Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI): What It Is, How to Calculate It

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
What is modified adjusted gross income?
- Federal: $79 to $139. Free version available for Simple Form 1040 returns only.
- State: $0 to $69 per state.
- Expert help or full service filing is available with an upgrade to Live packages for a fee.
How to calculate MAGI
Step 1. Determine your gross income
Step 2. Figure your adjusted gross income
- IRA and 401(k) contributions.
- Self-employed retirement plan contributions.
- Half of any self-employment tax paid.
- Health savings account deductions.
- Student loan interest.
- Some business expenses for the performing arts, military reservists and government officials who are paid directly from the public, such as a justice of the peace.
Step 3. Add back certain deductions
- IRA contributions.
- Half of self-employment tax paid.
- Qualified tuition expenses.
- Passive loss or income.
- Non-taxable Social Security payments.
- Exclusion for income from U.S. savings bonds.
- Foreign earned income exclusion.
- Foreign housing exclusion or deduction.
- The exclusion under 137 for adoption expenses.
- Rental losses.
- Publicly traded partnerships losses.
- Student loan interest deductions.
- Federal: $79 to $139. Free version available for Simple Form 1040 returns only.
- State: $0 to $69 per state.
- Expert help or full service filing is available with an upgrade to Live packages for a fee.
What is MAGI used for?
Traditional IRA deduction limits 2025
Filing status | 2025 traditional IRA income limit | Deduction limit |
---|---|---|
Single or head of household (and covered by retirement plan at work) | $79,000 or less. | Full deduction. |
More than $79,000, but less than $89,000. | Partial deduction. | |
$89,000 or more. | No deduction. | |
Married filing jointly (and covered by retirement plan at work) | $126,000 or less. | Full deduction. |
More than $126,000, but less than $146,000. | Partial deduction. | |
$146,000 or more. | No deduction. | |
Married filing jointly (spouse covered by retirement plan at work) | $236,000 or less. | Full deduction. |
More than $236,000, but less than $246,000. | Partial deduction. | |
$246,000 or more. | No deduction. | |
Married filing separately (you or spouse covered by retirement plan at work) | Less than $10,000. | Partial deduction. |
$10,000 or more. | No deduction. |
Roth IRA income and contribution limits 2025
2025 Roth IRA income and contribution limits | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Filing status | Modified gross adjusted income | Contribution limits | ||
| Less than $150,000. | $7,000 ($8,000 if 50 or older). | ||
$150,000 or more, but less than $165,000. | Contribution is reduced. | |||
$165,000 or more. | No contribution allowed. | |||
| Less than $236,000. | $7,000 ($8,000 if 50 or older). | ||
$236,000 or more, but less than $246,000. | Contribution is reduced. | |||
$246,000 or more. | No contribution allowed. | |||
| Less than $10,000. | Contribution is reduced. | ||
$10,000 or more. | No contribution allowed. |
Examples of calculating MAGI
- Add your AGI and the following: student loan interest deduction, foreign earned income and housing exclusions, foreign housing deduction, excluded savings bond interest and excluded employer adoption benefits.
- If the number you arrive at is less than the traditional IRA deduction limit, then you can deduct the full amount. Depending on your filing status, and if you have a workplace retirement plan, those deduction limits can change. Regardless of your MAGI, you can take the full deduction if neither you nor your spouse are covered by a workplace retirement program.
- Add your AGI and the following: foreign earned income and housing exclusions, foreign housing deduction, excluded bona fide resident of Puerto Rico or American Samoa income.
- Both the American opportunity credit and the lifetime learning credit are phased out at certain MAGI levels. To claim the full credit, your MAGI generally has to be $80,000 or less for single filers. That limit doubles for those married filing jointly. (Learn more about education tax credits.)
- For single filers with a MAGI between $80,000 and $90,000, you’ll receive a reduced credit. After $90,000, you are not eligible for the credit.
- For those married filing jointly, the phase-out lasts between $160,000 and $180,000, over which you are not eligible. If you file with the married filing separately status, you are not eligible for these tax credits.
What's the difference between MAGI and AGI?
Article sources
- 1. Internal Revenue Service. https://www.irs.gov/e-file-providers/definition-of-adjusted-gross-income. Accessed Feb 28, 2024.