Who has to pay the 3.8 Obamacare tax?

Asked by: Serenity Reichert  |  Last update: February 25, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (53 votes)

The tax applies only to people with relatively high incomes. If you're single, you must pay the tax only if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is over $200,000. Married taxpayers filing jointly must have an AGI over $250,000 to be subject to the tax.

Who pays the 3.8% Medicare surtax?

The NIIT only affects individuals, trusts and estates, and any entities with pass-through income from investments, for e.g. tax partnerships and S-corporations.

Who is subject to 3.8% investment tax?

As an investor, you may owe an additional 3.8% tax called net investment income tax (NIIT). But you'll only owe it if you have investment income and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) goes over a certain amount.

How do I avoid paying 3.8% Medicare surtax?

Look for ways to minimize your AGI. The lower your AGI (the number at the bottom of the TAX-FORM 1040) the lower the amount of your income will be subject to the 3.8% surtax. Need another reason to contribute to your retirement plan? Making contributions to your 401k, 403b or pension will lower your AGI.

What is the 3.8% tax on Obamacare?

The 3.8% ACA tax on net investment income applies to unincorporated taxpayers (basically individuals, estates, and certain trusts) who have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above these annual income levels: $250,000 in the case of married taxpayers filing a joint return or a surviving spouse.

Conquer the NIIT: How to Understand and Plan for the 3.8% Tax

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How to avoid Obama Care tax?

Exemptions
  1. Income is below the tax filing threshold.
  2. Health coverage is considered unaffordable (exceeded 7.97% of household income for the 2024 taxable year)
  3. Families' self-only coverage combined cost is unaffordable.
  4. Short coverage gap of three consecutive months or less.
  5. Certain non-citizens who are not lawfully present.

How to avoid niit?

Invest in Roth retirement accounts: Qualified distributions from Roth accounts are excluded from your MAGI in retirement, helping you avoid the NIIT later in life. Invest in municipal bonds: Investing more funds in municipal bonds can be helpful because the earnings won't increase your MAGI.

Why am I being charged Medicare Surtax?

An individual will owe Additional Medicare Tax on wages, compensation and self-employment income (and that of the individual's spouse if married filing jointly) that exceed the applicable threshold for the individual's filing status.

How much federal income tax do I pay on $200,000?

22 percent on taxable income between $47,150 and $100,525; plus. 24 percent on the amount over $100,525 up to $191,950; plus. 32 percent on the amount over $191,950 up to $200,000.

How to avoid paying additional Medicare tax?

If you earn $200,000 or less, your employer will not withhold any of the additional Medicare tax.

At what income does the Medicare surcharge kick in?

Employer responsibilities

An employer is responsible for withholding the Additional Medicare tax from wages or railroad retirement (RRTA) compensation it pays to an employee in excess of $200,000 in a calendar year, without regard to filing status.

What is the capital gains tax on Obamacare?

It's a 3.8 percent tax on investment income—such as interest, dividends, capital gains, rents and royalties—that kicks in when income tops $200,000 for single people, $250,000 for married couples.

What are the two types of exemptions?

There are two types of exemptions-personal and dependency. Each exemption reduces the income subject to tax.

How does the 3.8 investment tax work?

Effective Jan. 1, 2013, individual taxpayers are liable for a 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax on the lesser of their net investment income, or the amount by which their modified adjusted gross income exceeds the statutory threshold amount based on their filing status.

At what income do you stop paying Medicare tax?

There's no wage-based limit for Medicare tax. All covered wages are subject to Medicare tax. If you receive wages over $200,000 a year, your employer must withhold a . 9% additional Medicare tax.

What is the Medicare surtax for 2024?

The Medicare portion is 1.45% of all earnings. Also, as of January 2024, individuals with earned income of more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly) pay an additional 0.9% in Medicare taxes; employers are not required to pay a matching 0.9% portion of the additional Medicare tax.

At what age is social security no longer taxed?

Social Security income can be taxable no matter how old you are. It all depends on whether your total combined income exceeds a certain level set for your filing status. You may have heard that Social Security income is not taxed after age 70; this is false.

Is 200k a year rich?

Yes, it is. In fact, that level of income significantly surpasses what a typical American worker earns in a year. But it's worth noting that your local cost of living and financial obligations can impact how far the money goes.

How can we avoid the 3.8% Medicare surtax?

Is there any way to reduce the tax? You can sell some securities at a loss to offset investment gains if you think you might be subject to the surtax this tax year. And when planning for the future, you can also choose investments that are naturally more tax-efficient.

At what income does the 3.8 surtax kick in?

The threshold is $250,000 for joint filers, $125,000 for married filing separately, and $200,000 for all other filers. Net investment income includes the following items of income reduced by applicable expenses: interest, dividends, capital gains, annuities, royalties, and passive rental and business income.

How do I fight a high income Medicare surcharge?

So how do you file the life changing event appeal? You will use Form SSA-44 (Medicare Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount – Life Changing Event). Complete the required information on the form and submit to a local Social Security office.

What is the Obamacare 3.8 tax?

Overview of the NIIT

The NIIT is equal to 3.8% of the net investment income of individuals, estates, and certain trusts. Net investment income includes interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, certain rents, and certain other passive business income not subject to the corporate tax.

What triggers NIIT tax?

The Net Investment Income Tax is imposed by section 1411 of the Internal Revenue Code. The NIIT applies at a rate of 3.8% to certain net investment income of individuals, estates and trusts that have income above the statutory threshold amounts.

Who is exempt from NIIT?

The NIIT applies to income from a trade or business that is (1) a passive activity, as determined under § 469, of the taxpayer; or (2) trading in financial instruments or commodities, as determined under § 475(e)(2). The NIIT doesn't apply to wages, unemployment compensation, or income from an active business.