Why did Social Security deduct $400+ from my November check instead of normal Medicare premium?
Just checked my payment for November 2024 on my ssa.gov account and noticed they took out over $400 from my monthly Social Security payment! My regular Medicare Part B premium is only around $170, so I'm completely confused about where this extra $230+ deduction came from. This reminds me of last year's nightmare when SS messed up my deductions. Had to make multiple phone calls and visited the local office twice for an IRMAA appeal. Some SS rep claimed I submitted the wrong tax years, then later another rep admitted THEY made the mistake. Never got an official resolution on that appeal - the deductions just quietly went back to normal, so I stopped pursuing it. I did receive notification that my Part B premium would increase to about $180 for 2025, which I was expecting, but that doesn't explain this sudden $400+ deduction for November. Does anyone know what might cause such a large unexpected deduction? And what's the best approach to figure out why it happened and how long it will continue? After last year's runaround, I'm dreading another battle with SSA over incorrect deductions.
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Sean O'Brien
That $400 deduction is most likely Medicare Part B premium PLUS an IRMAA surcharge. They probably hit you with an income-related adjustment again based on your 2022 tax return (which is what they use for 2024 IRMAA calculations). The exact same thing happened to me last month. They suddenly started taking an extra $230 on top of my regular premium with ZERO notification. Classic SSA - they make changes and expect us to figure it out ourselves!
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Anastasia Smirnova
•That makes a lot of sense about the IRMAA! But shouldn't they have notified me first? I never received any letter explaining the increase would start in November. Last year they at least sent a notice before they started taking the higher amount.
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Zara Shah
You need to immediately request an "IRMAA reconsideration" using Form SSA-44. This happens if your income from 2 years ago was higher, which triggered the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. If you've had a life-changing event since then (retirement, divorce, death of spouse, etc.), you can appeal. Don't wait like last time - these overcharges won't automatically get refunded unless you formally request reconsideration. The form is available on ssa.gov or at your local office.
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Luca Bianchi
•This is correct advice but good luck reaching anyone at SSA to discuss it! I spent 3 weeks calling every morning trying to talk to someone about my IRMAA issue. Always disconnected or 2+ hour wait times. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Totally worth it for avoiding the SSA phone system nightmare. Got my IRMAA issue resolved in one call after I finally reached someone.
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GalacticGuardian
When I had a similar problem, it turned out they were collecting BACK irmaa charges that I supposedly owed from earlier in the year. This might be a retroactive collection for several months all at once. Check your Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount notice (usually mailed in November/December for the following year). They should have sent you something, but mail gets lost sometimes.
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Nia Harris
•Yes! This is exactly right. My father had this happen last year - it was retroactive IRMAA collection. If they determine you owe IRMAA mid-year, they'll take a larger amount for a few months to "catch up" on what should have been collected since January. Check your Medicare Premium Bill (form CMS-500) if you have one - it should explain the breakdown.
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Mateo Gonzalez
I honestly dont understand why the SSA makes this process so confusing... they just take money without explaining ANYTHING!! same happened to me last yr and i had to wait 4 hrs at the local office just to find out it was IRMA or whatever its called. absolute joke how they treat seniors
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Aisha Ali
•SAME!!! I've given up trying to understand their letters. My husband and I both get different amounts deducted even though we file jointly! Makes NO sense. And trying to get someone on the phone is impossible - I tried 8 times last month and either got disconnected or was told the wait was over 2 hours. They really don't care about us.
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Zara Shah
One more thing - if the higher deduction is indeed IRMAA, you have exactly 60 days from the date on the initial determination notice to file for reconsideration. If you never received a notice, mention that in your appeal. Also check if you qualify for any of these life-changing events for IRMAA appeal: - Marriage/divorce/annulment - Death of spouse - Work reduction or stoppage - Loss of income-producing property - Loss of pension income - Employer settlement payment Any of these could help get the IRMAA reduced or eliminated.
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Anastasia Smirnova
•Thank you for this detailed information! I did retire in 2023, so my income is significantly lower now than it was in 2022. I'll definitely mention this as a life-changing event. Do you know if I need to provide documentation of my retirement with the SSA-44 form?
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Luca Bianchi
Download your Medicare Premium Bill statement directly from your Medicare.gov account - it will show exactly what they're charging and why. The breakdown should show the standard premium plus any IRMAA amount. If you can't access it online, call the Medicare helpline at 1-800-MEDICARE rather than SSA. I've found Medicare reps much more helpful and knowledgeable about premium issues than SS representatives.
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Anastasia Smirnova
•I didn't think about checking Medicare.gov instead! That's a great suggestion. I'll try that right away. Hopefully I can get this resolved before the December payment so I'm not short on funds for the holidays.
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Sean O'Brien
After you figure out why they took the extra money, make sure to document EVERYTHING. Names of reps you talk to, reference numbers for calls, copies of all forms you submit. This has saved me multiple times when dealing with SSA mistakes. Also - when you submit the SSA-44 form, consider taking it to your local office in person and getting a receipt, rather than mailing it. They're notorious for "losing" mailed forms.
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GalacticGuardian
•This is crucial advice. I always use certified mail with return receipt when sending anything to SSA. And I keep a detailed journal of every interaction - date, time, who I spoke with, and exactly what was said. It's saved me repeatedly when they claim they have "no record" of previous conversations.
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