I'm new here but this is such helpful information! I'm turning 62 next month and was considering taking early retirement benefits while continuing to work part-time. Reading through all these responses really clarifies that my Social Security payments won't count against the earnings limit - only my work income will. I had been worried I'd have to choose between working and getting benefits, but now I see I can do both as long as I stay under the $22,300 gross earnings limit. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

Great question and congratulations on getting approved! Just to reinforce what others have said - your Social Security benefits absolutely do NOT count toward the $22,300 earnings limit. Only earned income from employment counts (wages, self-employment income, etc.). One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much is to keep good records of your earnings throughout the year. I recommend setting up a simple spreadsheet or even just writing down your gross pay from each paycheck so you can track where you stand relative to that $22,300 limit. It's easy to lose track, especially if your hours vary from week to week in part-time work. Also, remember that the limit is based on the calendar year, not when you start receiving benefits. So even though you're starting benefits in November, the $22,300 limit applies to your total earnings for all of 2025. Best of luck with your part-time work and enjoy those Social Security checks!

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with my husband from the UK. One thing I learned that might help - Spain has a really helpful online portal called "Tu Seguridad Social" where your wife can check her contribution history and get estimates of her Spanish pension benefits. This helped us understand what my husband would receive from the UK before we started making decisions about timing. Also, since she's 63 now, she should know that Spain allows early retirement starting at age 63 (with reductions), so she has that flexibility if needed. The key thing we discovered is that taking foreign benefits early doesn't affect your ability to delay US Social Security until age 70 for delayed retirement credits. One more tip - when you do contact the Spanish consulate, ask specifically about the "convenio bilateral" (bilateral agreement) with the US. That's the Spanish term for the totalization agreement and they'll immediately know what you're dealing with.

I'm in a very similar situation with my parents who moved from Mexico! One thing that really helped us was getting copies of all her Spanish work records before starting any applications. The Spanish system (like Mexico's IMSS) keeps detailed records, but it's much easier to get them while you're actively planning rather than in the middle of an application process. Also, don't overlook that your wife might be eligible for spousal benefits on your US Social Security record if that ends up being higher than her own US benefit calculation. Since she'll likely only have 3-4 years of US credits, her individual US benefit might be quite small, but spousal benefits could be more substantial. One more thing - if you haven't already, check if Spain has any "voluntary contributions" program that might allow her to buy additional credits if it makes sense financially. Some countries allow this for people living abroad, though the math doesn't always work out favorably. The international benefits maze is so confusing, but it sounds like you're asking all the right questions!

another thing to think about is that once u hit full retirement age none of this matters anymore! at 67 u can earn as much as u want with no penalties. so maybe just wait til then if u can?? that's what my neighbor did with his business

Just wanted to add something that might help with your record-keeping - I use a simple phone app to track my hours in real-time while I'm working. Takes literally 2 seconds to start/stop the timer each day, and at the end of the month I have exact hours worked without having to guess or reconstruct from memory. For income tracking, I also recommend setting up a separate business checking account if you don't already have one. Makes it super easy to track monthly income and expenses when tax time comes around, and SSA loves clean records if they ever audit your monthly earnings. One more tip - consider getting your earnings estimate from SSA.gov before you start collecting. That way you'll know exactly what your monthly benefit will be, which helps with budgeting around the earnings limits. Good luck with your lawn care business!

I appreciate all this information. I think I need to speak directly with SSA to get calculations specific to my situation, and also explore more caregiving options for Mom. The permanent reduction in benefits is making me reconsider if there might be better alternatives.

Have you considered looking into your state's Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) options or any state-specific caregiver support programs? Some states offer paid family leave that could give you time to care for your mom without permanently reducing your work hours. Also, you might want to explore whether your mom could do a "spend down" of her assets to qualify for Medicaid sooner - there are legal ways to restructure assets for Medicaid eligibility that a elder law attorney could help with. This could open up home care services without you having to take the permanent SS reduction. The math everyone's shared here really shows how costly that early retirement penalty can be over your lifetime!

Remember, whatever you decide, document EVERYTHING. Keep records of all your communications with SSA, any calculations you do, and the reasoning behind your decisions. It'll save you a headache if you ever get audited or have to appeal anything.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I actually did a partial Roth conversion while on SSDI about two years ago. I worked with a CPA who specializes in disability benefits, and we did it in smaller chunks over three years to keep the taxable income manageable each year. The key thing that helped me was calculating exactly how much I could convert each year while staying well under the SGA limit and avoiding the income thresholds that would make my SSDI taxable. It's definitely doable, but you really want to run the numbers carefully first. The peace of mind from having professional guidance was worth every penny!