Can I appeal IRMAA for Medicare when my income dropped from $258,000 to $74,000? SS keeps hanging up!

Yes, you absolutely can appeal IRMAA based on a life-changing event like a reduction in income! You need to file Form SSA-44 "Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount - Life-Changing Event" and provide documentation showing your income reduction. As for what counts as income for IRMAA purposes, it's based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from your tax return: - IRA withdrawals: YES these count (unless they're qualified Roth distributions) - Pension payments: YES these count - Business profits: Only what appears on your personal tax return counts. If the profits stay in the business and aren't reported on your personal return, they shouldn't affect IRMAA The reduction from $258K to $74K should definitely qualify you for reconsideration. Make sure you have documentation of your job change and current income.

My dad went thru this last yr. SSA keeps hanging up on EVERYONE these days, its not just u. For IRMAA they look at income from 2 yrs ago (thats why ur getting hit with the high income surcharge). The business profit doesnt count unless it flows to ur personal taxes.

I managed to get through to SS after trying for days and successfully appealed my IRMAA determination last year. Here's what worked for me: 1. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person at SSA. They have a service that basically navigates the phone tree for you and calls you back when they have an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU 2. For the actual appeal, I needed: - Form SSA-44 completely filled out - Letter from previous employer stating end date - Letter from current employer confirming new salary - Recent paystubs showing current income level - Copy of previous year's tax return My situation was similar - income dropped by about 60% due to career change. The agent was actually very helpful once I got through and my appeal was approved within a few weeks.

irmaa is the WORST!! i had to appeal 2x because they kept looking at my income from before i retired. took almost 5 months to fix it and medicare was still charging me the higher premium. had to get a refund later. good luck!!!!

The IRMAA thresholds are tiered, and for 2025 the first tier starts at $103,000 for individuals, so your drop from $258,000 to $74,000 should place you below the threshold for any IRMAA surcharge. You qualify to file Form SSA-44 since you experienced a "work reduction" life-changing event. For your specific income questions: 1. IRA withdrawals are absolutely counted as income for IRMAA unless they're qualified Roth distributions 2. Pension payments are fully counted 3. Business profits only count if they appear on your personal tax return Technically, IRMAA uses your MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) from 2 years prior, but the SSA-44 form allows you to substitute your more recent income when you've had a qualifying life-changing event. Be prepared to provide tax returns, pay stubs, termination letter, and new employment documentation.

Good luck getting through to SS on the phone!!! I've been trying for WEEKS about a different issue and either get disconnected or told to call back later. It's ridiculous that we pay into this system our whole lives and then can't even get basic customer service. The IRMAA appeal process is actually fairly straightforward (form SSA-44) but GETTING TO SOMEONE TO PROCESS IT is the real challenge.

my neighbor had this exact problem!!! she said the key was proving "life changing event" which is what SS looks for. job change with 25% less income counts! she had to bring paystubs and a letter about leaving her old job. they didnt count her ira money when they recalculated it.

To clarify some confusion in this thread: For IRMAA purposes, the SSA uses your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from your tax return, which is your AGI plus tax-exempt interest income. This means: 1. Traditional IRA withdrawals DO count toward IRMAA (Roth withdrawals generally don't) 2. The business income question depends on your business structure: - Sole proprietorship/Schedule C: All profits count whether distributed or reinvested - S-Corporation: Your salary plus any distributions count - C-Corporation: Only your salary counts, not retained earnings The SSA-44 form allows you to appeal IRMAA if you've had a qualifying life-changing event, which includes "work reduction" and "work stoppage." Your income reduction from $258K to $74K would absolutely qualify, assuming you can document the change properly. The documentation typically needed includes: - Last paycheck stub from previous employer - Termination/resignation letter - Current pay stubs showing reduced income - Most recent tax return - Statement explaining your situation The IRMAA determination will be updated once you provide evidence of your current income.

Just want to follow up to say that when I called SS about my IRMAA appeal, they told me I could also fax the completed SSA-44 form with supporting documentation to my local office. Might be worth trying that approach if you continue having trouble reaching someone by phone. The fax number should be available on the SSA website for your local office.