Form SSA-44 help
Lower your Medicare IRMAA after a life change
If your income dropped because you retired, cut your hours, lost a spouse or divorced, Medicare may still be charging you an income surcharge based on an older tax return. Form SSA-44 asks Social Security to use a newer year. Answer a few questions to see if you qualify and roughly what you'd save.
Free to use, no sign-up. You can also fill in Form SSA-44 yourself or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Agreedly is not affiliated with Social Security or Medicare.
How it works
1. Free check
Tell us what your letter says and what changed. You see right away whether you likely qualify and about how much you'd save.
2. Your answers, on the form
If you qualify, answer a few more questions. We fill in the official SSA-44 and pick the right tax year for Step 2.
3. Sign and send
Print, sign in ink, attach the documents on your checklist, and send it online, by fax, by mail or in person.
Which life changes count
Social Security only accepts these eight events on Form SSA-44, and each needs proof. Originals or certified copies are returned to you.
| Event | Use it if | Proof Social Security asks for |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage | You entered into a legal marriage. | Marriage certificate |
| Divorce or annulment | Your marriage ended and you will not file a joint tax return for that year. | Divorce or annulment decree |
| Death of your spouse | Your spouse died. | Death certificate (or a certified public record or coroner's certificate) |
| Stopped working | You or your spouse stopped working (retired, laid off, or closed a business). | A signed statement from your employer, your final pay stubs, or documents showing you transferred your business; If you have none of these: your own signed statement, under penalty of perjury, explaining when and how your work stopped or was reduced |
| Cut back your work hours | You or your spouse reduced the hours you work. | A signed statement from your employer, your final pay stubs, or documents showing you transferred your business; If you have none of these: your own signed statement, under penalty of perjury, explaining when and how your work stopped or was reduced |
| Lost income-producing property | You lost income-producing property through no choice of your own: a declared disaster, destruction of livestock or crops, arson, or investment fraud or theft. | An insurance adjuster's statement of the loss, or a letter from the government agency involved |
| Lost pension income | Your employer pension stopped on schedule, or the plan was terminated or reorganized. | A letter from the pension plan administrator |
| Employer settlement payment | You received a settlement from your employer because of the employer's bankruptcy or reorganization. | A letter from your employer describing the settlement terms |
Questions people ask
What is IRMAA?
IRMAA (income-related monthly adjustment amount) is an extra charge on Medicare Part B and Part D premiums for people with higher incomes. Social Security decides it from your tax return from two years earlier, so a 2026 premium is usually based on 2024 income.
What is Form SSA-44?
Form SSA-44 asks Social Security to use a more recent year's income because a life-changing event lowered it: marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, stopping or cutting back work, losing income-producing property, losing a pension, or an employer settlement payment.
Can I file Form SSA-44 for free?
Yes. The form is free from Social Security, and you can also call 1-800-772-1213 to ask for an appointment instead. This kit is free too: it fills in the form, picks the right year, and gives you a checklist of exactly what to send.
Does a big capital gain or a Roth conversion count?
No. A one-time gain, a sale you chose to make, a Roth conversion, a large IRA withdrawal or a bonus is not a life-changing event on the form. The surcharge from that year usually ends on its own once the year drops out of the two-year lookback.
How do I send Form SSA-44?
Social Security accepts it online through a my Social Security account, by fax or mail to your local office, at an in-person appointment, or by phone. A decision can take several months, so keep copies of everything you send.
Do you store my Social Security number or income?
No. The free check runs in your browser. When you fill in the form, your answers are used to build your PDF and then discarded. The Social Security number is optional: by default the box is left blank for you to write in by hand.