AGI Calculator 2026
Estimate your 2026 adjusted gross income (AGI) and MAGI from your wages and above-the-line adjustments, then check Roth IRA, EITC, and ACA eligibility.
AGI Calculator 2026
Filing Status
Income
Above-the-Line Adjustments
Heads up: a pre-tax 401(k) is already excluded from W-2 Box 1 wages. Do not subtract it again here.
Estimates only. Not tax or legal advice. Consult a tax professional for accuracy.
Eligibility Hints
These are rough hints, not eligibility determinations. Roth, EITC, and ACA outcomes depend on factors this tool does not capture (earned income, qualifying children, household size, and the exact MAGI definition for each benefit).
Notes
- Enter your income above to see your AGI, MAGI estimate, and eligibility hints.
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What is adjusted gross income (AGI)?
Adjusted gross income is your total taxable income for the year minus a short list of "above-the-line" adjustments. On a federal return it lands on Form 1040, Line 11. Watch the order of operations: AGI comes before your standard or itemized deduction, not after. Your gross pay and your AGI are usually different numbers.
AGI matters because it is the gatekeeper for a long list of tax benefits. Roth IRA limits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, premium tax credits for ACA marketplace plans, and Medicare's IRMAA surcharges all key off your AGI (or a modified version of it). A small change in AGI can move you across a phase-out threshold, so it pays to know where you stand before year-end.
How to calculate your AGI step by step
The formula is short: add up every taxable source of income, then subtract your above-the-line adjustments.
- Total your income. Wages (W-2 Box 1), taxable interest and dividends, capital gains, self-employment or business income, taxable retirement and IRA distributions, and any other taxable income.
- Subtract above-the-line adjustments. Common 2026 ones (estimates, verify with the IRS): traditional IRA contributions (around $7,000, or $8,000 if 50 or older), HSA contributions (about $4,400 self-only or $8,750 family, plus a $1,000 catch-up at 55+), student loan interest (hard cap of $2,500), educator expenses (about $300 per educator), half of self-employment tax, and SEP or Solo 401(k) contributions.
- The result is your AGI. If adjustments and business losses exceed income, AGI can be $0 or negative; this tool floors the displayed figure at $0.
One trap catches a lot of people: a traditional 401(k) is not an above-the-line adjustment. Those contributions are already pulled out of your W-2 Box 1 wages by payroll, so subtracting them again double-counts and understates your AGI. Use our 401(k) Contribution Calculator to model deferrals, and our HSA Contribution Calculator for HSA limits.
AGI vs. MAGI vs. taxable income
These three numbers get mixed up constantly, but they sit in a clear sequence.
AGI is income minus above-the-line adjustments (Line 11). MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) is AGI with certain deductions added back, most often the student loan interest deduction and a few items most filers do not have. Roth IRA eligibility, the premium tax credit, and IRMAA each use their own flavor of MAGI, which is why this calculator shows an MAGI estimate rather than a single official figure. Taxable income comes last: it is AGI minus your standard or itemized deduction (and any qualified business income deduction), and it is the number the tax brackets actually apply to.
So the chain runs: income, then AGI, then MAGI for benefit checks, then taxable income for the brackets. To see how taxable income maps to rates, use our Federal Tax Bracket Calculator.
Why your AGI matters, and how to lower it
Because AGI drives so many phase-outs, lowering it can change what you qualify for. A lower MAGI can keep you eligible for a direct Roth IRA contribution, expand a premium tax credit, or preserve the EITC. It can also keep you under an IRMAA surcharge tier in retirement.
Legitimate ways to reduce AGI include funding a deductible traditional IRA, contributing to an HSA if you have a qualifying high-deductible health plan, and increasing pre-tax 401(k) deferrals (which lower your Box 1 wages before AGI is even calculated). Self-employed filers can use a SEP or Solo 401(k) and deduct half of their self-employment tax. Size those moves with our IRA Contribution Calculator.
The Roth, EITC, and ACA hints in this tool are rough by design. They use 2026 phase-out estimates and do not account for earned income, qualifying children, household size, or the exact MAGI definition each benefit uses. Treat them as a starting point, then confirm the current-year figures with the IRS or a tax professional. Estimates only, not tax or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about agi calculator 2026
What is adjusted gross income (AGI) and where do I find it?
AGI is your total taxable income minus a specific set of "above-the-line" adjustments (like deductible IRA and HSA contributions, student loan interest, and half of self-employment tax). On a federal return it appears on Form 1040, Line 11, and it is calculated before you take the standard or itemized deduction. AGI is the number that gates a lot of credits and contribution limits, which is why it matters more than your gross pay.
How do I calculate my AGI from my paycheck or W-2?
Start with the wages in Box 1 of your W-2. Box 1 is already reduced by pre-tax 401(k), pre-tax HSA, and most pre-tax health premiums, so you do not subtract those again. Add any other taxable income (interest, dividends, capital gains, self-employment income, taxable retirement distributions), then subtract your above-the-line adjustments. What's left is your AGI. This calculator does that math for you and floors the displayed result at $0.
What is the difference between AGI and MAGI?
MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) is your AGI with certain deductions added back, most often the student loan interest deduction and a few items most people do not have (foreign earned income exclusion, excluded savings bond interest). For many filers MAGI is close to AGI plus the student loan interest they deducted. Roth IRA limits, the premium tax credit, and IRMAA all use a version of MAGI rather than plain AGI. See the IRS MAGI page for the exact add-backs that apply to each benefit.
Do 401(k) contributions reduce my AGI?
Traditional 401(k) contributions reduce your taxable wages, but they do it at the payroll level: they are already excluded from Box 1 of your W-2 before AGI is calculated. A traditional 401(k) is not an above-the-line adjustment on Form 1040, so do not subtract it a second time in this calculator. Roth 401(k) contributions do not reduce AGI at all. You can model deferrals with our 401(k) Contribution Calculator.
What deductions lower my AGI (above-the-line adjustments)?
The common ones are deductible traditional IRA contributions, HSA contributions made outside payroll, student loan interest (capped at $2,500), educator expenses, half of self-employment tax, SEP or Solo 401(k) contributions for the self-employed, and self-employed health insurance premiums. These come off the top whether or not you itemize. You can size IRA and HSA amounts with our IRA Contribution Calculator and HSA Contribution Calculator.
How does my AGI affect Roth IRA eligibility in 2026?
Roth IRA eligibility is based on MAGI and your filing status. For 2026 the phase-out begins around $153,000 for single and head-of-household filers and around $242,000 for married filing jointly, with no direct Roth contribution allowed once you reach the top of each band. Married filing separately has a tight phase-out that ends at $10,000 if you lived with your spouse. The pill in this tool gives a rough hint; confirm the current-year numbers with the IRS or a tax professional before contributing.
Is AGI the same as taxable income?
No. AGI comes first. Taxable income is AGI minus your standard deduction or itemized deductions (and any qualified business income deduction). You apply the tax brackets to taxable income, not AGI. To see how taxable income maps to brackets, try our Federal Tax Bracket Calculator.
How can I lower my AGI before the end of the year?
Legitimate ways to reduce AGI include contributing to a deductible traditional IRA, funding an HSA if you have a qualifying high-deductible health plan, increasing pre-tax 401(k) deferrals (which lower Box 1 wages), and, for the self-employed, contributing to a SEP or Solo 401(k). Lowering AGI can improve your shot at the premium tax credit, the EITC, and other phase-out-based benefits. This is general information, not tax advice.