Hi John, thanks for using our blog. In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Medicare when you’re first eligible, you may have to pay a higher monthly premium which is why we advise people to apply for Medicare benefits as soon as they are eligible. However, if you were covered under a group health plan based on your or your spouse’s current employment, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that will let you sign up for Medicare Part B. You have an 8-month SEP to sign up for Part A and/or Part B that starts at one of these times (whichever happens first):
• The month after the employment ends
• The month after group health plan insurance based on current employment ends.

Usually, you don’t pay a late enrollment penalty if you sign up during a SEP.

If you don’t qualify for an SEP, you will have to wait for the General Enrollment Period (GEP) to sign up. The GEP lasts from January 1 through March 31. Coverage would begin July 1. Most people who sign up for Part B during the GEP will have a 10 percent increase in monthly premiums for each 12-month period they did not enroll, but were eligible.

You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.

Hi, Yvonne. Thank you for your question and for reading our blog. IRMAA stands for Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It means that people with higher income will pay more for Medicare. For more information, check out our Medicare Premiums: Rules For Higher-Income Beneficiaries web page and our What You Can Do If You Think Your Medicare Income-Related Premium Is Incorrect fact sheet.

Hi Edie, thanks for using our blog. That question is related to the annual earnings limits. The amount you’re allowed to earn while receiving benefits depends on your age. If you attain full retirement age (66) in 2020, the earnings limit is $48,600 but we only count earnings before the month you reach full retirement age. Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn. If you’re under full retirement age for the entire year, then we deduct $1 from benefit payments for every $2 earned above the annual limit. For 2020, that limit is $18,240. Visit our Retirement Planner: Getting Benefits While Working and our Retirement Earnings Test Calculator.

The Benefits Planner: Retirement provides detailed information about Social Security retirement benefits.

Hi, William. If your aunt needs a benefit verification letter, she can view, print, and save her benefit verification letter by creating a personal my Social Security account online. She can also contact her local Social Security office for assistance. Thanks!