[texas booster]

I can see where the 50% might come from, the employer share of FICA, but the justification for going up to 85% escapes me.

In 1986 when Congre$$ changed the law to make SS benefits taxable.

Self Employment taxes are 15.3%, 7.65% from you and &.65% from your employer.

That's close enough to 15% for Congress.

[texas booster]

Until 1986, social security benefits were not taxed.

It was “unseemly” to NOT have millionaires pay taxes on monies “they didn’t need”.