Want to reduce your Medicare premium? Your charitable contributions could be the answer.
Brandi Graham, CFP®
What do Medicare premiums and charitable giving have in common? One may be able to save you money on the other…
If you make gifts to charity and are required to take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from your individual retirement account (IRA), then you may be able to reduce your Medicare premium.
If you’re wondering what Medicare premiums and charitable giving have to do with one another, consider this:
- Most people will pay $134 per month for Medicare Part B; however, for those with incomes over $107,000 for single filers and $170,000 for joint returns, the monthly premium could range between $187.50 to as much as $428.60 per person.
- The Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) is based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) reported on your tax return from two years prior. The 2018 IRMAA is based on your 2016 tax return information.
- Instead of withdrawing your RMD and writing a check to charity, you can complete a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). All or a portion of your RMD will by-pass you and go directly to charity.
- By electing a QCD, the RMD will not be included in your taxable income, thereby, reducing your MAGI for Medicare purposes.
In this scenario, you are able to take the money out of your IRA tax free; it is excluded from income altogether. If you were to take the money from your RMD and then write a check to charity you would take the charitable deduction on schedule A, but the RMD would be included in your MAGI. MAGI is used to determine how much you pay for Medicare and additional costs for part D coverage. Therefore, by lowering your MAGI, you could lower your Medicare premium.
Even if you are not subject to the increased Medicare premiums, you may still benefit from completing a QCD. Social security income can be taxable up to 85% of the amount received depending on your MAGI. If you can reduce your MAGI with a QCD you may be able to reduce the amount of your social security income subjected to income tax.
If the proposed tax law changes go into effect including the increased standard deduction, many filers will no longer need to file schedule A. Charitable contributions would no longer have an impact on their tax returns. However, if the taxpayer utilizes the QCD, an additional tax benefit could be gained.
Naturally, there are some specific conditions that must be met and restrictions that do apply. Your Advisor can walk you through the ins and outs of utilizing a QCD and whether doing so would be a benefit for you. As always if you have any questions about your own circumstances, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are happy to help!
