What Medicare costs in 2026
Most people pay the standard Part B premium of $202.90 a month, usually taken straight out of their Social Security check. On top of that comes a drug plan, a supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan, each with its own premium. Higher-income retirees pay an extra charge on Parts B and D, and anyone who signed up late pays a penalty for life.
The 2026 income brackets
Medicare looks back two years. Your 2026 premiums are based on your 2024 tax return, which is why so many people get a surprise bill in their first year of retirement: Medicare is still looking at a year when they were drawing a full salary.
| Single | Joint | Part B | Part D extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or less | $218,000 or less | $202.90 | $0.00 |
| $109,001 to $137,000 | $218,001 to $274,000 | $284.10 | $14.50 |
| $137,001 to $171,000 | $274,001 to $342,000 | $405.80 | $37.50 |
| $171,001 to $205,000 | $342,001 to $410,000 | $527.50 | $60.40 |
| $205,001 to $500,000 | $410,001 to $750,000 | $649.20 | $83.30 |
| $500,000 or more | $750,000 or more | $689.90 | $91.00 |
The brackets are cliffs, not slopes. One dollar over a line puts you in the next bracket for the whole year. A couple with $218,500 of income pays about $2,296.80 more for the year than a couple at $218,000. If you are close to a line, spreading a Roth conversion or a large IRA withdrawal across two years can keep you under it.
Getting the surcharge lowered
If your income fell because you retired, cut back your hours, lost a spouse, divorced, or lost pension income, you can ask Social Security to use a more recent year. File form SSA-44 with a copy of your retirement letter or other proof. This is one of the most overlooked ways new retirees can save money, and it often takes one letter.
Late-enrollment penalties
Sign up for Part B late without job-based coverage, and your premium rises 10% for every full year you waited. Three years late means paying about $263.77 instead of $202.90 a month, for the rest of your life. Drug coverage works the same way: go 63 days or more without Part D or creditable coverage and you pay 1% of the national base premium for each month you went without. Our Medicare at 65 guide explains the deadlines that avoid both.
Questions
What is the standard Part B premium for 2026?
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, up from $185.00 in 2025. The yearly Part B deductible is $283.
What is IRMAA?
The income-related monthly adjustment amount is an extra charge on Part B and Part D for people with higher incomes. In 2026 it starts above $109,000 of modified adjusted gross income for a single filer, or $218,000 for a married couple filing jointly, based on your 2024 tax return.
Can I get IRMAA lowered?
Yes, if your income dropped because of a life-changing event such as retiring, a spouse’s death, divorce or losing a pension. File form SSA-44 with Social Security and include proof. Many new retirees qualify, because Medicare looks at a tax return from when they were still working.
How is the Part B late penalty figured?
Your premium goes up 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but did not sign up. The penalty is added for as long as you have Part B, and it rises as the standard premium rises.
How is the Part D late penalty figured?
Medicare multiplies 1% of the national base premium, $38.99 in 2026, by the number of full months you went without Part D or other creditable drug coverage, and rounds to the nearest 10 cents. It is added to your plan premium every month for life.