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A new tax deduction for people over age 65 has some thinking about Medicare premiums and MAGI strategy.
By
Kelley R. Taylor
last updated
19 February 2026
in Features
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Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterIf you’re on Medicare, you probably dread at least two financial happenings each year: tax season and a letter informing you that your Part B and Part D premiums are increasing.
That said, the new “senior bonus” deduction in President Donald Trump’s 2025 tax overhaul law probably sounds like a welcome break. (It’s up to $6,000 in extra tax relief if you’re 65 or older and otherwise eligible.) And it makes sense that the next question might be: Will the new “senior deduction” also help you avoid higher Medicare premiums?
The answer is relatively simple, but the reasons behind it can feel complicated. Here’s more of what you need to know.
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Sign upWill Trump’s new $6,000 senior bonus deduction lower your IRMAA?
First things first. The so-called senior bonus deduction can reduce your federal income tax bill. But it doesn't directly cut the income figure that the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to calculate the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA).
To understand why, you have to separate three moving parts: how the bonus deduction works, how IRMAA is calculated, and what does and doesn't count in modified adjusted gross income ( MAGI).
1. How the new senior tax deduction works
The "senior bonus" deduction is part of the so-called big, beautiful bill, Trump’s latest tax overhaul package, enacted on July 4, 2025.
The deduction first applies to 2025 federal returns (ones you’ll file now in early 2026). It’s essentially an extra deduction for older taxpayers, layered on top of the existing standard deduction rules, and also available to those who itemize.
Key features:
- It’s available to taxpayers age 65 and older with a valid Social Security Number (SSN) for tax years 2025 through 2028 (unless Congress extends it).
- The maximum amount is $6,000 per qualifying individual, so a married couple where both spouses are 65 or older could get up to $12,000.
- It’s on top of the regular standard deduction and the pre‑existing extra standard deduction for older adults and is available to itemizers as well.
- It’s subject to income limits based on modified adjusted gross income: the bonus starts to phase out when MAGI goes above roughly $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers, and it disappears entirely at higher levels.
The critical detail for the IRMAA conversation: the senior bonus is a deduction that reduces taxable income, not what the IRS considers to be your AGI.
Learn MoreNew $6,000 'Senior Bonus' Deduction: What It Means for Taxpayers Age 65 and Older
2. How is IRMAA calculated?
IRMAA is the surcharge added to your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums if Social Security determines that your income is high enough.
It’s essentially a means‑tested add‑on, and it’s based on a specific definition of income: your MAGI from two years prior.
That timing sometimes catches people off guard. Your 2026 IRMAA is generally based on your 2024 MAGI. Your 2027 IRMAA is based on your 2025 MAGI, and so on. So, changes you make in one tax year often show up in your Medicare premiums two years later.
For IRMAA purposes, the government starts with your AGI and then adds back certain items to arrive at MAGI. Common add‑backs include:
- Tax‑exempt interest (like interest from municipal bonds).
- Some foreign income exclusions and similar adjustments are required in more complex situations.
Standard and itemized deductions, the extra standard deduction for those over age 65, and this new senior bonus deduction don’t reduce AGI. They operate below the AGI line, which is why they do not directly lower MAGI for Medicare IRMAA.
3. MAGI vs. taxable income: Key difference
On your tax return, you’ll see several "income" numbers:
- Gross income is essentially all income you bring in that’s taxable.
- Adjusted gross income (AGI) is gross income minus "above‑the‑line" adjustments (e.g., specific retirement contributions, HSA contributions, deductible self‑employment tax, etc.).
- Taxable income is AGI minus either the standard deduction or itemized deductions (plus other below‑the‑line items).
IRMAA is tied to modified AGI, not taxable income. When you claim the new $6,000 senior bonus, you are reducing taxable income. However, your AGI itself doesn’t necessarily budge as a direct result. The MAGI number that Medicare cares about generally won’t change either, unless something else about your income mix changes.
That’s why the bonus deduction can be good news for your federal income tax bill, but if you were hoping it would drag you under an IRMAA threshold on its own, it likely won’t.
A quick example:
Imagine Susan, age 67, a single filer on Medicare. In 2025, her adjusted gross income is $90,000. (That includes some IRA withdrawals and interest income.)
Because she’s over 65 and under the senior bonus income phase-out ceiling, she qualifies for the full $6,000 bonus deduction. That new write-off lowers her 2025 taxable income and lowers her federal tax bill for the return she files this 2026 tax season.
But her 2027 Medicare premiums will still be based on her 2025 MAGI of $90,000, before any standard deduction, extra over-65 deduction, or the new senior bonus is applied. Those deductions don't change the AGI/MAGI number that Social Security uses for IRMAA, so the bonus cannot, by itself, pull Susan below the Medicare surcharge threshold.
Can the senior bonus still help your IRMAA strategy?
Even though the deduction doesn’t directly shrink MAGI, it can still play a role in broader planning around IRMAA.
For example, it might:
Make Roth conversions slightly more palatable. Assume that the senior bonus reduces your overall tax bill in a year when you do a modest Roth conversion. In that case, you might feel more comfortable managing the trade‑off between current taxes and future IRMAA exposure. The conversion still increases MAGI, but the bonus deduction might offset some of the tax burden.
Influence which income levers you pull. Knowing that the deduction doesn’t affect MAGI may force you to focus more on MAGI‑sensitive moves to try to stay below an IRMAA bracket. This might include reconsidering the timing and size of Roth conversions, capital gains realizations, and large one‑time distributions.
Reinforce why tax‑exempt income isn’t "invisible." Some retirees lean heavily on municipal bond interest, assuming "tax‑free" also means "IRMAA‑free." However, that interest is added back when calculating MAGI.
So, the new senior bonus deduction can be a helpful tool for reducing the tax you pay on your income, but it's not necessarily a lever for shrinking the income number that Medicare uses.
Near IRMAA threshold? What to watch
If your income is comfortably below the first IRMAA threshold, the senior bonus deduction is mostly straightforward. You take it if you qualify and likely enjoy the lower tax bill.
If your income is bumping up against an IRMAA bracket, though, you may want to keep an eye on the following.
- The size and timing of required minimum distributions (RMDs)
- Whether and when to do Roth conversions
- Large capital gains or one‑off income events (like property sales or big retirement account withdrawals)
- How much tax‑exempt interest do you generate each year
Bottom line? The new tax deduction can be a positive if you qualify. But it’s not a magic IRMAA fix. The best way to keep Medicare premiums under control is still to manage your MAGI, ideally using a multi‑year plan.
Read More
- The Many Definitions of Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)
- How to Calculate Taxes on Social Security Benefits
- The Extra Standard Deduction for People Age 65 and Older
Kelley R. TaylorSenior Tax Editor, Kiplinger.comKelley R. Taylor is the senior tax editor at Kiplinger.com, where she breaks down federal and state tax rules and news to help readers navigate their finances with confidence. A corporate attorney and business journalist with more than 20 years of experience, Kelley has helped taxpayers make sense of shifting U.S. tax law and policy from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), to SECURE 2.0, the Inflation Reduction Act, and most recently, the 2025 “Big, Beautiful Bill.” She has covered issues ranging from partnerships, carried interest, compensation and benefits, and tax‑exempt organizations to RMDs, capital gains taxes, and energy tax credits. Her award‑winning work has been featured in numerous national and specialty publications.
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