MAGI Calculator 2026 — All 8 Income Thresholds

What is How to Use the MAGI Calculator?

Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) is your Adjusted Gross Income with certain deductions added back — and there is no single MAGI number. The IRS uses a slightly different MAGI definition for each tax benefit, though most follow a common pattern: AGI plus IRA deductions, student loan interest, tax-exempt interest, foreign earned income exclusion, and passive activity losses (IRC § 219(g), IRC § 221(b), IRC § 911, IRC § 469(i)). This calculator uses the most common MAGI definition and checks your result against all 9 major 2026 income thresholds in one place. These thresholds govern Roth IRA eligibility (IRC § 408A(c)(3)), traditional IRA deductibility (IRC § 219(g)), Medicare IRMAA surcharges (IRC § 1838 via the Medicare Modernization Act), the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (IRC § 1411), Social Security benefit taxability (IRC § 86), the QBI deduction phase-out (IRC § 199A), the SALT deduction cap phase-out, and the new OBBBA car loan interest deduction phase-out. Understanding your MAGI is critical because many of these thresholds are "cliffs" — crossing one by even a single dollar can trigger thousands in extra taxes or lost deductions. For example, exceeding an IRMAA tier by $1 can add $924–$3,624 per year to your Medicare premiums. This calculator helps you see all thresholds simultaneously so you can plan strategically.

How to Use

1. Enter your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) — found on line 11 of Form 1040. If estimating, use your expected total income minus above-the-line deductions.
2. Add any IRA deductions, student loan interest, or other amounts that get added back for MAGI purposes.
3. Enter tax-exempt interest (used in Social Security and IRMAA MAGI calculations).
4. Select your filing status to see the correct thresholds for each benefit.
5. Review the threshold dashboard — green means you're below the limit, amber means you're in a phase-out zone, red means a limit or surcharge applies.

Tips & Best Practices

• HSA contributions reduce MAGI dollar-for-dollar — each $1 can push you below multiple thresholds simultaneously.
• A Roth conversion INCREASES MAGI — always model the full impact across all thresholds before converting.
• QCDs (Qualified Charitable Distributions) are excluded from MAGI entirely for IRA owners 70½+, unlike regular donations which are only deductions.
• IRMAA uses your MAGI from 2 years ago — if your income dropped significantly, you can appeal your 2026 premium using 2025 or 2024 actual income.
• MFS (Married Filing Separately) almost always has much lower thresholds, making this status very costly for high earners with investment income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Real-world Examples

AGI (Form 1040, line 11):         $185,000
IRA deduction add-back:            $6,500
Student loan interest add-back:    $2,500
Tax-exempt interest:               $3,000
Foreign income exclusion:          $0
Passive loss add-back:             $0
Filing status:                     Single

MAGI calculation:
$185,000 + $6,500 + $2,500 + $3,000 = $197,000

2026 MAGI: $197,000

Threshold check:
• Roth IRA: $153,000–$168,000 phase-out → ABOVE (no direct Roth)
  → Use Backdoor Roth strategy
• IRA deductibility: $81,000–$91,000 phase-out → ABOVE (not deductible)
• IRMAA: $109,000 first tier → IN SURCHARGE ZONE
  → $197,000 falls in Tier 2 ($137,000–$164,000)
• NIIT: $200,000 threshold → $3,000 BELOW (safe for now)
• SS taxability: provisional income > $34,000 → up to 85% taxable
• QBI: below $201,775 → full deduction available

Strategy: Contributing $4,400 to an HSA drops MAGI to $192,600,
still below NIIT cliff. A $3,000 QCD is not possible (under 70½).

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