๐งฎ MAGI Calculator
Modified adjusted gross income with common add-backs.
Modified adjusted gross income
Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.
Modified Adjusted Gross Income is the tax code's way of saying "your income, for real this time." Start with AGI, then add back deductions and exclusions Congress does not want counted for a given threshold: student loan interest, foreign earned income, deductible IRA contributions, and others depending on the rule. With $85,000 of AGI and $2,000 of deducted student loan interest, MAGI is $87,000. This calculator builds MAGI from your AGI and the common add-backs.
MAGI is the gatekeeper number. It decides Roth IRA eligibility, Medicare premium surcharges, and several deduction phase-outs. Two taxpayers with identical lifestyles can face different thresholds purely because of which add-backs apply to them, which is why computing it beats guessing.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your AGI from Form 1040 line 11, then the add-back amounts that apply to your situation. The calculator sums them into MAGI and shows the gap versus AGI.
Enter AGI from line 11 of your Form 1040.
Enter add-backs: deducted student loan interest, foreign earned income exclusion, deductible IRA contributions, and any other items your provision requires.
Read MAGI and compare it against the threshold you care about. For Roth planning at the edge, our Roth vs traditional calculator frames the contribution choice.
The Formula
The add-back list is provision-specific, which is the single most misunderstood fact about MAGI. There is no universal MAGI. The Roth IRA version, the Medicare IRMAA version, and the student loan interest version each add back a different set. Using the wrong list can put you on the wrong side of a threshold by thousands of dollars.
Key MAGI Thresholds
| Provision | Single filer (approx, 2026) | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Roth IRA contributions | ~$150k to $165k | Phase-out to zero |
| Student loan interest deduction | $80k to $95k | Deduction phases out |
| Medicare IRMAA | ~$106k+ | Premium surcharges begin |
| Traditional IRA deduction (with workplace plan) | ~$79k to $89k | Deduction phases out |
These figures move with inflation each year, so verify the current year's numbers before acting. The pattern matters more than any single figure: every threshold is a cliff or slope where a small income change triggers an outsized tax consequence. For the broader tax picture, our income tax calculator estimates total liability.
Worked Example
With the defaults: $85,000 AGI plus $2,000 of deducted student loan interest gives MAGI of $87,000 for provisions adding that item back. That sits above the $80,000 start of the student loan interest phase-out, so part of the deduction would be reduced. For Roth IRA purposes with no other add-backs, $87,000 is well under the phase-out range, so direct contributions remain fully allowed. Add a $70,000 foreign earned income exclusion and MAGI jumps to $157,000, landing inside the Roth phase-out band.
Managing MAGI Near Thresholds
The levers that lower AGI also lower MAGI: 401(k) contributions, HSA contributions, and business losses for the self-employed. Timing matters enormously: realize capital gains in a year you are safely below thresholds, and defer them when you are near a cliff. For retirees, Roth conversions in the low-income years between retirement and age 73 shrink future RMDs that would otherwise inflate MAGI into IRMAA territory.
My rule: compute MAGI every October, before year-end moves are still possible. Discovering in April that you crossed a threshold is discovering it a year too late. The calculator above takes thirty seconds; the thresholds it guards are worth thousands.
MAGI Thresholds That Actually Bite
A handful of MAGI cliffs control thousands of dollars. Cross the Roth IRA phase-out and direct contributions shrink, forcing the backdoor route. Cross the student loan interest phase-out and a $2,500 deduction vanishes. Hit the net investment income tax threshold and a 3.8 percent surtax lands on investment income. Medicare's IRMAA brackets, though based on a slightly different MAGI, add hundreds per month in Part B and D premiums two years later.
The planning lever is timing: bunch deductions, harvest losses, and shift income across years to stay under the cliffs that matter to you. Roth conversions in low-income years, HSA contributions, and 401(k) deferrals all reduce the MAGI variants that gate benefits. Because each program defines its add-backs differently, compute the specific MAGI for the benefit you are targeting rather than assuming one number fits all. For the deduction side, our income tax calculator estimates your AGI starting point.
One Number, Many Definitions
There is no single MAGI. Each program adds back different items: Roth IRA rules add back foreign income and student loan interest deductions, Medicare adds back tax-exempt interest too. Always compute the specific variant for the benefit you are targeting, using that program's worksheet, not a generic calculator.
Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.Frequently Asked Questions
What is MAGI?
Modified Adjusted Gross Income is your AGI with certain deductions and exclusions added back. Congress uses MAGI instead of AGI for many thresholds because it better reflects true economic income. The add-backs depend on which tax provision you are testing: Roth IRA eligibility, student loan interest deductibility, and Medicare premiums each use slightly different MAGI definitions.
How do you calculate MAGI?
Start with AGI from your tax return, then add back the items the specific rule requires: commonly the student loan interest deduction, foreign earned income exclusion, foreign housing exclusion, and deductible IRA contributions. With $85,000 AGI and $2,000 of deducted student loan interest, MAGI is $87,000 for provisions that add that item back.
What is the difference between AGI and MAGI?
AGI is income after the adjustments on page one of Form 1040. MAGI is AGI plus selected add-backs, so MAGI is always equal to or higher than AGI. The gap is usually small for most filers but can be large for expats using the foreign earned income exclusion or people with big IRA deductions.
Why does MAGI matter for Roth IRA eligibility?
Direct Roth IRA contributions phase out above MAGI thresholds: for 2026 roughly $150,000 to $165,000 for single filers and $236,000 to $246,000 for joint filers, adjusted annually for inflation. Earn a dollar over the top and direct contributions are barred, though the backdoor Roth remains available.
Does MAGI affect Medicare premiums?
Yes, through IRMAA, the income-related monthly adjustment amount. Higher MAGI from two years prior raises Part B and Part D premiums in brackets. The lowest surcharge bracket starts near $106,000 single and $212,000 joint. Managing MAGI in your early 60s directly controls premiums at 65.
What add-backs apply to student loan interest MAGI?
For the student loan interest deduction itself, MAGI adds back the foreign earned income exclusion, foreign housing exclusion, and exclusions from Puerto Rico and American Samoa. The deduction phases out at MAGI between $80,000 and $95,000 single, $165,000 and $195,000 joint, figures the IRS adjusts yearly.
Is there one single MAGI definition?
No, and that is the trap. Each provision defines its own: the Roth IRA version, the student loan version, the Medicare IRMAA version, and the net investment income tax version all differ slightly. Always check which add-backs your specific threshold uses rather than assuming one MAGI fits all.
Do Social Security benefits affect MAGI?
Taxable Social Security benefits are already in AGI, so they flow into MAGI automatically. Tax-exempt interest is added back for some MAGI definitions, including the one that determines how much of your Social Security is taxable, a circular calculation the IRS worksheet handles.
How can I lower my MAGI?
Max out pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions, which reduce AGI itself, time Roth conversions for low-income years, harvest capital losses, and avoid realizing gains in years you need to stay under a threshold. Bunching deductions helps taxable income but note that itemized deductions do not reduce AGI or MAGI.
Where do I find my AGI?
Line 11 of Form 1040. Your tax software shows it on the return summary, and the IRS provides prior-year AGI through your online account, which you need for e-filing. Start every MAGI calculation from that line, then apply the provision-specific add-backs.