IRMAA increase for 2025 - What form to file after job loss? SSA-44 vs SSA-561-U2?

You need to file the SSA-44 form, not the 561. The SSA-44 is specifically for reporting life-changing events that affect your IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). Job loss is one of the qualifying life-changing events. The SSA-561 is a general Request for Reconsideration form, which isn't what you need here. You're not appealing a decision - you're reporting a change in circumstances. Your higher premium will start with your January 2025 payment (which actually comes at the end of December 2024). If you get the SSA-44 submitted soon, they might process it before then, but be prepared for the higher amount to be taken out at least once. And yes, if they approve your request after taking higher premiums, they will reimburse you, usually by adding it to a future benefit payment.

i had this exact situation last yr when i lost my job. took the ssa-44 to local office and waited FOREVER but got it stamped recieved. took almost 3 months for them to process!! had to pay the higher premium for january and february but they added the difference back to my march payment. bring all your proof of job loss!! they are VERY picky about documentation

The best approach is to use the SSA-44 form specifically for IRMAA reductions due to life-changing events. The key differences between the two forms: SSA-44: "Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount - Life-Changing Event" form is used when you've experienced a specific qualifying event like work reduction, work stoppage, death of spouse, divorce, etc. This sounds exactly like your situation. SSA-561-U2: "Request for Reconsideration" is a general appeals form when you disagree with any SSA determination and isn't specific to IRMAA issues. You should definitely drop off the completed SSA-44 at your local office and get a receipt. Processing typically takes 30-60 days, but can sometimes take longer during busy periods. They will retroactively adjust and refund any overpayments once your request is approved. Make sure to bring documentation clearly showing your job loss date and income change. A termination letter is good, but also bring your final pay stub if possible.

DONT TRUST THE LOCAL OFFICE!!! When I had IRMAA issues last year, they LOST my paperwork TWICE!!! I ended up paying the higher premium for 5 months before they fixed it. And trying to call the 800 number is IMPOSSIBLE - I spent literally HOURS on hold over multiple days and either got disconnected or told contradictory information each time!!!

having same issue but my irmaa is going up cuz i took a 401k withdrawal in 2023 to fix my roof. so frustrating that they look at income from 2 years ago when circumstances change!

I had a similar issue with IRMAA after retiring. After struggling to get through on the SSA phone lines for weeks, I finally tried a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an actual SSA rep in under 15 minutes! Totally worth it since I was spending hours on hold before that. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA agent confirmed I needed the SSA-44 form and was super helpful in explaining exactly what documentation to include. Got my IRMAA reduced within about 6 weeks.

the irmaa thing is such a mess...my neighbor pays extra for her medicare just because she sold her house in 2023! one big payday and bam, higher premiums for a whole year

One thing no one has mentioned yet - make sure to submit a NEW SSA-44 for 2025. Your 2024 adjustment doesn't automatically carry over to 2025. Each year is evaluated separately based on your tax returns from two years prior. Also, if your 2023 tax return (which will determine your 2025 IRMAA) already shows reduced income due to your job loss part way through that year, you might not even need to file the SSA-44. Check your 2023 MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) and compare it to the IRMAA threshold charts for 2025.

I went through this exact scenario when I lost my job in 2022. The SSA-44 is definitely the correct form. One tip: make sure you check the right box for the life-changing event (work stoppage) and use the exact date of your termination. They're sticklers for detail. I also recommend keeping a detailed log of everything - when you submitted forms, who you spoke with, what they said. The process took about 7 weeks for me, and I did get retroactively reimbursed for the higher premiums I paid while waiting. The IRMAA determination is frustrating since it's based on income from two years ago, but the life-changing event provision helps those of us who've had significant income changes.

does anyone know if they look at joint income for irmaa or just the persons on medicare? my husband still works but i dont

I just went through this exact situation last month! You definitely need the SSA-44 form - I made the same mistake initially and tried to use the SSA-561 because that's what the letter suggested. The SSA-44 is specifically designed for life-changing events like job loss that affect your IRMAA. A few tips from my experience: - File it ASAP since the higher premium will start with your January payment - Make copies of everything before you submit - I hand-delivered mine to the local office and got a stamped receipt - highly recommend this over mailing - Processing took about 8 weeks for me, so budget for paying the higher amount for 2-3 months - They did reimburse me for the overpayments once it was approved The documentation you'll need: termination letter (which you have), final pay stub, and make sure to note the exact date your job ended. They're very particular about dates and documentation. One more thing - if your 2023 tax return already shows reduced income from your job loss partway through that year, double-check if you even need to file the SSA-44. Sometimes the two-year lookback period works in your favor if your income was already lower in 2023. Good luck! The process is frustrating but they do eventually get it sorted out.

I'm dealing with a very similar IRMAA situation right now! Lost my job in February 2024 and just got the notice about my Part B premium jumping from $174.70 to $244.60 for 2025. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful - I was also confused about which form to use since the initial letter mentioned the SSA-561. Definitely sounds like SSA-44 is the way to go. I'm planning to follow the advice about hand-delivering it to the local office with all documentation and getting that stamped receipt. It's frustrating that we have to pay the higher amount for a few months while they process it, but at least they do reimburse the difference. One question for those who have been through this - did you include any cover letter explaining your situation, or just submit the completed SSA-44 with the supporting documents? I want to make sure I don't miss anything that could slow down the process even more. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences! This thread is going to save me a lot of headaches trying to figure this out on my own.

Just want to echo what everyone else has said about using the SSA-44 form - that's definitely the right one for your situation. I went through this exact same process two years ago when I lost my job, and while it's frustrating to deal with, it does get resolved eventually. A couple of additional tips that helped me: - When you go to the local office, try to go early in the morning right when they open. The lines get crazy later in the day. - Ask the person who takes your paperwork to verify they have everything they need before you leave. Better to find out you're missing something right then than have to make another trip. - Keep checking your Medicare.gov account online - sometimes the IRMAA adjustment shows up there before you get any official notification. The whole system of basing premiums on two-year-old income is ridiculous, but at least there's a process to fix it when life happens. Hang in there - the reimbursement check when it finally comes through feels pretty good after dealing with all this hassle!

I'm in almost the exact same boat! Lost my job in April 2024 and just got hit with the IRMAA increase notice for 2025. My Part B premium is going from $174.70 to $349.40 - nearly doubling! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful. I was definitely confused about the SSA-44 vs SSA-561 situation too. Sounds like I need to get moving on the SSA-44 form ASAP since that January premium increase is coming fast. One question - for those who successfully got their IRMAA reduced, did you need to provide any proof of your current income level (like showing you're now on unemployment or have reduced income), or was the job termination documentation sufficient? I want to make sure I'm bringing everything they might need when I go to the local office. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's both frustrating and comforting to know so many of us are dealing with this same issue!

I'm also dealing with IRMAA issues right now - lost my job in June 2024 and just received my notice that Part B premiums are increasing from $174.70 to $279.90 for 2025. This thread has been incredibly valuable! Based on everyone's advice, I'm planning to file the SSA-44 form this week. One thing I'm wondering about - has anyone dealt with this while receiving survivor benefits like the original poster? I'm curious if that adds any complications to the process or if it's handled the same way as regular Social Security benefits. Also, for those who successfully got their IRMAA reduced, did the adjustment affect future years automatically, or do you have to refile each year? Since my 2024 income will obviously be much lower due to the job loss, I'm hoping 2026 premiums won't require another SSA-44 filing. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences - it's making this whole confusing process much clearer!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation - lost my job in September 2024 and just got my IRMAA notice for 2025. My Part B premium is jumping from $174.70 to $244.60. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going with the SSA-44 form and will hand-deliver it to my local office first thing in the morning to get that stamped receipt. It's really reassuring to see so many people who have successfully navigated this process, even though it's frustrating we all have to deal with it. One quick question for the group - did anyone face any issues if their job loss happened relatively late in the year? I'm wondering if September 2024 termination might be viewed differently than earlier job losses, or if the process is exactly the same regardless of when during the year it occurred. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support is making what seemed like an overwhelming bureaucratic nightmare much more manageable!