Medicare Premiums 2026: Projected IRMAA Brackets and Surcharges for Parts B and D

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Projections for Medicare’s 2026 income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) are out. Now is the time to check your 2024 tax return to see if you might be subject to the surcharge next year. This surcharge is paid by Medicare beneficiaries for Part B and Part D Medicare, in addition to the standard premiums, if their taxable income exceeds certain thresholds.

The IRMAA applies to all Medicare beneficiaries whose earnings are high enough to make them eligible, including people on Medicare Advantage. Additionally, if you have a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage, the Part D IRMAA also applies.

The IRMAA is calculated on a sliding scale with five income brackets, topping out at $500,000 for individual filing and $750,000 for joint filing, married. These figures change annually with inflation. IRMAA calculations have a two-year lag time. Whether you pay an IRMAA in a given year depends on your tax returns from two years ago.

I scoured the most reliable sources for sound 2026 projections of the IRMAA brackets and surcharge amounts. The 2026 amounts discussed below are not final. They are estimates prepared by financial professionals who specialize in Medicare planning and IRMAA issues.

Although the federal government shutdown is ongoing, some employees at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) were recalled to prepare the September Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is essential to computing the 2026 COLA. On October 24, the CPI and 2026 COLA numbers were released (more than a week after they were originally scheduled to be announced).

The Medicare updates have traditionally come a few weeks after the COLA announcement. So, while there is no firm date for the release of the 2026 Medicare premiums and deductibles or the IRMAA brackets or surcharges, the calculations are in the works.

Key factors for determining 2026 IRMAA projections and your liability:

• Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from 2024: Your 2026 IRMAA is determined by your MAGI from two years prior — for 2026, that is your 2024 tax return
• Inflation (CPI-U): The income thresholds for IRMAA brackets are adjusted based on the CPI-U. Projections suggest a modest increase of about 1.02% for the 2026 income thresholds if CPI-U remains consistent.
• Medicare Trustees' Report: The Medicare Trustees annual report provides projections for Medicare program costs. For 2026, Part B surcharges are expected to increase by an average of 1.04%, while Part D surcharges are projected to increase by more than 6.00%

Projected IRMAA income brackets and surcharges for 2026

Medicare will determine the 2026 IRMAA charge in the 4th quarter of 2025. That is why your IRMAA determination is based on 2024 filing status and income — it's the latest data point Medicare can obtain from the IRS to determine the 2026 IRMAA charge.

The first four brackets of the IRMAA are indexed for inflation annually. However, the 5th bracket is currently frozen and can be indexed for inflation beginning in 2028.

The indexing is determined by how much the average CPI-U over the 12 months ending in the most recent August has increased compared to the average CPI-U for the previous 12-month period.

The Medicare Trustees Report projected the Part B surcharges to increase by 1.04% and Part D surcharges may increase by close to 6%.

Here are projections for the 2025 IRMAA brackets and surcharge amounts:

2026 Projected IRMAA Brackets and Surcharges for Medicare Part B with IRMAA adjustment

Single	Married filing jointly	Projected total Part B Premium plus IRMAA	Projected 2026 Part B IRMAA only	2025 Part B IRMAA only
Less than or equal to $109,000	Less than or equal to $218,000	$206.50- no surcharge	n/a	n/a
More than $109,000 and less than or equal to $137,000	More than $218,000 and less than or equal to $274,000	$289.10	$82.60	$74.00
More than $137,000 and less than or equal to $171,000	More than $274,000 and less than or equal to $342,000	$413.00	$206.50	$185.00
More than $171,000 and less than or equal to $205,000	More than $342,000 and less than or equal to $410,000	$536.90	$330.40	$295.90
More than $205,000 and less than or equal to $500,000	More than $410,000 and less than or equal to $750,000	$660.80	$454.30	$406.90
More than $500,000	More than $750,000	$702.10	$495.60	$443.90

2026 Projected IRMAA Brackets and Surcharges for Medicare Part D with IRMAA adjustment

Single	Married filing jointly	Projected total 2026 Part D Premium plus IRMAA	2025 Part D IRMAA only
Less than or equal to $109,000	Less than or equal to $218,000	Premium only (varies)	n/a
More than $109,000 and less than or equal to $137,000	More than $218,000 and less than or equal to $274,000	Premium + $14.50	$13.70
More than $137,000 and less than or equal to $171,000	More than $274,000 and less than or equal to $342,000	Premium + $37.50	$35.30
More than $171,000 and less than or equal to $205,000	More than $342,000 and less than or equal to $410,000	Premium + $60.40	$57.00
More than $205,000 and less than or equal to $500,000	More than $410,000 and less than or equal to $750,000	Premium + $83.30	$78.60
More than $500,000	More than $750,000	Premium + $91.00	$85.80

How to pay your IRMAA

Your monthly Medicare Part B and D IRMAA charges are deducted automatically from your Social Security check, with two exceptions: you have opted to defer your Social Security benefits and do not receive a Social Security check, or if the amount of your Social Security check is not large enough to cover your IRMAA. In that case, you will receive a bill for the unpaid IRMAA balance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

You have two different ways to pay your Medicare IRMAAs online — either through your MyMedicare account or your bank’s bill pay service. I recommend using a MyMedicare account. It is safe, secure and there is no fee to make a payment.

You’ll need to know your Medicare number and your Medicare Part A start date to create your account. You can find both on your Medicare card.

Take note: Even if your employer or another third party pays your Part D premiums, you are still responsible for paying the Part D IRMAA surcharge directly to Medicare.

Income planning the best way to avoid the IRMAA

Income used to determine the IRMAA comes from sources typically used by many retirees, including taxable distributions from traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and Social Security benefits. The IRMAA is a “cliff” surcharge. That means if your modified adjusted gross income exceeds the threshold by as little as one dollar, you will have to pay higher premiums

You should be mindful of the risk of a one-time spike in income that could trigger the IRMAA, such as the proceeds from a home sale or converting your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. To avoid this risk, be sure to properly time a Roth conversion; you can then avoid the IRMAA when you take tax-free distributions. Learn more about strategies, such as how to lower taxes on required minimum distributions that could otherwise trigger the surcharge.

What we know now

Medicare will release the 2026 IRMAA brackets in the fourth quarter of 2025. The first four IRMAA brackets are adjusted for inflation each year, so you could be in luck if you were slightly over one of the IRMAA threshold levels for 2025. The final brackets and surcharge amounts are usually released by the start of Open Enrollment on October 15.

It would be wise to use this time to assess your likelihood of paying the IRMAA by getting out your 2024 tax return and looking at the 2025 IRMAA brackets and the projected brackets for 2026. Worse than owing the IRMAA is being surprised by the IRMAA and the hike in your Medicare expenses.