These 7 Income Moves Could Raise Your Medicare Premiums Two Years From Now

A financial move that increases taxable income in 2026 could affect Medicare premiums in 2028 because IRMAA generally uses tax information from two years earlier – Shutterstock

A profitable financial move in 2026 can produce an awkward little sequel in 2028: a higher Medicare bill.

That delay comes from Medicare’s Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, or IRMAA. Social Security generally uses tax information from two years earlier to determine whether someone with Medicare Part B and Part D owes an additional income-related charge. So income that looks completely harmless today can show up on a Medicare premium calculation later.