Are Medicare Benefits Taxable?




Generally, Medicare benefits received from Medicare Part A, Part B and Part D are not included in a beneficiary’s income and are therefore not considered taxable. However, if a Medicare beneficiary’s total income exceeds a certain level, the federal government may consider a percentage of the Medicare benefits taxable.



Why are Medicare benefits, in most cases, not considered taxable?

The Medicare program is funded by payroll taxes withheld from the paychecks of employees in the United States. That is, employers withhold taxes from the employee’s paycheck and these taxes are paid into the Medicare program to pay for services and benefits. All employees in the U. S. are required to pay into the Medicare program. Because, in most cases, an individual who reaches the age of 65 (or 67 for those born in 1960) has paid into the Medicare program for all of their working life, the benefits received from Medicare are not taxed. Similarly, recipients of social security benefits have already paid into the social security system and therefore social security benefits are not taxed.


Are there special circumstances when Medicare benefits are taxed?

Although Medicare benefits are usually not taxable, there are certain circumstances in which Medicare benefits may be taxed. For example, if the monthly income for an individual exceeds $940 per month, then the federal government may require them to report their Medicare benefits as income. Thus, if a person has a secondary source of income, such as a job, or a pension, their total income may exceed the limit for non-taxable income. In this case, Medicare benefits would be reported as income and therefore be subject to taxation. However, other secondary sources of income will not affect Medicare benefits, such as income from a reverse mortgage.

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  4. Can Someone Under 65 Qualify For Medicare?
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