From: [email-masked] (Naiqian Lu)
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 93 13:41:04 CDT

> From: KURT RJ HAMMERBECK <[email-masked]>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <[email-masked]>
> 
> Hi, there!
> I has been a PR since last month.  I am doing my RA for my PhD now. 
> I have a question concerning the FICA.  In my pay-roll, there is a term 
> called FICA which I have never paid.  I was told that the FICA is the 
> security tax and related to the benefit in future after I retired and 
> medical insurance.  Some one said that the earlier I start pay it,
> the better my benefit in future, beacuse the benefit will depend on the
> years and the amount which I totally paid.  Could anybody confirm the
> information and give more detail explanation about the issue?  Shoud 
> I pay it or not?  What benefit can I get from it?
> 
FICA is a tax packet for empleyee, usuall include social security and 
medicare tax, around 9% of your paycheck, you need pay it as long as 
15 year of full time work to get full benefit.(full time work means
you at least earn certain amount of money, not necessary 40h/week)

As graduate student, you don't pay FICA during semesters, but RA of PR
or citizen have to pay FICA or something at summer time, depent on your
University. You can not ask university to pay FICA if they are not 
required, because employey have to pay another 7.65% to your social
security account.

As a lot of us get PR, it is the time to learn more about the TAX law.

this is only my opinion, no legal response here.

Lu.