Pay Less for Medicare Part B

You might be able to lower your premiums if your income has dropped because of a "life-changing event."

My wife and I pay a high-income surcharge for our Medicare Part B premiums based on our income from more than a year ago. But we’ve since retired, and our combined incomes are now less than $30,000. Can we get these premiums reduced?

Yes. The high-income surcharge for Medicare Part B is based on your last tax return on record. So if your adjusted gross income was more than $170,000 on a joint return in 2008 (or more than $85,000 if single), you and your spouse may both have to pay $154.70 (or more) per month for Medicare Part B in 2010. See What’s in Store for Medicare Part B Premiums for details.

But you can get your premiums reduced if your income has dropped since then because of a “life-changing event.” That includes marriage, divorce, job loss or reduced work hours (including retirement), loss of income from income-producing property or cuts in pension benefits. Because your joint income is now $30,000, you should each end up paying the standard $96.40 per month.

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Fill out the Medicare Part B Income-Related Premium – Life Changing Event form. You’ll need to estimate your income for the year and provide evidence of the change, which could include a statement from your former employer verifying that you’ve retired.

Got a question? E-mail me at askkim@kiplinger.com.

Kimberly Lankford
Contributing Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.