Since 2007, the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 has required high-income Medicare enrollees to pay an “Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount” (IRMAA) surcharge on their Medicare Part B premiums, which lifts the Medicare Part B premium from covering “just” 25% of costs up to as high as 80% of results, increasing Medicare Part B premiums by as much as 219% in 2017. And since 2011, a similar IRMAA surcharge has applied to Part D premiums, applying a flat dollar surcharge of as much as $914/year in 2017.
Beginning in 2018, though, the IRMAA surcharges on Medicare premiums will apply even more quickly, as changes under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 will reduce the top Modified-AGI threshold from $214,000/year down to “just” $160,000 (for individuals, or $320,000 for married couples). And individuals with MAGI as low as $133,500 (or married couples at MAGI of $267,000/year) will be forced into a higher IRMAA tier, resulting in a nearly $1,000/year increase in IRMAA surcharges.
Which means going forward, it will be even more important to engage in proactive income tax planning for affluent retirees, to manage their exposure to IRMAA, especially in a low-inflation environment where being impacted by IRMAA also renders the household ineligible for the so-called “Hold Harmless” rules that limit annual inflation increases to Medicare Part B premiums. Especially since even “one-time” income events, like a sizable Roth conversion, or liquidating substantial capital gains, can be IRMAA triggers (at least for that one year the income event occurs).
On the other hand, it’s important to recognize that IRMAA surcharges still only amount to a roughly 1% to 2% cost increase, relative to the income the household must have to be subject to IRMAA in the first place. Which means that while managing taxable income (or really, MAGI) is important, it’s equally crucial not to let the tax tail (or the IRMAA tail) entirely wag the dog.
Nonetheless, the new 2018 IRMAA rules will just make Medicare-related tax planning more popular than ever. Although notably, for new retirees, the best IRMAA planning strategy is simply recognizing the opportunity to file Form SSA-44 to receive an exception to the IRMAA surcharge, as the act of retirement itself is a valid “life-changing event” that can allow new Medicare enrollees to avoid IRMAA premium surcharges on Part B and Part D in their initial Medicare years!
source https://www.kitces.com/blog/irmaa-medicare-part-b-part-d-premium-surcharges-new-2018-magi-thresholds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=irmaa-medicare-part-b-part-d-premium-surcharges-new-2018-magi-thresholds
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