Medicare Part D
2027 IRMAA Brackets for Medicare in Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas — If your income has climbed in the past couple of years, your 2027 Medicare bill could climb with it. The income-related monthly adjustment amount, better known as IRMAA, is the surcharge that higher earners pay on top of standard Part B and Part D premiums. With Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7, this is the season to check where your income lands and plan ahead. CMS publishes the 2027 IRMAA brackets later in the fall, typically in November.
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Click to call 855-729-3240Key takeaways
- - IRMAA is an extra charge added to Part B and Part D premiums for people whose income is above a certain level, and most Medicare beneficiaries do not pay it.
- - For 2026, the surcharge starts if a single filer's income is above $109,000 or a joint filer's income is above $218,000, based on your 2024 tax return.
- - The Part D IRMAA is billed separately by Social Security and is not part of your drug plan's premium.
- - If you've had a life-changing event like retirement, divorce, or the death of a spouse, you can ask Social Security to recalculate your IRMAA using Form SSA-44.
What IRMAA is, in plain English
IRMAA is not a penalty. It is an extra amount added to your Part B (doctor visits, outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drug) premiums when your income is above a certain level. Most people on Medicare do not pay it. But if you file a single tax return with income above $109,000 in 2026 — or a joint return above $218,000 — you will pay more each month than the standard premium.
Social Security uses your most recent tax return on file, which for 2027 usually means your 2025 return. That two-year lookback surprises a lot of new retirees.
The 2027 IRMAA income brackets
There are five income tiers above the base amount. Here is how the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) thresholds line up for 2026:
- Single filers up to $109,000 / joint up to $218,000: standard premium, no surcharge.
- Single $109,000–$137,000 / joint $218,000–$274,000: first IRMAA tier.
- Single $137,000–$171,000 / joint $274,000–$342,000: second tier.
- Single $171,000–$205,000 / joint $342,000–$410,000: third tier.
- Single $205,000–$500,000 / joint $410,000–$750,000: fourth tier.
- Single $500,000 and above / joint $750,000 and above: highest tier.
Married people who file separately have their own, tighter schedule. Each tier adds a set dollar amount to both your Part B and your Part D premium. The current dollar figures are posted at Medicare.gov under "Costs."
How you find out — and how it gets paid
If IRMAA applies to you, the Social Security Administration mails you a predetermination notice, usually late in the year. Your Part B surcharge is taken out of your Social Security check (or billed directly if you are not yet collecting). Your Part D surcharge is billed separately by Social Security, even if you pay your drug plan premium to a private insurer.
That last point trips people up: the Part D IRMAA is not part of your plan's premium. It is a separate bill from the government.
What if your income has dropped?
This is the most important part for anyone who has recently retired, lost a spouse, sold a business, or stopped working. You can ask Social Security to recalculate IRMAA based on a "life-changing event" using Form SSA-44. Qualifying events include marriage, divorce, the death of a spouse, work stoppage or reduction, loss of pension, or loss of income-producing property.
If 2024 was an unusually high-income year — say, from a one-time Roth conversion or a home sale — that alone is not a life-changing event. But it is worth calling Social Security to understand your options before you simply pay the higher amount.
Where Fort Smith fits in
Fort Smith is in Sebastian County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a range of Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and stand-alone Part D options during the Annual Enrollment Period. IRMAA works the same way in Arkansas as everywhere else — it is a federal calculation based on your tax return, not on where you live or which plan you pick. Switching plans does not change whether you owe IRMAA.
Other 2027 numbers worth knowing
While you are reviewing your Medicare costs, keep these program-wide 2026 figures in mind:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 ($2,400 in 2027). Once your covered drug spending hits that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
- Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027).
- The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic.
- Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: an optional program that spreads your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments, instead of paying a large amount at the pharmacy counter.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Sebastian County
(MA penetration in Sebastian County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Higher-income surcharges
2027 IRMAA income brackets
If your income is above a threshold, you pay an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) on top of your Part B and Part D premiums. Your 2027 surcharge is based on your 2025 tax return. CMS publishes the 2027 brackets and surcharge amounts later in the fall; the 2026 figures below are shown for reference.
| Income — single filer | Income — married, joint | Part B monthly premium | Part D surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or less | $218,000 or less | $202.90 | Plan premium only |
| $109,001 – $137,000 | $218,001 – $274,000 | $284.10 | + $14.50 |
| $137,001 – $171,000 | $274,001 – $342,000 | $405.80 | + $37.40 |
| $171,001 – $205,000 | $342,001 – $410,000 | $527.50 | + $60.40 |
| $205,001 – $500,000 | $410,001 – $750,000 | $649.30 | + $83.30 |
| Above $500,000 | Above $750,000 | $689.90 | + $91.00 |
Standard Part B premium is $202.90/month. Part D surcharges are added to your drug plan’s premium. Married-filing-separately uses a different, compressed schedule. Confirm current amounts at Medicare.gov.
Try it
Find your 2026 Medicare premium
Most people pay the standard Part B premium. If your 2024 income was higher, an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) applies. Enter your details to see your bracket.
Surcharges are added to your premiums and based on your 2024 tax return. Married-filing-separately uses a different schedule. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
Try it
How the 2026 Part D drug cap works
Slide to your estimated yearly prescription costs and see how the new $2,100 out-of-pocket cap protects you. This illustrates the standard Part D benefit; your plan may structure costs differently.
Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for the rest of 2026. Confirm details at Medicare.gov.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does IRMAA go away if my income drops in retirement?
Do Roth IRA withdrawals count toward IRMAA?
If I delay Part B, do I avoid IRMAA?
- CMS — Medicare costs & IRMAA (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.