Medicare Premium Calculator
Estimate your monthly Medicare premium including IRMAA surcharges based on your income.
These calculators are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice.
This calculator provides simplified coverage and premium estimates for educational purposes only. It is not an insurance quote, offer of coverage, or substitute for advice from a licensed insurance agent. Actual rates and coverage needs vary by insurer, underwriting, and state.
Medicare premiums are the monthly amount you pay for coverage — and they are not the same for everyone. Two retirees with identical Medicare plans can pay very different amounts, because Medicare bases part of your bill on your income from two years earlier.
Costs vary because Medicare Part B and Part D both include an income-based add-on called IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). Higher earners pay more, sometimes significantly more, on top of the standard premium. A Medicare Premium Calculator lets you estimate your likely monthly costs before you enroll, so you can budget accurately and avoid surprises. For example, a single retiree with income at or below the standard threshold pays the base Part B premium, while a high-income retiree can pay well over three times that amount. Use the calculator below to see where you fall.
What Is a Medicare Premium Calculator?
A Medicare Premium Calculator is a tool that estimates what you’ll pay each month for Medicare coverage. It takes your income, filing status, and which parts of Medicare you plan to enroll in, then estimates your Part B premium, Part D premium, and any IRMAA surcharge you may owe.
The calculator is useful for anyone approaching age 65, retirees comparing coverage options, caregivers helping a family member plan, and higher-income individuals who want to understand how IRMAA affects their bill. Because Medicare premiums are tied to income from two years earlier, planning ahead matters — decisions you make today about withdrawals, Roth conversions, or capital gains can affect your Medicare costs in a future year.
Premium estimation is especially important for retirement budgeting. Healthcare is often one of the largest expenses in retirement, and unlike many other costs, Medicare premiums can jump unexpectedly if your income crosses an IRMAA threshold — even by a single dollar.
How the Medicare Premium Calculator Works
The calculator combines a few key pieces of information to estimate your premiums:
| Input | What It’s Used For |
|---|---|
| Filing Status | Single, married filing jointly, or married filing separately — determines which IRMAA bracket table applies |
| Annual Income (MAGI) | Your Modified Adjusted Gross Income from two years prior, used to determine your IRMAA tier |
| Medicare Enrollment Year | Determines which year’s premium rates and IRMAA brackets apply |
| Part B Enrollment | Whether to include the standard Part B premium and any IRMAA surcharge in your estimate |
| Part D Enrollment | Whether to include an estimated Part D premium and any IRMAA surcharge in your estimate |
| Current Age | Used to flag late-enrollment penalty risk if you’re past your Initial Enrollment Period |
| Household Status | Whether your spouse is also enrolling, since IRMAA is assessed per person |
Once you enter these values, the calculator matches your income and filing status against the current year’s IRMAA bracket table, applies the correct multiplier to the standard Part B premium, adds any Part D surcharge, and totals your estimated monthly and annual Medicare costs.
Understanding Medicare Costs
Medicare Part A: Hospital Insurance
Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and some home health care. Most people get premium-free Part A — roughly 99% of beneficiaries pay nothing for it, because they or a spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters (about 10 years).
If you don’t have enough work history, you may need to pay a monthly Part A premium. Even with premium-free Part A, you’re still responsible for a deductible each benefit period before coverage kicks in.
Medicare Part B: Medical Insurance
Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, and durable medical equipment. Unlike Part A, almost everyone pays a Part B premium, and it comes straight out of your Social Security check for most beneficiaries. The standard premium applies to beneficiaries below the IRMAA income threshold; beneficiaries above it pay an income-based surcharge on top. Part B also carries an annual deductible before coverage pays its share.
Medicare Part D: Prescription Drug Coverage
Part D covers prescription medications through private insurers approved by Medicare. Premiums vary by plan and location — there’s no single “Part D premium” the way there is for Part B. Like Part B, Part D is also subject to IRMAA, so higher-income beneficiaries pay an additional surcharge on top of whatever their chosen plan charges.
What Is IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount)?
Medicare normally covers about 75% of Part B and Part D program costs, with beneficiary premiums covering the other 25%. IRMAA shifts that split for higher earners — instead of the standard 25% share, they pay 35%, 50%, 65%, 80%, or 85% of program costs, depending on their income tier.
Medicare determines your IRMAA using your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) — your Adjusted Gross Income plus tax-exempt interest — from the tax return you filed two years before the current Medicare year. Your 2024 tax return determines your 2026 IRMAA, for example.
IRMAA is a “cliff” system: going even $1 over a bracket threshold can push your entire premium into the next, higher tier — not just the amount over the line. This makes income timing genuinely important for anyone near a bracket edge.
Factors That Affect Medicare Premiums
| Factor | Impact on Premiums |
|---|---|
| Income (MAGI) | Higher income two years prior can trigger IRMAA, raising both Part B and Part D premiums |
| Filing Status | Married filing separately has much lower IRMAA thresholds than single or joint filers |
| Medicare Plan Selection | Part D and Medicare Advantage premiums vary by plan and insurer, even at the same income level |
| Enrollment Timing | Enrolling during your Initial Enrollment Period avoids late penalties that raise your premium |
| Late Enrollment Penalties | Part B and Part D penalties are typically permanent and added to your premium for as long as you have coverage |
| Part D Coverage | Choosing a plan without Part D can trigger a late-enrollment penalty if you lack other creditable drug coverage |
| IRMAA Thresholds | Crossing a bracket line by even $1 moves your entire premium into the next tier |
| Retirement Income Sources | Pensions, IRA withdrawals, and capital gains all count toward MAGI and can push you into a higher IRMAA tier |
Current Medicare Premium Rates (2026)
Medicare premiums and IRMAA brackets are set annually by CMS, typically announced in mid-November for the following year. The figures below are for 2026 and should be verified at medicare.gov or cms.gov before relying on them, since they change every year.
| Coverage Type | 2026 Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Medicare Part A | $0 for most (premium-free with 40+ work quarters); hospital deductible $1,736 per benefit period |
| Medicare Part B (standard) | $202.90; annual deductible $283 |
| Medicare Part D (national average) | ≈$34.50 (varies by plan and insurer) |
| IRMAA surcharge — Part B | $81.20 to $487.00 added on top of the standard premium, by tier |
| IRMAA surcharge — Part D | $14.50 to $91.00 added on top of your plan’s premium, by tier |
Sources: CMS.gov 2026 Medicare Parts B premiums and deductibles fact sheet, as reported by Kiplinger and TheFinanceBuff; Humana Medicare resources.
2026 IRMAA Bracket Table
| Part B Tier | Single (2024 MAGI) | Married Filing Jointly | Total Part B/Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (1.0x) | ≤ $109,000 | ≤ $218,000 | $202.90 |
| 1.4x | ≤ $137,000 | ≤ $274,000 | $284.10 |
| 2.0x | ≤ $171,000 | ≤ $342,000 | $405.80 |
| 2.6x | ≤ $205,000 | ≤ $410,000 | $527.50 |
| 3.2x | < $500,000 | < $750,000 | $649.30 |
| 3.4x | ≥ $500,000 | ≥ $750,000 | $689.90 |
Married filing separately has its own, much lower thresholds — generally only two tiers, with the top tier starting around $391,000. Source: CMS 2026 fact sheet via TheFinanceBuff and Kiplinger.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use the Medicare Premium Calculator
Real-Life Examples
Maria is single with 2024 MAGI of $70,000 — below the $109,000 threshold, so she pays standard rates.
| Part B premium | $202.90/mo |
| Part D premium (national average) | $34.50/mo |
| Total monthly cost | $237.40/mo |
| Total annual cost | $2,848.80/yr |
David and Linda file jointly with 2024 MAGI of $150,000 — below the $218,000 joint threshold, so both pay standard rates. Since IRMAA is assessed per person, both premiums apply.
| Part B premium (2 people) | $405.80/mo |
| Part D premium (2 people, national average) | $69.00/mo |
| Total household monthly cost | $474.80/mo |
| Total household annual cost | $5,697.60/yr |
Robert is single with 2024 MAGI of $550,000 — above the $500,000 threshold, placing him in the top 3.4x IRMAA tier for both Part B and Part D.
| Part B premium (3.4x standard) | $689.90/mo |
| Part D premium + top-tier IRMAA surcharge | $125.50/mo |
| Total monthly cost | $815.40/mo |
| Total annual cost | $9,784.80/yr |
Robert pays roughly 3.4 times what Maria pays for Part B alone — a direct result of crossing the top IRMAA threshold.
How to Reduce Medicare Premium Costs
How to Appeal an IRMAA Decision
If your income dropped significantly due to a qualifying life-changing event, you can appeal your IRMAA surcharge using Form SSA-44. The Social Security Administration recognizes several qualifying events, including:
- Work stoppage or reduction in work hours
- Loss of income-producing property
- Employer pension or retirement plan settlement ending or reducing
- Death of a spouse
- Marriage, divorce, or annulment
Voluntary financial decisions — like selling investments, taking a large IRA distribution, or a Roth conversion — generally do not qualify for an appeal, since these are choices rather than life-changing events.
Common Medicare Premium Mistakes to Avoid
Medicare Premium Calculator vs. Manual Calculations
| Calculator | Manual Calculation |
|---|---|
| Faster — results in seconds | Slower — requires looking up current brackets |
| Fewer errors — brackets applied automatically | Higher error risk — easy to misread a threshold |
| Instant estimates | Requires research across multiple sources |
| Easy scenario comparison | Difficult to compare multiple income scenarios by hand |
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Medicare premiums calculated?
Part B and Part D start with a standard monthly premium set by CMS each year. If your MAGI from two years prior is above the IRMAA threshold for your filing status, an additional surcharge is added on top.
How much is the Medicare Part B premium?
The standard 2026 Part B premium is $202.90 per month. Beneficiaries subject to IRMAA pay more, up to $689.90 per month at the highest income tier.
Does income affect Medicare premiums?
Yes. Higher-income beneficiaries pay an IRMAA surcharge on top of the standard Part B and Part D premiums, based on income from two years prior.
What is IRMAA?
IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is a surcharge added to Medicare Part B and Part D premiums for beneficiaries whose income exceeds set thresholds.
Which tax year does Medicare use?
Medicare uses your tax return from two years before the current Medicare year. Your 2024 MAGI determines your 2026 IRMAA.
Can I reduce my Medicare premiums?
You can’t change the current year’s premium once it’s set, but strategic tax and withdrawal planning in prior years can help you avoid crossing an IRMAA threshold in future years.
Are Medicare premiums deducted from Social Security?
For most beneficiaries who receive Social Security, Part B premiums (including any IRMAA surcharge) are automatically deducted from their monthly Social Security payment.
Does everyone pay the same Medicare premium?
No. While Part A is premium-free for most, Part B and Part D premiums vary based on income (IRMAA) and, for Part D, the specific plan you choose.
What happens if my income decreases?
If your income drops due to a qualifying life-changing event — like retirement, loss of pension income, or death of a spouse — you can request a new IRMAA determination using Form SSA-44.
How do I appeal an IRMAA decision?
File Form SSA-44 with the Social Security Administration, documenting the qualifying life-changing event and your more recent income, to request a reduced or standard premium.
When do Medicare premiums change?
CMS typically announces new premiums and IRMAA brackets for the upcoming year in mid-November, with changes taking effect January 1.
Does Medicare Part A always have a premium?
No. About 99% of beneficiaries get Part A premium-free because they or a spouse worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters. Those with fewer quarters may pay a monthly premium.
Are Medicare Advantage premiums different?
Yes. Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans set their own premiums, which can be lower than Original Medicare in some cases, but IRMAA still applies to the underlying Part B and Part D portions if your income exceeds the threshold.
Can I compare Medicare plans with this calculator?
This calculator focuses on estimating premium costs by income and coverage choice. For comparing specific plan benefits and networks, use Medicare’s official Plan Finder tool alongside this calculator.
How accurate is the calculator?
The calculator applies the current year’s published premium rates and IRMAA brackets to your inputs, so it’s accurate for the assumptions you provide. It’s an estimate for planning purposes, not an official Medicare determination.
What counts as income for IRMAA purposes?
MAGI for IRMAA is your Adjusted Gross Income plus tax-exempt interest. It includes taxable Social Security benefits but not untaxed Social Security benefits.
Is IRMAA permanent once it applies?
No. IRMAA is reassessed each year based on your MAGI from two years prior, so your surcharge can go up, down, or disappear entirely as your income changes over time.
Key Takeaways
• IRMAA uses your MAGI from two years prior — 2024 income determines 2026 IRMAA.
• The 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90/month; IRMAA can raise it as high as $689.90/month.
• IRMAA is a cliff system — crossing a threshold by $1 moves your whole premium into the next tier.
• A qualifying life-changing event lets you appeal IRMAA with Form SSA-44.
• About 99% of beneficiaries get Part A premium-free with 40+ quarters of work history.
• Medicare premiums and IRMAA brackets change every year — always verify current figures at medicare.gov.
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Medicare premiums aren’t one-size-fits-all, and IRMAA can catch retirees off guard if income planning isn’t part of the picture. Run your own numbers through the Medicare Premium Calculator, and revisit the estimate each year as CMS releases new rates and your income changes.