How Does Your Credit Score Stack Up?

Stepping Into Assessing Your Finances | How to Appeal the IRMAA for Medicare Parts B and D | How Good Is Your Credit Score? Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( December 14, 2023 CONNECT WITH KIPLINGER  [LinkedIn]( [Facebook]( [X]( [Instagram ]( [Youtube]( [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE]( [] INTRODUCTION [] - [Stepping Into Assessing Your Finances]( Over 65 million Americans get their healthcare through Medicare. About 7% of beneficiaries are assessed a surcharge in addition to the base premium, based on your income from two years ago. However, that could be unfair if your life has drastically changed. Kiplinger senior personal finance editor Sandra Block and I bring you the ins and outs of appealing the [IRMAA surcharge](. Good luck. You could face other surcharges every day if your credit is poor, in the form of higher interest rates and lost opportunities. Personal finance editor Ellen Kennedy has everything you should know about [good credit]( and how your score compares to others. Good credit comes in handy when you shop for big ticket items like cars. Contributor Jamie Feldman has [good news about new rules]( governing the sale of cars that should make the process more transparent and less costly. - Donna LeValley, personal finance writer [Hedonova outperforming S&P 500 by +200%]( Hedonova makes investing in diverse alternatives simple. Since late 2019, it outperformed the S&P 500 by over 200%. Recognized at the 2023 Hedgeweek European Awards, this SEC-regulated fund won the best multi-strategy hedge fund award. [Start investing with $5K]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] TOP STORY [] [How to Appeal the IRMAA for Medicare Parts B and D]( [How to Appeal the IRMAA for Medicare Parts B and D]( (Getty Images) If you were assessed the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA), you have recourse. The IRMAA is based on the income you earned two years ago, and you can appeal that assessment if you experienced a life-changing event. You can even get a rebate for amounts you paid as your appeal is processed. [K]([eep reading to find out if your changed circumstances are a strong basis for an appeal and what to do if you fail to get your IRMAA lowered](. [] CREDIT SCORE [] [How Good Is Your Credit Score?]( [How Good Is Your Credit Score?]( (Getty Images) Do you know your credit score? There are plenty of ways to get that information for free. Knowing your score allows you to take steps to repair your credit if it isn’t up to snuff. Having good credit will pay you dividends yearly in lower lending and interest costs. But your credit score can impact so much more. [Read to see how good your score actually is](. [Top 5 Wealth Management Firms Revealed]( Asset growth and preservation are two sides of the same coin. Working with a top wealth management firm can provide access to strategies for all of life's different stages. Here's the 2023 list of top U.S. firms for individual investors. 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[Take the first step with Vanguard today]( Paid non-client promotion [LEARN MORE]( ADVERTISEMENT [] ALSO ON KIPLINGER [] - Kiplinger housing outlook: House [prices hit a new record in September]( - Rising prices: [Which goods and services are driving inflation](? - What the Fed's [latest move may mean for savings accounts]( - Wealth [disparity gap widened]( in post-pandemic U.S. ABOUT KIPLINGER When we write about money, we get it right. So the decisions you make with your dollars are also right. Kiplinger is a trusted provider of unbiased financial advice, objective business and economic forecasts, and practical help to millions of business professionals, investors, and individuals seeking to make more profitable decisions with their money. Our [flagship publications]( include [Kiplinger Personal Finance]( magazine, [The Kiplinger Letter]( [The Kiplinger Tax Letter]( [Kiplinger Retirement Report]( and [Kiplinger Investing for Income.]( All are regarded as the leading publications in their respective fields. Every day, millions of readers rely on our [free e-newsletters]( for help on everything from getting the best rate on a mortgage or car loan, to managing their businesses in an uncertain world, avoiding an IRS audit, building wealth for a secure retirement, or investing wisely in any kind of market. Now it’s your turn to reap all the rewards Kiplinger has to offer. Visit [Kiplinger.com](, your gateway to all of the above and much more. Check in any time for our latest advice on how to make more money, and keep more of the money you make. Stay right on the money, with Kiplinger. 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