Where to find 2026 IRMAA MAGI Limits for Medicare 2026 Premium Estimates?

The Medicare IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) thresholds are typically announced in the fall for the coming year, so official 2026 IRMAA MAGI limits won't be published until fall 2025. However, you can make reasonable estimates based on how these thresholds have been adjusted historically. The IRMAA thresholds are generally adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For planning purposes, you can look at the current 2025 IRMAA brackets (which were announced in fall 2024) and apply an estimated inflation adjustment of 2-3% to get a rough idea of where the 2026 brackets might land. You can find the current IRMAA brackets on Medicare.gov or the SSA website. Another approach is to contact your financial advisor or tax professional who might have access to projection tools that can help estimate future IRMAA thresholds based on historical patterns.

I was in your exact same position last year trying to plan ahead! I found this amazing tool at https://taxr.ai that really helped me project my IRMAA brackets. I was selling some investments and worried about hitting the next MAGI threshold for Medicare premiums. The tool analyzed my tax situation and showed me exactly where I stood relative to the IRMAA brackets, plus gave me strategies to potentially lower my MAGI. What I found most helpful was that it projected future IRMAA thresholds based on inflation forecasts and showed me how different income scenarios would affect my Medicare premiums. It also identified some deductions I wasn't maximizing that helped keep me in a lower bracket.

Just wanted to update everyone - I tried the taxr.ai tool mentioned above and it was seriously helpful! I was worried about crossing into a higher IRMAA bracket because of some Roth conversions I was planning. The tool showed me that I could spread the conversions over two years instead of doing it all at once, saving me about $2,400 in Medicare premiums over the two years. It also gave me the historical trends in how IRMAA brackets have been adjusted, which was really enlightening. Turns out they don't always move in perfect lockstep with inflation. The most valuable feature was the "bracket buffer" analysis that showed how close I was to threshold limits and what actions might push me over. Definitely worth checking out if you're trying to plan for future IRMAA impacts!

If you're struggling to get accurate IRMAA information, you might want to try calling the SSA directly through Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent weeks trying to get through to someone at Social Security who could answer my IRMAA questions, but kept hitting automated systems or super long hold times. I was skeptical at first, but Claimyr got me connected to an actual SSA representative in under 15 minutes who was able to walk me through how my current financial decisions might impact my future Medicare premiums. They also sent me some internal documentation about how the IRMAA thresholds are calculated year to year. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The SSA rep I spoke with explained that while they can't give exact future IRMAA brackets, they could provide general guidance on the adjustment methodology they use for inflation calculations.

I have to eat my words and apologize to profile 9. After spending THREE HOURS on hold with Social Security yesterday and eventually getting disconnected, I gave Claimyr a try out of sheer frustration. Got connected to an SSA specialist in 12 minutes who not only explained the IRMAA inflation adjustment process but also reviewed my specific situation. They confirmed that for 2026 brackets (based on 2024 income), they use a projected inflation multiplier that's typically announced in late 2025. The rep even emailed me a fact sheet showing the historical IRMAA adjustments going back 5 years so I could see the pattern. For anyone else trying to plan ahead for IRMAA, the specialist mentioned that the brackets have increased by an average of 2.8% annually over the past three years, which is at least a starting point for projections.

Something to consider: while knowing the future IRMAA brackets is helpful, focusing on managing your MAGI might be more productive. There are several strategies I've used to keep my MAGI lower: - Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) if you're 70.5 or older - Tax-loss harvesting to offset capital gains - Timing Roth conversions strategically across tax years - Bunching deductions in alternating years - Maximizing pre-tax retirement contributions These approaches have helped me stay under IRMAA thresholds even when they shift slightly from year to year.

Has anyone noticed that sometimes the brackets don't increase at all between certain years? I'm looking at historical data and it seems like they occasionally freeze the thresholds, which throws off inflation-based projections.

This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking planning that more people should be doing! While we wait for the official 2026 IRMAA brackets, I'd recommend also looking into HSA strategies if you're eligible. HSA contributions reduce your MAGI dollar-for-dollar, and if you're 55 or older, you get that extra $1,000 catch-up contribution. Another often-overlooked strategy is timing your Medicare enrollment carefully. If you're still working and have employer health coverage, you might be able to delay Medicare Part B enrollment without penalty, which could give you more flexibility in managing your MAGI in those transition years. I've found that having a 2-3 year rolling projection of potential IRMAA impacts helps with major financial decisions like when to start Social Security, how much to convert to Roth, or even when to retire. The uncertainty in exact bracket amounts is frustrating, but the planning process itself is still valuable even with estimates.

This is such a great discussion! I've been dealing with similar IRMAA planning challenges. One thing I've learned is that the Medicare trustees' annual report sometimes includes projections for future IRMAA thresholds, though they're not always easy to find in the document. For anyone doing Roth conversions or other income-shifting strategies, I'd also suggest looking at the "cliff effect" of IRMAA brackets. Unlike tax brackets that are progressive, IRMAA hits you with the full premium increase once you cross a threshold, even by just $1. So if you're planning conversions, it might make sense to either stay well under a bracket or go significantly over to get more value from the higher premium you'll pay. I've also found that working with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Medicare planning can be worth the cost, especially if you have complex income situations with rental properties, business income, or large retirement accounts. They often have access to better projection tools and can model different scenarios more accurately than trying to do it yourself.

Great thread everyone! As someone who's been through the IRMAA planning process, I wanted to add a few additional resources that might help with projections. The Social Security Administration publishes an annual trustee report that includes economic assumptions they use for various calculations, including inflation projections. While it doesn't give exact IRMAA brackets, it shows their expected CPI-U growth rates which you can apply to current brackets for rough estimates. Another useful approach is to look at the Medicare Part B premium announcements from previous years - they're usually released around the same time as IRMAA bracket updates. The CMS website archives these going back several years, so you can see the adjustment patterns. One thing I learned the hard way: if you're doing estimated tax payments and expect to be near an IRMAA threshold, consider making your Q4 payment a bit higher than calculated. Since IRMAA is based on your actual tax return MAGI (not estimated), a small adjustment in December could save you hundreds in Medicare premiums two years later. The "two-year lag" actually gives you some strategic planning opportunities if you think ahead. Also worth noting - if you're married, the IRMAA brackets for joint filers are less than double the single filer amounts, so marriage can sometimes push you into higher brackets even with the same combined income.

This has been an incredibly informative discussion! As someone who just started thinking about IRMAA planning, I'm realizing I need to be much more proactive about this. One question I haven't seen addressed yet: for those of us who might have variable income from consulting work or irregular capital gains, how do you handle the uncertainty in projecting MAGI two years out? It seems like having a "lumpy" income pattern would make IRMAA planning especially challenging. Also, I'm curious about timing Social Security benefits in relation to IRMAA thresholds. Since Social Security income counts toward MAGI, does anyone have experience with how delaying benefits until 70 versus taking them earlier impacts IRMAA calculations? It seems like this could be another lever to pull in managing those brackets, especially in the years right after retirement when you might have more control over other income sources. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences and resources - this thread is going to save me a lot of research time!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I wanted to share another resource that might complement what's already been discussed. The IRS Publication 915 (Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits) includes worksheets for calculating the taxable portion of Social Security benefits, which directly impacts your MAGI for IRMAA purposes. What I've found particularly useful is creating a spreadsheet that tracks all the components of MAGI throughout the year - not just the obvious ones like wages and retirement distributions, but also things like municipal bond interest, foreign earned income exclusion add-backs, and the taxable portion of Social Security benefits. This gives you a real-time view of where you stand relative to IRMAA thresholds. One strategy I haven't seen mentioned yet is the use of donor-advised funds for those who are charitably inclined. While the deduction doesn't reduce MAGI (since charitable deductions are itemized, not above-the-line), you can bunch several years of charitable giving into one tax year to maximize itemized deductions in that year, then potentially take the standard deduction in other years while still making charitable distributions from the DAF. This can help with overall tax planning that complements IRMAA management. For anyone dealing with this planning challenge, I'd also recommend keeping detailed records of your IRMAA calculation methodology and assumptions. When the actual brackets are released, you can refine your approach for future years based on how accurate your projections were.

This has been an absolutely fantastic discussion! I'm bookmarking this entire thread. One additional angle I'd like to add is for those who might be considering geographic arbitrage in retirement - if you're planning to move from a high-tax state to a low/no-tax state, the timing of that move can significantly impact your IRMAA calculations. State tax savings don't directly affect IRMAA since it's based on federal MAGI, but the move often coincides with other financial decisions like selling a primary residence, liquidating state-specific investments, or changing your asset allocation. These events can create one-time spikes in MAGI that push you into higher IRMAA brackets. I've seen retirees accidentally trigger huge IRMAA penalties by selling their home in a high-tax state the same year they do a large Roth conversion, not realizing the combined impact on their federal MAGI. The key is spreading these major financial events across multiple tax years when possible. Also, for anyone considering moving, some states have different rules about retirement account distributions that could affect your overall tax planning strategy, which indirectly impacts how you manage IRMAA. It's worth consulting with a tax professional who understands both your current state's rules and your target state's rules before making major moves. The 2-year lag that Sofia mentioned earlier becomes even more valuable in these situations - you can execute the move, see exactly how it impacts your taxes, and then adjust your Medicare planning accordingly before the IRMAA effects kick in.