See if the return Medicare is using puts you over the line

Married filing jointly on the return?

Medicare’s first income line is $218,000 for a couple, $109,000 if not. “No” uses the individual line: single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er). Married filing separately is a different table — use the full checker after the result if that is you.

Income from the 2024 tax return (the one Medicare is using)

Form 1040: line 11 (AGI) plus line 2a (tax-exempt municipal-bond interest). A close number is fine. In 2026, Medicare uses the 2024 return — not this year’s paycheck.

What counts?

AGI is wages, IRA withdrawals, the taxable part of Roth conversions, pensions, capital gains, and similar, minus adjustments. Then add tax-exempt interest. Do not use “total income” (line 9) — that is before adjustments.