ACap ReCap: Financial and Tax Tips

Medicare Surcharges Explained: How IRMAA Can Shrink Your Social Security in 2026

Ara Oghoorian

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0:00 | 8:09

Your Social Security check can drop by hundreds per month without warning. The reason is IRMAA, the Medicare surcharge that catches many retirees off guard.

In this episode, we break down exactly how IRMAA works in 2026, how the two year income look back rule impacts your Medicare premiums, and why higher Part B and Part D costs quietly reduce your monthly Social Security deposit.

You will learn:

• What IRMAA is and why it functions like a stealth tax

• How modified adjusted gross income determines your surcharge

• The 2026 IRMAA income brackets and premium jumps

• Why one high income year can follow you into retirement

• How IRMAA directly reduces your Social Security benefit

• When and how to appeal using Form SSA 44

• Smart planning strategies to avoid unnecessary Medicare premium increases

• How Roth conversions, capital gains, and RMDs can trigger higher premiums

If you are approaching Medicare, already collecting Social Security, or planning income in your early sixties, this episode is essential listening. The key is proactive income planning before Medicare begins, not reacting after your check gets smaller.

Understanding IRMAA is not optional if you want to protect your retirement income.

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