Retired USPS Manager Faces $1,150 Medicare Surcharge as Income Tops $109,000 IRMAA Threshold
Updated
Updated · 24/7 Wall St. · Jun 7
Retired USPS Manager Faces $1,150 Medicare Surcharge as Income Tops $109,000 IRMAA Threshold
1 articles · Updated · 24/7 Wall St. · Jun 7
Summary
$1,150 in annual Medicare costs hit a 68-year-old retired USPS manager after his income rose into the second 2026 IRMAA tier for single filers.
A $52,000 CSRS pension, $40,000 in TSP withdrawals and roughly $18,000-$22,000 in restored Social Security benefits pushed modified adjusted gross income into the $109,000-$137,000 band.
That tier lifts the standard Part B premium to $284.10 a month from $202.90 and adds a $14.50 monthly Part D surcharge, with the full charge applying once income crosses the line.
The report says retirees can limit the hit by trimming TSP withdrawals to stay $3,000-$5,000 below a threshold or, after age 70.5, rolling TSP assets to an IRA to use qualified charitable distributions.
The case underscores a broader risk for federal retirees: Social Security gains after the Fairness Act can raise Medicare bills when fully taxable CSRS income and withdrawals also inflate MAGI.