This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who works in HR and helps employees navigate retirement transitions, I see this confusion about earnings limits all the time. One additional resource that might be helpful - the SSA website has a really clear earnings test calculator and FAQ section that walks through all the different scenarios. It's at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking.html. They also have examples showing exactly how the earnings test works in the months before you reach FRA vs. after. I always tell people to bookmark that page because it gets updated annually with the new earnings limits for the pre-FRA period. But as everyone has correctly stated here, once you hit your FRA, those limits become irrelevant! @Elijah Knight - sounds like you have a great plan forming. The combination of Social Security income plus continued earnings from a promotion puts you in a really strong financial position for this phase of life. Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

again. very misleading."At FRA" and "After FRA" what is the difference? how long from at FRA to After FRA?

Since you're dealing with survivor benefits, just to clarify: when you go to My Social Security online, you should be logged in under YOUR account (as the representative payee), then navigate to the "Direct Deposit" section. There, you'll see separate entries for beneficiaries you manage. Make sure you're selecting the entry for your daughter's benefits when making the change. This way, there's no chance of affecting your own direct deposit information.

I'm glad to see you got the clarification you needed! Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience as a representative payee - after you make the change online, you should receive a confirmation notice from SSA within a few days. Keep that for your records, especially for your annual representative payee report. Also, the first deposit to the new account usually takes 1-2 payment cycles to process, so don't worry if it doesn't show up immediately in the new account. The system will catch up!

Thanks everyone for the helpful insights! Based on your feedback, it seems like I might see around a $60-90 monthly increase by working that extra year. I'm leaning toward doing it since I don't mind my job, and that additional amount will add up over time with COLAs. I also appreciate the explanation about the bend points - that helps me understand why the increase isn't proportional to the earnings difference. I'm going to try to speak with SSA directly to get an exact calculation for my situation.

One thing to consider is the tax implications too. If you're making $82K this year, you might be paying more in taxes on that income than you would on Social Security benefits (depending on your other retirement income). SS benefits are only partially taxable for most people, while your work income is fully taxable. So the net difference between working vs. collecting might be smaller than the gross numbers suggest. Just something to factor into your decision along with the benefit increase calculations everyone else mentioned.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ravi. Losing a family member is incredibly difficult, and having to worry about financial details during grief just adds to the burden. Everyone here has given you excellent advice - the October payment was indeed for September benefits since Social Security pays in arrears, so you're absolutely entitled to keep it since your mother-in-law was alive for all of September. I went through something similar when my grandmother passed, and the confusion around these rules is unfortunately very common. The key thing now is to contact SSA as soon as possible to report her death and prevent any future payments. If you're concerned about long wait times, that Claimyr service another member mentioned might be worth trying. Also, don't forget to ask about survivor benefits if there's a qualifying spouse or dependent - sometimes families miss out on benefits they're entitled to during these stressful times. Take care of yourself and your family during this difficult period.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ravi. This is such a difficult time and having to navigate these bureaucratic details while grieving is truly overwhelming. I want to echo what others have said - you absolutely can keep that October payment since it was for September benefits, and your mother-in-law was alive for the entire month of September. Social Security's payment-in-arrears system is confusing to many people, so don't feel bad about the initial confusion. When you contact SSA, I'd suggest calling first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) when wait times tend to be shorter, or use that Claimyr service others mentioned. Also, if your mother-in-law was married, make sure to ask about potential survivor benefits for her spouse - these can provide ongoing monthly payments. Document everything, keep copies of all correspondence, and don't hesitate to call back if you get conflicting information from different agents. You're doing everything right by asking these questions and getting proper guidance. Sending you and your family strength during this heartbreaking time.

Did you know if you die in the first 15 days of the month, your spouse doesn't get your benefit for that month AT ALL? But if you die on the 16th or later, they get to keep your payment for that month. makes NO sense!!! the whole system needs to be simplified!! too many ridiculous rules!!

Just wanted to add some clarity on the timing aspect that others mentioned. When applying for survivor benefits, there's typically a 5-month waiting period from the date of death before benefits begin, unless the surviving spouse is already receiving benefits on their own record. In your wife's case, since she'd already be receiving her own retirement benefit, she could switch to the higher survivor benefit immediately after your death (assuming she's past FRA). Also, make sure to keep good records of your benefit statements - it helps speed up the application process when the time comes. The SSA should have everything on file, but having your own documentation never hurts.