What's the difference between Social security wages and social security withheld

[rjs]

Social Security wages are the amount of your wages that you pay Social Security tax on. Social Security withheld is the tax on the Social Security wages. The tax is 6.2% of the Social Security wages.

[Opus 17]

Also, there is an annual maximum Social Security wage base. For 2020, it was $137,700. If you earned more than that, then that amount is still  the limit of your Social Security wages, and any amount you earned over that amount is not subject to Social Security withholding.

Social Security wages represent income earned from working and may be different from your taxable wages. For example, if you make contributions at work to a 401(k), the contribution is subtracted from your taxable wages but it is still included in your Social Security wages, because you earned the income, even though it is not subject to income tax.  

[Curious One]

 If my SS wages are lower than my wages (box 3 vs. box 1) and the difference is accounted for by social security tips (box 7), do I have any residual SS tax liability?  SS tax w/h is 6.2% of box 1 and 10.4% of box 3.

[LindaS5247]

Box 1 reports your total wages, tip and other compensation. However, this box does not include employee elective deferrals (such as employee contributions to a 401(k) plan. Box 1 also includes your social security tips shown in Box 7.

Box 3 reports the total amount of wages subject to the Social Security tax. This Box shows the total wages paid (before payroll deductions) subject to employee social security tax but not including social security tips and allocated tips. This Box does include any employee Elective deferrals to a 401(k) plan for instance. So yes your Box 3 would be your social security wages less your social security tips which are reported in Box 7.

The current Social Security tax rates is 6.2%. So that is correct that it would be 6.2% of Box 1.  Since your social security wages are reduced by your social security tips 

You will not have a residual social security tax liability.  These are reported to your employer, and the social security withholding should be properly applied by your employer or payroll company.