Retirement calculator
How much room might I have before taxes or Medicare costs rise?
See how much time may remain before required withdrawals and which tax and Medicare income lines are nearby.
Before you calculate
How much room might I have before taxes or Medicare costs rise?
This tool compares your birth year and income estimates with dated rules for required withdrawals, federal tax brackets, and Medicare premiums. It helps identify questions to model more fully; it does not calculate a conversion recommendation or your total tax bill.
Before you act on the number
Use the result to identify which assumption needs verification, then bring that question to the professional helping you make the decision.
Transparent method
Use your birth year to screen when required withdrawals may begin and how many calendar years remain.
Compare estimated taxable income with the next 2026 federal ordinary-income bracket boundary for the filing status selected.
Compare the Medicare income estimate with the first 2026 IRMAA threshold. Medicare generally uses income from two years earlier; a 2026 income change would normally affect 2028 premiums, whose thresholds may differ.
Common questions
No. It screens nearby thresholds. A conversion decision also needs expected future tax rates, available cash for taxes, account balances, and other income.
Social Security generally uses the federal tax return from two years before the premium year to determine income-related surcharges. For 2026, that usually means 2024 income. Certain life-changing events may allow a new determination.
No. Taxable income is after deductions. For this Medicare screen, modified adjusted gross income is generally adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest.
A sale may add gains or ordinary income and alter the timing of later withdrawals. This quick screen does not model the transaction; bring the sale assumptions into a full cash-flow and tax review.
Sources
Want the fine print? See sources, methods, and limits.