Medicare IRMAA can increase Part B and Part D costs for people with higher incomes. Here’s what the projected 2027 income brackets could mean for Medicare premiums.
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Medicare IRMAA Brackets 2027: Medicare costs don’t look the same for everyone. If your income is higher, you may have to pay more for Medicare Part B and Part D. This extra charge is called IRMAA, which stands for Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.
For 2027, many people are already watching the IRMAA income limits closely. The final numbers haven’t been released yet as of September 22, 2026, but early estimates give us an idea of what could be coming. Current projections put the first income limit at about $112,000 for a single person and $224,000 for a married couple filing jointly. So, how could these numbers affect your Medicare bill?
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The important thing to remember is that Medicare doesn’t normally use your income from the same year to set IRMAA. For 2027 Medicare premiums, Social Security will generally look at your 2025 tax return. The Social Security Administration says it usually uses federal tax information from two years before the premium year. MAGI is calculated by adding your adjusted gross income and tax-exempt interest income.
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The SSA defines MAGI as the sum of AGI and tax-exempt interest income. That means some income that isn’t normally taxed can still count when Medicare works out IRMAA.
A person can have a one-time capital gain or another large income event in 2025. That income may push their 2027 Medicare premiums into a higher IRMAA bracket. The current 2027 estimates are based on inflation adjustments to the existing income limits. The first four income brackets are adjusted for inflation. The top bracket is still tied to the current law’s $500,000 individual and $750,000 joint thresholds through 2027.
The following figures are projections, not official CMS numbers. The final amounts can change when CMS releases the official 2027 figures.
| Projected 2025 MAGI | Single filer | Married filing jointly | Projected Part B surcharge | Projected Part D surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $112,000 or less | $224,000 or less | $0 | $0 |
| Tier 1 | $112,001 to $142,000 | $224,001 to $284,000 | $83.70 | $15.40 |
| Tier 2 | $142,001 to $177,000 | $284,001 to $354,000 | $209.40 | $39.70 |
| Tier 3 | $177,001 to $212,000 | $354,001 to $424,000 | $335.10 | $64.00 |
| Tier 4 | $212,001 to $499,999 | $424,001 to $749,999 | $460.70 | $88.30 |
| Tier 5 | $500,000 or more | $750,000 or more | $502.60 | $96.40 |
These projected figures were reported by Kiplinger using current inflation estimates and projections from retirement and Medicare sources. The publication notes that the final 2027 brackets are expected from CMS in late autumn.
The standard 2027 Part B premium is also not final. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report projects it at about $209.50 per month for 2027. The actual number will be set by CMS. For comparison, the confirmed 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month.
A person who falls into an IRMAA tier doesn’t just pay the surcharge shown above by itself. The Part B amount is added to the standard Part B premium. For Part D, the IRMAA amount is added to the premium charged by the person’s prescription drug plan.
CMS has already announced that the 2027 Part D base beneficiary premium will be $41.33, but actual Part D plan premiums can be different.
| 2025 MAGI | Projected Part B surcharge | Projected Part D surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| $112,000 or less | $0 | $0 |
| $112,001 to $386,000 | $460.70 | $88.30 |
| $386,000 or more | $502.60 | $96.40 |
These are also estimates and could change with the final CMS announcement.
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IRMAA works more like a cliff than normal income tax brackets. When your income crosses into a new IRMAA tier, the higher surcharge applies for that tier rather than only applying to the extra dollars above the limit.
That makes the exact income number important. A person’s 2025 MAGI of $112,000 may keep them below the projected first threshold, while $112,001 could move them into the next tier under the current estimates.
The good part is that IRMAA isn’t always permanent. A higher amount can happen because of a one-time income event. Social Security also has a process for people whose income later drops because of certain qualifying life-changing events. The SSA provides Form SSA-44 for requesting a reduction in IRMAA in qualifying situations.
But for now, anyone planning for 2027 should treat the numbers above as estimates. The official 2027 IRMAA brackets, Part B premium and final surcharge amounts are expected later in 2026.
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Social Security will generally use your 2025 MAGI to decide your 2027 IRMAA. MAGI includes adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest income.
No, as of September 22, 2026, the 2027 figures are still projections. CMS is expected to release the official numbers later in 2026.
Yes, in certain qualifying life-changing situations, you can ask Social Security to reconsider the IRMAA decision. Form SSA-44 is used for this process
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