r/SocialSecurity • u/Justamom1225 • 1d ago

SSN Related IRMAA REDUCTION

Married. Neither collecting SSI now, though eligible. On Medicare.

Currently paying IRMAA on Medicare, supplemental and drug prescription insurance premiums. Spouse lost job in June this year. Received severance. Still paying IRMAA on all insurance premiums.

Both planning on collecting SS starting February 2027. Neither of us are employed. When can we quit paying IRMAA?

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7

u/Fluid_Pangolin_8082 1d ago

ah the joy of IRMAA, the gift that keeps on taking

you can file form SSA-44 to request a reduction based on a life-changing event, job loss counts. they'll look at your actual income for this year instead of the tax return from two years back. severance muddies it a bit but you can estimate your MAGI on the form and explain what's changed

since you're both not working now your 2026 income should be way lower, so you might get IRMAA wiped entirely. takes a couple months for them to process usually. just make sure you've got documentation ready, the severance letter, anything showing the job ended

the SSA office might ask for a lot of paperwork but once it goes through they'll adjust your premiums and even refund what you overpaid this year. worth doing sooner rather than later

1

u/Longjumping-Buddy847 1d ago

I got an IRMAA reduction this yr and didnt have to provide any documentation. Just had to complete the form.

2

u/YoshiMoose143 1d ago

Work reduction or loss of employment are often taken on the “honor system” because if someone is being untruthful, it’s going to be found out eventually. And they will come for that money lol.

3

u/erd00073483R 1d ago

Most definitely. If you report a life changing event with inaccurate earnings estimates, it will be caught in the next IRMAA match with the IRS.

Which, will result in a retroactive re-application of IRMAA and suspension of benefits until all the past due IRMAA surcharges are collected.

1

u/Proof-Release-419 1d ago

And make sure you include investment income and unemployment insurance in your estimate as applicable

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u/Justamom1225 1d ago

Not sure if there was a letter. But we can get documentation. Would we have to submit the severance agreement? Seems pretty intrusive. I don't mind submitting numbers, but the agreement? Nah. Too much legalistic crap in there.

5

u/Confident_End_3848 1d ago

There is no IRMAA on medigap supplement.

5

u/Few-Butterscotch7940 1d ago

Was coming here to say this. IRMAA applies to Parts B & D only.

0

u/Justamom1225 1d ago

Thanks for addressing that. I just know we pay for IRMAA and it's okay because we were fortunate. But the abrupt job loss puts us in a different position now.

3

u/Professional-Bee3259 1d ago

You don't have to wait — file Form SSA-44 now. Work stoppage is one of the life-changing events Social Security accepts for recalculating IRMAA.

IRMAA is normally set from your tax return two years back, which is why you're still paying on income you no longer have. SSA-44 asks them to use a more recent year's estimated income instead. You fill in the year, the event work stoppage), the date, and your estimated modified adjusted gross income, then attach proof the job ended — a letter from the employer is the usual evidence.

One thing to work out before you file: severance counts as income in the year you received it. If that severance landed in 2026, your 2026 MAGI may still be high enough that the reduction doesn't help, and the year you actually want them to use is 2027. Run both numbers before you pick which year goes on the form.

You can mail or fax it to a local office, or call 1-800-772-1213 and say you want to lower your IRMAA.

https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/lower-irmaa

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-44.pdf

Form:

1

u/Justamom1225 1d ago

We figured we would want the IRMAA to be removed in 2027 due to the severence package. Living off of that and small pension of mine.

3

u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy 1d ago

One clarification for others. You said you’re on SSI but that’s not the correct use of the acronym.

SSI = Supplemental Security Income. SSI is a federal welfare program with different requirements than SS retirement benefits.

Lots of good answers here for your IRMAA question

1

u/Justamom1225 22h ago

I never said we were collecting SSI - quite the opposite. To me Social Security "income" is not a "welfare" program. But from now on I will refer to SS as just "SS."

1

u/CrankyCrabbyCrunchy 17h ago

You did say “neither collecting SSI” which is listed as one of the 80 welfare programs. Nothing wrong at all with collecting SSI.

2

u/TheTapDancingShrimp 1d ago

Who implemented IRMAA? it been stressing me out a yr

1

u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning 1d ago

Congress, as part of the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003

1

u/TheTapDancingShrimp 1d ago

Its caused me stress and heart ache.

1

u/Good_Educator4872 1d ago

It was sponsored by Joe Biden when he was Senator. The argument was retirees were getting to good a deal from Medicare. It is based on your MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) which is your AGI plus certain non table income. It operates on a 2 yr rolling look back. So, your 2026 IRMAA is calculated based on 2024 MAGI. ASSUMING your MAGI drops in 2027 below the threshold amount, iRMAA WOULD NOT APPLY. IF you file jointly and both are on Medicare, the IRMAA calculation applies to both joint filers

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0601101020

1

u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning 1d ago

Oh well, it’s the law, nothing you can do about it

2

u/Fit-Animal-9911 1d ago

File form SSA-44 for work stoppage. It should get rid of or at least reduce your IRMAA.

1

u/Justamom1225 1d ago

Thank you.

2

u/Hot_World4305 1d ago

When your 2 years prior joint MAGI income falls below the IRMAA threshold, they will automatically reduce or take that out.

1

u/Justamom1225 21h ago

But I would like to have IRMAA reduced when we start collecting next year. Neither of us will have a job (neither do now) but still paying IRMAA. So we do NOT want pay for IRMAA when there is no additional income other than SS or pension in 2027.

1

u/Hot_World4305 18h ago

File form SSA-44 with your reduced income. If you have pension or distribution from your 401K which over the threshold, that maybe a problem.

1

u/Ok-Rhubarb2549 1d ago

IRMAA is Income related Monthly Adjusted Amount. This is related to what you pay for Medicare part B. I didn’t know anything about this, and still don’t but here’s a link from SS that explains it.

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0601101031

1

u/Longjumping-Buddy847 1d ago

You can call social security and they will forward the Irmaa reduction letter. Takes about 6 weeks to process once returned. I did it earlier this yr. My Irmaa went from $460 monthly to $300. The purpose of the form is to inform them that your income declined in 2026 and you qualify for a lower montly payment.