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What happens if you are a high-income Medicare beneficiary who is paying a surcharge on your premiums and then your income changes? If your circumstances change, you can reverse those surcharges.

Higher-income Medicare beneficiaries (individuals who earn more than $85,000) pay higher Part B and prescription drug benefit premiums than lower-income Medicare beneficiaries. The extra amount the beneficiary owes increases as the beneficiary’s income increases. The Social Security Administration uses income reported two years ago to determine a beneficiary’s premiums. So the income reported on a beneficiary’s 2015 tax return is used to determine whether the beneficiary must pay a higher monthly premium in 2017.

A lot can happen in two years. If your income decreases significantly due to certain circumstances, you can request that the Social Security Administration recalculate your benefits. For example, if you earned $90,000 in 2015 but your income dropped to $50,000 in 2016, you can request an income review and your premium surcharges for 2017 could be eliminated. Income is calculated by taking a beneficiary’s adjusted gross income and adding back in some normally excluded income, such as tax-exempt interest, U.S. savings bond interest used to pay tuition, and certain income from foreign sources.

You can request a review of your income if any of the following circumstances occurred:

  • You married, divorced, or became widowed
  • You or your spouse stopped working or reduced your work hours
  • You or your spouse lost income-producing property because of a disaster or other event beyond your control
  • You or your spouse experienced a scheduled cessation, termination, or reorganization of an employer’s pension plan
  • You or your spouse received a settlement from an employer or former employer because of the employer’s closure, bankruptcy, or reorganization

If your income changes due to any of the above reasons, you can submit documentation verifying the change in income — including tax documents, letter from employer, or death certificate — to the Social Security Administration. If the change is approved, it will be retroactive to January of the year you made the request.

Posted on behalf of Susan B. Geffen

2447 Pacific Coast Hwy #234
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Phone: (800) 285-2659
Email:

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Susan Geffen saved my life! An elderly relative was the victim of lottery fraud and was acting as the neighborhood ATM, in total over $200,000. Her legal expertise, compassion, and expertise in geriatrics guided the family through a successful process of care management and understanding. At all times the victim and the family trusted Susan and received compassionate support. Her referrals to other professionals were stellar and her reputation among her peers is impeccable. I recommend her without qualification.

Irene Z., Newport Beach

I could have searched the country and not have found a more capable and qualified person.

Debbie K., Moreno Valley, CA

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Our Clients Reviews

Susan Geffen saved my life! An elderly relative was the victim of lottery fraud and was acting as the neighborhood ATM, in total over $200,000. Her legal expertise, compassion, and expertise in geriatrics guided the family through a successful process of care management and understanding. At all times the victim and the family trusted Susan and received compassionate support. Her referrals to other professionals were stellar and her reputation among her peers is impeccable. I recommend her without qualification.
Irene Z., Newport Beach
After moving my 88 year old mom from Chicago to California, I was looking for a competent attorney to review and make some minor changes to her living trust. Susan B. Geffen has a wonderful “desk side” manner with her elderly clients and even helped my mom recover $3,000 that her prior attorney in Chicago refused to release from escrow of the sale of her home 2 years ago. I would highly recommend Susan B Geffen’s services to anyone dealing with elderly parents.
D’Marie C., Hermosa Beach, CA
My parents and I retained Susan Geffen’s legal services to navigate through the Medi-Cal process and to preserve my parent’s assets. The process was long and hard, but Susan hung in there with us, even when my parents seemed reluctant and indecisive. Susan showed her professionalism and concern for the elderly by continuing to provide legal services and guidance without payment during a period between the two phases of our journey. I would recommend Susan to anyone in need of legal services relating to the elderly and elder care.
Rick Y., Torrance, CA
When my wife of 53 years suddenly became terminally ill, I asked Susan B. Geffen to provide assistance with new wills and trust documents on short notice. She worked diligently and completed the requisite documents in record time. She also provided in-valuable advice concerning bequests and gathering information for estate tax filings.
Steve K., Rancho Palos Verdes
I highly recommend her for estate planning and elder law questions.
Mike A., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
I could have searched the country and not have found a more capable and qualified person.
Debbie K., Moreno Valley, CA