What income is counted for Medicare premiums?

Asked by: Cyril Quitzon  |  Last update: March 8, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (14 votes)

This is based on your "modified adjusted gross income" (MAGI). Your MAGI is your total adjusted gross income and tax-exempt interest income.

What income is used to determine Medicare premiums in 2024?

What income is counted for Medicare premiums? Your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), which includes total gross income and certain non-taxable Social Security benefits, determines your Medicare premium.

What income is included in Magi for Medicare premiums?

MAGI is adjusted gross income (AGI) plus these, if any: untaxed foreign income, non-taxable Social Security benefits, and tax-exempt interest. For many people, MAGI is identical or very close to adjusted gross income. MAGI doesn't include Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

What counts as earned income for Medicare?

Start with your adjusted gross income (AGI). This is the figure on IRS Form 1040, line 11 of your federal income tax return. Take your adjusted gross income amount and add any untaxed foreign income, non-taxable Social Security benefits, and tax-exempt interest. Don't add any Supplemental Security Income (SSI) you got.

What is not counted as income?

Inheritances, gifts, cash rebates, alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018), child support payments, most healthcare benefits, welfare payments, and money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions are deemed nontaxable by the IRS.

How Your Income Affects Your Medicare Premium

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What income is used to determine Medicare premiums for 2025?

So, for 2025, the SSA looks at your 2023 tax returns to see if you must pay an IRMAA. IRMAA is calculated every year. That means if your income is higher or lower year after year, your IRMAA status can change.

Does the sale of a house count as income for Medicare premiums?

Home sales.

If your capital gain from the sale of a home exceeds the exclusion amount ($250,000 for individuals, $500,000 for joint filers), it will be treated as taxable income. So, if you made a sizable profit downsizing, it could show up in your IRMAA calculation two years later.

How do I calculate my modified adjusted gross income?

Your MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) is your AGI plus certain deductions you must “add back.” These deductions include IRA contributions, student loan interest, one-half of self-employment tax, qualified tuition expenses, and more.

Does everyone have to pay $170 a month for Medicare?

Most people pay no premiums for Part A. For Medicare Part B in 2025, most beneficiaries will pay $185 per month. Certain factors may require you to pay more or less than the standard Medicare Part B premium in 2025.

Does Medicare check your income every year?

Each fall, when we ask the IRS for information to determine next year's premiums, we ask for tax information to verify your reports of changes affecting your income-related monthly adjustment amounts, if any. We also ask the IRS for your two-year-old MAGI if we've temporarily used three-year-old MAGI.

How much money can you have in the bank if you're on Medicare?

There is no limit on the amount of cash you can have with Medicare Part A. You do have to have paid taxes for 40 quarters (10 years) during your working lifetime and you have to be age 65 unless otherwise qualified due to a social security eligible disability.

Do 401k withdrawals count as income for Medicare?

You may not be rich, but your 401(k) and regular IRA withdrawals become taxable income, and you may look rich to Medicare. If you take out too much tax-deferred money, it can cause your Medicare monthly premiums to go up. This is called IRMAA (income related monthly adjustment amount).

How to calculate magi for Medicare 2024?

Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) is the sum of:
  1. the beneficiary's adjusted gross income (AGI) (found on line 11 of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax filing form 1040), plus.
  2. tax-exempt interest income (line 2a of IRS Form 1040).

Will my Medicare premiums go down if my income goes down?

If you've had a life-changing event that reduced your household income, you can ask to lower the additional amount you'll pay for Medicare Part B and Part D.

Does Social Security count as income for extra help?

We will count only part of the applicant's earnings toward the income limit if the applicant: Works; ▪ Receives Social Security benefits based on a disability or blindness; and ▪ Has work-related expenses that are not reimbursed.

How do I figure out my adjusted gross income?

The AGI calculation is relatively straightforward. It is equal to the total income you report that's subject to income tax—such as earnings from your job, self-employment, dividends and interest from a bank account—minus specific deductions, or “adjustments” that you're eligible to take.

What is modified adjusted gross income for Medicare?

We use the most recent federal tax return the IRS provides to us. If you must pay higher premiums, we use a sliding scale to calculate the adjustments. This is based on your "modified adjusted gross income" (MAGI). Your MAGI is your total adjusted gross income and tax-exempt interest income.

How to lower modified adjusted gross income?

Strategies to Minimize MAGI
  1. Maximize Deductions: Take advantage of available deductions, and that doesn't always mean the standard deduction. ...
  2. Save for Retirement: Contributing to tax-advantaged retirement accounts like Traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can reduce MAGI.

Does inheritance affect Medicare premiums?

The short answer is no, but receiving a financial windfall could affect what you pay for coverage. Receiving an inheritance can have other affects on your personal finances, so it may be a good idea to speak with a financial advisor.

Do Roth IRA withdrawals count as income for Medicare?

Withdrawals from Roth IRAs, for example, are not included in your MAGI and have no impact on your Medicare premiums. In fact, Roth accounts don't have any RMDs during the owner's lifetime. Converting traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs, however, comes with its own tax implications that should be carefully evaluated.

Why is Social Security no longer paying Medicare Part B?

There could be several reasons why Social Security stopped withholding your Medicare Part B premium. One common reason is that your income has exceeded the threshold for premium assistance. Another reason could be that there was a mistake or error in your records.

What is the new Medicare rule for 2025?

Beginning January 1, 2025, people with Part D plans through traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage won't pay more than $2,000 over the calendar year in out-of-pocket costs for their prescription medications.

Can I deduct Medicare Part B premiums on my taxes?

Can you deduct Medicare Part B payments on your taxes? You can, but only if medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income and you're itemizing deductions.