Paying a Medicare surcharge based on income you no longer earn? You can ask them to use your real income.
The surcharge is called IRMAA. It is set using your tax return from two years ago. If your income has dropped since then, because of retirement or another major life change, there is an official form that asks Social Security to recalculate. We prepare your complete request. $179 for one person. $279 for a married couple.
This is for you if
This is for you if
- Retired, income dropped
- Premium based on old income
- Married, both surcharged
THE PROBLEM, PLAINLY
Here is how it happens.
You retire. Your income falls. Then Medicare raises your premiums anyway, because the rules look at the tax return you filed two years ago, back when you were still working.
Social Security will use your current income instead. But only if you ask. Only on their form. Only with the right evidence attached. And only if your situation fits one of the events they recognize.
Most people never ask.
FIRST WE CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY
This form only works for a closed list of life-changing events. Retiring counts. Working less counts. Marriage, divorce, and the death of a spouse count. A stock market gain does not. A one-off withdrawal does not.
So before we prepare anything, we check your situation against the list.
If it does not fit, we tell you, and we refund you in full. We would rather give your money back than prepare something that was always going to fail.
INCLUDED WITH EVERY ORDER
Plain instructions for every document, and 30 days of questions about your case, each answered in writing within 48 hours.
IF YOU ARE MARRIED, YOU BOTH PAY THE SURCHARGE
IRMAA is charged per person. If you and your spouse are both over the threshold, you are both paying it, and both of you need to file.
The couple's appeal prepares both filings together, using the same evidence.
Specialist preparation services advertise this at $199.95 for one person and $399.95 for a couple. Ours is $179 for one person and $279 for a couple. A couple pays us $120 less, and does not pay twice for the same evidence gathering.
THE HONEST BIT
You can file this form yourself for free. It is a public form, and Social Security charges nothing.
What we sell is getting it right the first time. The correct event. The correct figures. The correct evidence. And a person to ask when you are not sure.
What you get
A check of whether your situation fits one of the eight life-changing events Social Security recognizes, before anything is prepared
Your Form SSA-44 fully prepared, with your income figures set out the way the form requires
A checklist of the exact evidence to attach, based on your event
Step-by-step filing instructions, including how to ask for a refund of surcharges you have already paid
A plain explanation of what happens next, how long Social Security usually takes, and what to do if they say no
- One flat fee
- Never a percentage
- Answers within 48 hours
- Ready in 2 business days
- Full refund before delivery
- You send it yourself
Your order
$179 for one person. $279 for a married couple.
One price, paid once. If your situation does not fit any of the eight qualifying events, we tell you before anything is prepared, and we refund you in full.
No percentage of your bill or your savings. No income requirement.
Patient Stand prepares documents and explains the process. We do not give legal, financial, medical or tax advice, we do not act on your behalf, and we cannot promise any outcome. Deadlines are set by Medicare, your provider or the collector, never by us. Meeting them is your responsibility. Medicare's own information is at medicare.gov.
The documents
The findings
The instructions
- One flat fee
- Never a percentage
- Answers within 48 hours
- Ready in 2 business days
- Full refund before delivery
- You send it yourself
You send everything yourself, in your own name. You can read a real sample before you buy, and your documents are deleted 90 days after your order.
Questions
Social Security recognizes eight, including stopping work, working less, marriage, divorce, and the death of a spouse.
A stock market gain or a one-time withdrawal usually does not count on its own. We check your situation against the list first, before anything is prepared.
No one can promise that, and you should be careful with anyone who does.
The decision belongs to Social Security. Our job is to make your request complete, correct, and as strong as your facts allow.
Yes.
A family member can gather the documents and prepare everything with you. The form is signed and filed in your name.