One more thing to consider - if 2025 is your first year receiving benefits, you can use the monthly earnings test rather than the annual one. This special rule is designed for mid-year retirees. So you could start your benefits in November (when you stop working), and SS would only look at your monthly earnings from November and December, not your total 2025 earnings. This is what I did and it worked out perfectly - I got my full benefit amount for the months after I stopped working, even though I'd earned well over the annual limit already.

Did anyone mention that all this is TEMPORARY??? Once you hit full retirement age (66+), the earnings test GOES AWAY COMPLETELY. You can earn a million dollars and still get your full SS. The whole earnings limit thing only applies if you claim before your FRA.

Quick question to piggyback on this thread - does this same rule apply if you're collecting SSDI and you reach full retirement age? I've been on disability for 12 years but just hit my FRA last month and wondering if I should try working part-time now?

dont forget about taxes tho!! if your working full time AND getting SS your probably going to have 85% of your benefits taxed so factor that in

My friend heard this too and panicked for nothing!! The whole system is BROKEN but at least they haven't messed with the FRA earnings rule YET. But watch out - they're always looking for ways to take away our benefits that WE PAID FOR all these years!!!! The real issue isn't people working after retirement - it's the government STEALING from the trust fund for decades!!!!

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! You've really put my mind at ease. I'll go ahead with my plans to start that new job next month when I hit 67. I appreciate all the clarification about the difference between benefit reductions (which won't happen) and potential tax implications (which I'm preparing for). And thanks for confirming this isn't changing anytime soon!

I'd like to address a few misconceptions in this thread: 1) Social Security benefits are calculated based on your 35 highest-earning years, indexed for inflation. It's not just the raw dollar amounts, but how those earnings compared to national averages in each year. 2) As a self-employed person, your net earnings from self-employment (not gross income) are what count toward Social Security. This is your business income minus business expenses, multiplied by 92.35%. 3) Regarding the earnings limit: For 2024, if you're under Full Retirement Age for the whole year, the limit is $22,320 (not $23,720 as mentioned above). In the year you reach FRA, the limit jumps to $59,520 for months before reaching FRA. These will increase for 2025. 4) There is a complex calculation called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) that can reduce benefits if you receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security, but this likely doesn't apply to your situation. I recommend creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see your earnings history and benefit estimates based on your actual record.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I've learned so much: - It's 35 highest years, not 6 (big relief!) - I need to pay 15.3% self-employment tax and should make quarterly payments - At my FRA (67), there's no earnings limit - I might want to look into waiting until 70 to maximize benefits - I should open a Solo 401(k) or SEP IRA to reduce my overall tax burden I've created my SSA.gov account and am shocked to see my earnings record going back to my first job! I think I'll try that Claimyr service to ask specific questions about my situation. And definitely hiring an accountant before my first quarterly tax payment is due. Thanks again everyone - this has been incredibly helpful for a newbie like me!

I HATE these complicated SS rules!!! Ive been trying to figure out my best option for months and every time I think I understand, I learn something new that changes everything. Why cant they make this SIMPLE????? I thought I was being smart by working while collecting but now im not sure!!!!!

To summarize what everyone's discussing: 1. The 8% per year delayed retirement credits (DRCs) almost always outweigh the small benefit increase from replacing lower earning years 2. Each additional high-earning year only replaces 1/35th of your calculation, so the impact is much smaller than the guaranteed 8% increase 3. If you claim at FRA while working, more of your SS benefits may be taxable 4. Survivor benefits for your spouse are increased by delaying The math usually favors waiting until 70 if you don't need the money immediately and have average or better life expectancy. The breakeven point is typically around age 82-83.

My sister works as a caregiver for her daughter and she had some kind of special exemption for that income. You should ask about that when you call! I dont remember exactly what it was but there was something special about caregiver income.

just wanted to say my mom was in almost the same situation. she started benefits at 63 and was working part time. they did take some money back but it wasnt as bad as she thought it would be. and now that shes past fra she gets all her money AND can work as much as she wants. so theres a light at the end of the tunnel!

My sister stared working at Walmart after she got her SS at 68 and had to pay back $2600!!! They never tell you that you will owe taxes. She had to set up a payment plan with the IRS.

Thank you all for these incredibly helpful responses! I'm definitely going to: 1) Talk to a CPA about my specific situation, 2) Consider increasing my workplace withholding once I start benefits, 3) Set up withholding directly from my SS payments, and 4) Look into quarterly payments as a safety net. I'm so glad I asked this question before I actually started benefits. Sounds like planning ahead is crucial to avoid tax surprises!

Regarding your SSDI payment estimate question - you can create an account at ssa.gov and view your Social Security Statement. It will show your estimated disability benefit based on your work history. Generally, SSDI averages around 40% of your pre-disability income, though there are minimum and maximum benefit amounts. I also want to address the insurance concern raised by another commenter. If you reduce hours at your current job enough to get below SGA but maintain eligibility for employer health insurance, that could be ideal during the application process. Another option is to look into whether your state has a Medicaid buy-in program for workers with disabilities - these programs have higher income and resource limits than regular Medicaid. Your medical conditions sound severe enough to potentially qualify for Compassionate Allowance or other expedited processing, especially with the combination of spinal issues requiring multiple surgeries, documented TMJ affecting basic functions, and GERD with Barrett's (which has cancer risk implications).

Since we're talking about strategies, here's a thorough approach based on your situation: 1) Speak with your doctor about potentially reducing your hours for medical reasons (documented medical necessity) 2) Check with your HR department about: - Whether reduced hours would maintain your health insurance - If you qualify for short-term or long-term disability through your employer - Whether FMLA might apply to give you protected time for surgeries/recovery 3) Create your my Social Security account to verify your SSDI estimate 4) Consult with a disability attorney about timing your application 5) Ensure all your medical records explicitly document: - Functional limitations (how long you can sit, stand, walk) - Failed treatments you've already tried - Pain levels and frequency - How symptoms affect your ability to work Many people make the mistake of applying too early without sufficient medical documentation or too late after struggling unnecessarily. Finding the right timing is key.

I see some confusion in this thread about how SSA processes claims. When you apply for any benefit, they should automatically calculate all benefits you're eligible for and pay you the highest amount. However, they don't always have all your information correctly input in their system, so it's always good to explicitly mention that you're applying for both retirement and spousal benefits (if eligible). And yes, after FRA there's no earnings test, so work away!

Waiting until my FRA was definitely right for me because I was still earning good money and didn't want the penalty. Plus my husband's benefit was significantly higher than mine would have been so the spousal benefit was worth waiting for. Everyone's situation is different though!

I spent HOURS trying to reach Social Security to ask this same question last year. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a rep in under 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent I spoke with confirmed that yes, all earnings in the calendar year count, even after you start receiving benefits. Saved me so much frustration compared to trying to call directly.

To add a bit more detail to what others have said: When you work while receiving Social Security benefits at or after your FRA, there's a process called Automatic Earnings Reappraisal Operation (AERO). Once a year, usually around October, SSA reviews records of all Social Security recipients who worked and paid FICA taxes in the previous year. If these earnings improve your benefit calculation by replacing a lower-earning year in your top 35, they'll automatically increase your monthly benefit and pay retroactive benefits from January of that year. So yes, your July-December 2025 earnings will definitely be included when they do this calculation in late 2026.