Topic Archive
IRMAA is one of the least intuitive Medicare costs in retirement planning. This topic page collects articles on how higher income can raise Medicare premiums and how to plan around those cliffs.
A lot of retirees think their bracket tells them the tax cost of the next withdrawal. It often does not. Once Social Security, RMDs, Roth conversions, and Medicare thresholds start interacting, the next dollar can be much more expensive than it looks.
Read articleThe right Roth conversion amount is rarely 'as much as possible.' In 2026, the better question is who should convert, how much to convert this year, and when the strategy stops helping.
Read articleA Roth conversion is not automatically a win. Here are the most common ways Roth conversions backfire, and how to tell when the next converted dollar is no longer helping.
Read articleA lot of retirees treat RMDs like an administrative nuisance. They are not. A badly timed RMD can stack on top of Social Security, pensions, capital gains, and Roth conversions to create a surprisingly expensive tax year.
Read articleYou're 65. Your income hits $103,001. Congratulations - you just triggered an extra $1,678/year in Medicare premiums. And because it's based on 2-year-old income, you might not even realize it until you get the bill.
Read articleProject income spikes, Roth conversions, and retirement withdrawals with IRMAA in view instead of as an afterthought.