35.3%	$3,824	-5.9%	$11,200	510.7%
1953	$3,600	$5,604	-35.8%	$4,038	-10.8%	$11,300	505.3%
1954	$4,200	$5,563	-24.5%	$4,058	3.5%	$11,400	500.0%
1955	$4,200	$5,583	-24.8%	$4,246	-1.1%	$11,300	505.3%
1956	$4,200	$5,750	-27.0%	$4,543	-7.5%	$11,300	505.3%
1957	$4,200	$5,917	-29.0%	$4,684	-10.3%	$11,600	489.7%
1958	$4,200	$6,021	-30.2%	$4,725	-11.1%	$11,900	474.8%
1959	$4,800	$6,125	-21.6%	$4,959	-3.2%	$12,100	465.3%
1960	$4,800	$6,208	-22.7%	$5,154	-6.9%	$12,300	456.1%
1961	$4,800	$6,250	-23.2%	$5,256	-8.7%	$12,500	447.2%
1962	$4,800	$6,333	-24.2%	$5,519	-13.0%	$12,600	442.9%
1963	$4,800	$6,438	-25.4%	$5,655	-15.1%	$12,800	434.4%
1964	$4,800	$6,500	-26.2%	$5,886	-18.4%	$13,000	426.2%
1965	$4,800	$6,625	-27.5%	$5,992	-19.9%	$13,100	422.1%
1966	$6,600	$6,854	-3.7%	$6,351	3.9%	$13,400	410.4%
1967	$6,600	$7,063	-6.5%	$6,705	-1.6%	$13,900	392.1%
1968	$7,800	$7,396	5.5%	$7,166	8.8%	$14,300	378.3%
1969	$7,800	$7,854	-0.7%	$7,580	2.9%	$15,000	356.0%
1970	$7,800	$8,292	-5.9%	$7,956	-2.0%	$15,900	330.2%
1971	$7,800	$8,563	-8.9%	$8,356	-6.7%	$16,800	307.1%
1972	$9,000	$8,854	1.6%	$9,175	-1.9%	$17,400	293.1%
1973	$10,800	$9,625	12.2%	$9,749	10.8%	$18,000	280.0%
1974	$13,200	$10,813	22.1%	$10,328	27.8%	$19,600	249.0%
1975	$14,100	$11,563	21.9%	$11,100	27.0%	$22,000	210.9%
1976	$15,300	$12,125	26.2%	$11,866	28.9%	$23,500	191.1%
1977	$16,500	$12,938	27.5%	$12,577	31.2%	$24,600	178.0%
1978	$17,700	$14,104	25.5%	$13,576	30.4%	$26,200	161.1%
1979	$22,900	$15,979	43.3%	$14,764	55.1%	$28,600	139.2%
1980	$25,900	$17,979	44.1%	$16,094	60.9%	$32,400	111.1%
1981	$29,700	$19,583	51.7%	$17,714	67.7%	$36,400	87.9%
1982	$32,400	$20,333	59.3%	$18,689	73.4%	$39,700	72.3%
1983	$35,700	$21,104	69.2%	$19,599	82.2%	$41,200	66.0%
1984	$37,800	$21,938	72.3%	$20,751	82.2%	$42,800	59.8%
1985	$39,600	$22,771	73.9%	$21,635	83.0%	$44,500	53.7%
1986	$42,000	$23,021	82.4%	$22,278	88.5%	$46,200	48.1%
1987	$43,800	$24,042	82.2%	$23,698	84.8%	$46,700	46.5%
1988	$45,000	$25,104	79.3%	$24,866	81.0%	$48,800	40.2%
1989	$48,000	$26,271	82.7%	$25,850	85.7%	$51,000	34.1%
1990	$51,300	$27,875	84.0%	$27,044	89.7%	$53,400	28.1%
1991	$53,400	$28,729	85.9%	$28,052	90.4%	$56,700	20.6%
1992	$55,500	$29,563	87.7%	$29,497	88.2%	$58,400	17.1%
1993	$57,600	$30,375	89.6%	$29,751	93.6%	$60,100	13.8%
1994	$60,600	$31,188	94.3%	$30,549	98.4%	$61,800	10.7%
1995	$61,200	$31,979	91.4%	$31,774	92.6%	$63,500	7.7%
1996	$62,700	$33,042	89.8%	$33,328	88.1%	$65,100	5.1%
1997	$65,400	$33,604	94.6%			$67,300	1.6%
1998	$68,400					$68,400	0.0%