The IRMAA Handbook

The Medicare surcharge nobody warned you about.

You saved diligently for decades. That is exactly why the letter came.

Most high-income retirees never hear the word IRMAA until a notice from Social Security says their Medicare premium is two or three times higher than expected, for each spouse, based on income they earned two years ago. By the time it arrives, the year that caused it is already closed.

The IRMAA Handbook turns that surprise into something you can see coming and plan around. In plain language, with real case studies you will recognize, it shows you how the brackets actually work, why careful savers get caught, and the specific moves that keep you on the right side of the line.

Inside, you will learn how to:

• Navigate the two-year lookback and the income cliff that can make one dollar cost you thousands
• Use Roth conversions, charitable distributions, and account sequencing to lower your MAGI
• See why municipal bonds and most trusts do nothing for IRMAA
• File the SSA-44 appeal the government does not advertise
• Use the "golden window" between ages 63 and 65 to plan on your own terms
• Coordinate your CPA, estate attorney, and financial advisor so the planning actually happens

Whether you are two years from Medicare or already paying the surcharge, this book gives you a clear, year-by-year plan.

Written by Jeff Martinez, CRPC, a fiduciary financial advisor focused on retirement income and Medicare planning for high-income households.