Yes — income affects your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, though not Part A, which stays premium-free for most people regardless of earnings. Once modified adjusted gross income passes $109,000 for a single filer or $218,000 for a joint filer, per the Social Security Administration, a surcharge called IRMAA is added on top of the standard premiums.
Revised: 7/24/26
Jason Baar
Fee-Only Medicare Advisor
NPN #2033715
It shows where Medicare’s five income lines sit in 2026, what counts toward them, and the timing moves that can keep you under.
The guide is on its way — allow up to 10 minutes. If it hasn’t arrived by then, peek in your spam folder, and if it’s there, click “Not spam,” so the next person’s guide arrives where it belongs. You’re all set.
The long answer
The standard Part B premium in 2026 is $202.90 a month, per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. At the first income tier, Part B rises to $284.10; at the highest tier it reaches $689.90, with a Part D surcharge of up to $91.00 a month alongside it.
Three details shape how this works in practice. The income Medicare uses is two years old — your 2024 return sets your 2026 premiums. It is modified adjusted gross income: adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest. And it applies per person, so a married couple both on Medicare each pay their own surcharge when joint income crosses a line.
The reassuring part: the calculation starts fresh every year. One large income year — a home sale, a Roth conversion, a final year of full-time work — raises premiums for one year, and then the newer, lower return takes over.
Printed from JasonKnowsMedicare.com — “Does Income Affect Medicare Premiums?”. The free IRMAA Planning Guide is available at tally.so/r/81gEEA · Questions: (850) 810-1000
This page is educational information, not personal financial, tax, or legal advice. For decisions about your own situation, talk with a qualified professional.