The IRMAA Appeal Checklist

Requesting a lower Medicare premium after a life-changing event: 2026 edition

What Is IRMAA?

Social Security set your 2026 Medicare premium using your 2024 tax return. If your income dropped since then because you retired, a spouse died, or a pension ended, you may be able to ask Social Security to use a more recent year instead.

This free checklist covers what's involved:

• The eight life-changing events listed on Form SSA-44, and the common income spikes that aren't on that list
• Examples of the documentation Social Security may request for each event type
• A MAGI estimate worksheet you can print and fill in
• The date rule that catches otherwise-valid requests
• The full 2026 IRMAA bracket table, Part B and Part D, with annual surcharge per person
• What to look at instead if no qualifying event applies to you

Free, no email required. Educational information only.

Where to go from here

IRMAA usually isn't a standalone problem. It's downstream of a Roth conversion, a retirement date, a capital gain, or a Social Security decision.

• Run your numbers: 2026 IRMAA Calculator
• Go deeper: Complete IRMAA Planning Guide
• See where you stand overall: Retirement Readiness Checkpoint
• Talk it through: schedule a 20-minute Fit Call

Patrick Thompson, AWMA®

Serving pre-retirees in South Orange County and virtually nationwide.

Sentient Financial, LLC is a state-registered investment adviser in California. This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell securities or to implement a specific strategy. IRMAA thresholds and Medicare premiums change annually. Figures shown are for the 2026 plan year and should be verified against the official CMS announcement at cms.gov. Consult a qualified tax professional before implementing any strategy. Past performance does not guarantee future results.