Help with Social Security and medicare

[jerseygal2323]

I started working since April of 2003 (almost 18 months) for a Government Agency. I was on OPT till November,2003 AND SINCE THEN ON MY h-1
I noticed that from my every pay check (twice a month),
9.5% is deducted for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare. Since I am on my H-1 visa and planning to return to India in a couple of years,
I seriously feel this amount shoudnt have been deducted. Do I have to contact my employer or the Social Security in order to obtain the deducted amount.
The main problem is I am the first international with our organisation and my personnell manager is not very good at handling these issues.

Also, federal and state taxes withheld are 15.85% and 3.4 %. I am really not sure if these are the right % for anyone on H-1 Visa.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[tonyiznaola]

my opinion

I am reading books for financial planning. I am a foreign allien working in the USA like you, and I am investigating how to cut as much as possible my taxes under my status.

Unfortunately according the information I got, there is no way to avoid local, state or federal taxes while working in the USA for foreigners. We should pay taxes depending our tax bracket.

I still invetigating if I can cut some of them, and how.

[immihelp]

tony is right. You must pay those taxes. No way to avoid them.

[bhaarathm]

How about Social Security and medicare taxes ?

There got to be a way to avoid those taxes while working on temporary visa. I do not like the idea of depending on another country organization when i am at 65.

It is really hijacking people money