Medicare IRMAA: Trying to Avoid Surcharges and Reduce Your Taxes in Retirement

Medicare IRMAA can blindside people who are about to retire  - and especially those who have recently retired. In this episode of The Perfect Retirement Plan?, Phillip Smith (Financial Planner with Tidepool Wealth Strategies breaks down IRMAA in plain English and shows how smart retirement planning in your low-tide tax window can lower lifetime premiums and taxes. You’ll learn about the 2025 IRMAA income thresholds, the 2-year lookback, how Roth conversions and one-time income can trigger the surcharge, and practical ways to set income buffers, time conversions, harvest gains on purpose, and appeal to Social Security with SSA-44 after qualifying life events. If you are an Oregon PERS retiree or OPSRP member, we cover how IRMAA fits into a PERS strategy so your Medicare costs don’t erode your income plan. Chapters00:00 IRMAA shock: why your Medicare bill jumped 00:24 Who this helps and how IRMAA shows up 00:55 Today’s roadmap 01:19 IRMAA basics in plain English 01:43 Two-year lookback and 2025 premiums 02:29 Cliffs, thresholds, and single-filer halves 02:50 The low-tide tax window 03:13 Strategy playbook overview 04:02 Set bracket buffers for Roth conversions 04:25 When to convert: early, throughout, year-end 04:50 Harvest gains and pair with deductions 05:21 SALT cap timing and coordinated deductions 06:01 Muni interest counts; SSA-44 appeal option 06:25 Common pitfalls to avoid 07:12 The widow(er) tax bomb 07:41 Case study: results and lessons 08:16 Action steps this week Subscribe for more retirement planning content, and explore additional videos at @TidepoolWealth or visit TidepoolWealth.com. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of The Perfect Retirement Plan, and remember: it's not about having the smartest financial advisor, the most money saved, or the highest probability of retirement success. The perfect retirement plan, for you – is the one you act on.Phillip Smith, CRPC AIF |  Financial PlannerTidepool Wealth Strategies450 Country Club Road, Suite 350 | Eugene, OR | 97401____________________________________________________________________________________________Additional Disclosures: The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Wealth Services, LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete.All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. There is no assurance that any investment strategy will be successful.