Medicare Part D
2026 IRMAA Brackets: What Higher Earners Pay Now
By the numbers
Compare Medicare options near you
Answer 3 quick questions to see Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D listings from licensed insurance partners.
What’s your ZIP code?
Plan availability is set by your county, so we start here.
How old are you?
This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
Most Medicare Advantage and Medigap options require both.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Will your prescriptions still be covered in 2027?
Part D plans rewrite their drug lists every year — tiers move, pharmacies change, drugs drop off. One call checks your exact medications against the 2027 plans in your area.
- Every prescription checked, name by name
- Your pharmacy checked for preferred pricing
Available now — current wait: 0 min
A real person answers. No phone menu, ever.
Want to see more plan options?
Answer a few more questions to continue to additional options from licensed partners.
Continue →Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Speak to a Licensed Insurance Agent
Click to call 855-729-3240Key takeaways
- For 2026, Medicare's higher-income surcharge (IRMAA) starts for single filers with income above $109,000, based on 2024 tax data.
- The fall Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, is the time to review Part D or Medicare Advantage coverage before any 2027 surcharge takes effect.
- People who disagree with an IRMAA notice because of a life-changing event, like a marriage, death, or job loss, can file Form SSA-44 for a free reconsideration.
- Even with an IRMAA surcharge, 2027 Part D protections still apply, and residents can use the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, to make one coverage change if needed.
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.
Stamford retirees, here's what to know for 2027
STAMFORD, Conn. — If you're on Medicare and your income has crept up, expect the mail from Social Security to look a little different this year. The income brackets for 2027 that trigger Medicare's higher-income surcharges — known as IRMAA — have shifted again, and the first bracket now starts above $109,000 for single filers, according to Medicare.gov in 2026.
That matters right now because the fall Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) is when most people make changes to their Part D or Medicare Advantage coverage for 2027. If a surcharge is coming, it helps to know before you pick a plan — not after your first bank draft in January.
Stamford is in Fairfield County, where Medicare Advantage and Part D plan choices are set at the county level. IRMAA, though, is federal — it works the same in Stamford as it does anywhere else.
What IRMAA actually is
IRMAA stands for the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It's an extra amount added to your Part B and Part D premiums if your income is above certain thresholds.
A few things to keep in mind:
- IRMAA is set by the federal government, not by an insurance company.
- Social Security sends you a letter if you owe it.
- It's based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from your tax return two years ago — so your 2027 IRMAA is generally based on your 2025 taxes.
- It's recalculated every year. A one-time income bump (like selling a house) can push you into a bracket for just one year.
The income brackets for 2026
For 2026, IRMAA kicked in when your 2024 MAGI was:
- Above $109,000 for a single filer, or
- Above $218,000 for a married couple filing jointly.
From there, the surcharges rise in tiers. There are five IRMAA tiers in all, and the top tier applies to single filers with MAGI at or above $500,000 (or $750,000 for joint filers). The higher the tier, the larger the add-on to both your Part B and Part D premiums.
For the current dollar amount at each tier, check the "Costs" page at Medicare.gov — the 2027 figures are updated by CMS later in the fall.
Married filing separately: a special rule
If you're married but filed separately and lived with your spouse at any time during the year, the IRMAA rules are stricter. The surcharge starts at a much lower income level, and there are fewer brackets. If this describes you, it's worth talking to a tax professional or your local SHIP counselor before assuming which tier applies.
What to do if you get an IRMAA letter you disagree with
Social Security uses old tax data, so life changes since then may not be reflected. You can ask for a reconsideration by filing Form SSA-44 if you had a "life-changing event," including:
- Marriage, divorce, or death of a spouse
- You or your spouse stopped working or reduced hours
- Loss of pension income
- Loss of income-producing property (not from your own decisions)
You'll need documentation — a marriage certificate, a letter from an employer, a death certificate, and so on. Approval isn't automatic, but the process is straightforward and free.
How IRMAA connects to your 2027 drug coverage
Even if you owe IRMAA, the Part D changes taking effect apply to you too. In 2027:
- The annual out-of-pocket cap on Part D drug costs is $2,400.
- The Part D deductible cannot exceed $700.
- The old "donut hole" is gone — Part D now has three phases (deductible, initial coverage, catastrophic).
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter. It's optional and free to join.
IRMAA is added on top of your Part D premium; it doesn't change these built-in protections.
Deciding what to do during AEP
If you're in a higher bracket, three practical questions to work through before Dec. 7:
1. Is my income likely to drop? If yes, IRMAA may fall off in a future year automatically — no plan change needed for that reason alone. 2. Am I on the right Part D or Medicare Advantage plan for my actual medications? The Plan Finder at Medicare.gov lets you enter your drugs and pharmacy to compare. 3. Would the Prescription Payment Plan help with cash flow? Especially if you take an expensive specialty drug early in the year.
Stamford residents can also use the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31) to make one change if a January choice isn't working out.
Prescription coverage
How Medicare Part D works in 2027
The old coverage gap (“donut hole”) was eliminated as of 2025 (three phases now). There's a hard yearly cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs — $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 — and you can spread those costs across the year with the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.
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.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Q: I just got a raise earlier this year. Will my 2027 IRMAA go up?
Q: Does IRMAA apply if I only have Part B and not Part D?
Q: Is IRMAA taken out of my Social Security check?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.