SSA and Medicare question

[RetireBy90]

Folks, I have 2 quick questions that I'm hoping someone can help with.



Just started collecting SS for DW, fist payment was this week. The dollar amount was not what I expected, so logged into ssa.gov to see why. When I look at her account I see the following


View attachment 32246


Sorry, the attachment shows $202.00 deducted for Medicare



But it shows that Medicare should be $189.60 as show below.


View attachment 32247


And this one shows the medicare should be $189.60



not a big difference but I've been constantly confounded with Medicare cost never matching anything they tell me.

Any ideas why the SSA is deducting $202 and shows Medicare is $189 ?


2nd question: The first screen capture shows no income tax withheld. Anyone know how to set that up ? I don't see anything on the web site but perhaps I'm just not seeing the link to lead to a income tax page.



Thanks for any insight or others with similar experience.

 

[MissMolly]

The additional amount being withheld on her SS is for the IRMAA due for Part D. IRMAA applies to both your SS benefit and the Part D premium. They are separate charges.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10536.pdf


Here is how you can fill out form W-4V to have taxes withheld on her SS:

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/taxwithold.html

 

[RetireBy90]

MissMolly, thanks for the feedback. I've downloaded the form and will send in.



I'm still wondering not how they compute the IRMAA but why they say on Medicare costs $189 then say they deducted $202 for medicare on same page. Talking with DW it is only $13 so prudent thing is probably conclude this is pretty close for govt work and move on. I've had IRMAA computed and disputed 2 times now and the numbers didn't add up. So, $13 is probably as close as I can expect them to get.



If I give up and forget ab out the $13 then I'm left wondering if others have similar confusion about SS and Medicare numbers. Anyone else confused ?

 

[MissMolly]

I included a link that explains the additional IRMAA surcharge for the Part D premium. It's not for the Medicare part B which is $189 but for your drug coverage which has an additional charge. The amount they charged you was exactly correct. Did you look on page 5 of the attached PDF that explains this?

 

[RetireBy90]

I don't have part D, prescriptions are covered by Kaiser which I pay separately.



The part D premium would make the difference. Thanks for pointing that out.

It would be nice if you could get a pay stub kind of document that shows base benefit and all deductions. I get that with my military pension.



Thanks again

 

[SumDay]

I don't have part D, prescriptions are covered by Kaiser which I pay separately.



The part D premium would make the difference. Thanks for pointing that out.

It would be nice if you could get a pay stub kind of document that shows base benefit and all deductions. I get that with my military pension.



Thanks again

You can get a "pay stub". Log into her account, and under OVERVIEW go to BENEFITS & PAYMENTS.

You are receiving: Social Security (Retirement) View Benefit Details


Click on VIEW BENEFIT DETAILS and/or SOCIAL SECURITY (Retirement) and it shows your deductions. Spend some time clicking around in there. There's more info than I'd initially thought - they do a great job of hiding it.

 

[MissMolly]

I don't have part D, prescriptions are covered by Kaiser which I pay separately.



The part D premium would make the difference. Thanks for pointing that out.

It would be nice if you could get a pay stub kind of document that shows base benefit and all deductions. I get that with my military pension.



Thanks again

You actually do have Part D, it's just included in your Kaiser plan and is not a separate policy/coverage/charge. IRMAA apply to Medicare Advantage plans or Medicare Care plans also.

 

[PERSonalTime]

The additional amount being withheld on her SS is for the IRMAA due for Part D. IRMAA applies to both your SS benefit and the Part D premium. They are separate charges.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10536.pdf


Here is how you can fill out form W-4V to have taxes withheld on her SS:

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/taxwithold.html

What does IRMAA mean?

 

[MissMolly]

What does IRMAA mean?

IRMAA is an acronym for Medicare's income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). This is a higher premium charged by Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D to individuals with higher incomes.

 

[nwsteve]

IRMAA is an acronym for Medicare's income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). This is a higher premium charged by Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D to individuals with higher incomes.

It may be worthwhile for newcomers to appreciate that IRMAA is calculated every year based on your tax return for the previous year. For the OP, he/she is in the first bracket of IRMAA adjustment. The next jump is a doozy--Medicare 135 vs 54 plus Plan D adj 34 vs 13. Here is a more complete summary:
https://www.kitces.com/blog/irmaa-m...-premium-surcharges-new-2018-magi-thresholds/
NOTE--table values are for 2018 and IRMAA gets an inflation adj every year

 

[Crabby Mike]

It may be worthwhile for newcomers to appreciate that IRMAA is calculated every year based on your tax return for the previous year. For the OP, he/she is in the first bracket of IRMAA adjustment. The next jump is a doozy--Medicare 135 vs 54 plus Plan D adj 34 vs 13. Here is a more complete summary:
https://www.kitces.com/blog/irmaa-m...-premium-surcharges-new-2018-magi-thresholds/
NOTE--table values are for 2018 and IRMAA gets an inflation adj every year

Actually, it's for the year before last, because that's the most recent tax return they have. So your income this year will determine your IRMAA for 2021.

 

[RetireBy90]

It may be worthwhile for newcomers to appreciate that IRMAA is calculated every year based on your tax return for the previous year. For the OP, he/she is in the first bracket of IRMAA adjustment. The next jump is a doozy--Medicare 135 vs 54 plus Plan D adj 34 vs 13. Here is a more complete summary:
https://www.kitces.com/blog/irmaa-m...-premium-surcharges-new-2018-magi-thresholds/
NOTE--table values are for 2018 and IRMAA gets an inflation adj every year

We started Medicare last year for DW and they used 2016 tax returns. They were an aberration with extra income bunched into that year, so I sent in my 2017 1040 and they adjusted the IRMAA. Just in case you start medicare year after you retire, you can file a request to adjust with your latest tax return to request lower IRMAA. Your mileage will most certainly vary.