Social Security Administration

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GalacticGladiator

Social Security earnings limit confusion - can I earn unlimited after FRA?

I'm having a disagreement with a friend about Social Security earnings limits and need to know who's right. I told my friend that once you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you can earn as much as you want without any reduction in Social Security benefits. But they're insisting that there's still an earnings limit between FRA and age 70. I'm pretty sure they're confusing this with the earnings limit that applies between age 62 and FRA, when your benefits can definitely be reduced if you earn too much. Can someone clarify this once and for all? I don't want to give my friend bad information, but I'm almost certain there's NO earnings limit after you reach your FRA.

Since others have already clarified the earnings limit question, I'll add one more thing that might help explain your friend's confusion. There are THREE different age-related concepts with Social Security that people often mix up: 1. Earnings Limit: Applies ONLY before FRA, completely goes away at FRA 2. Delayed Retirement Credits: These accumulate between FRA and age 70 (8% per year) 3. Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): Start at age 73 for retirement accounts (not related to SS but another age 70-ish rule) I've found that people often blend these different concepts together, which creates confusion.

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That's an excellent breakdown. I would add a 4th item that causes confusion: Medicare enrollment at age 65, which is separate from SS but often gets mixed into these discussions as well.

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my brother kept working til 69 making big $$ and got full SS the whole time so your def right

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Thanks for sharing that real-world example! It's really helpful to hear about actual experiences.

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Isabella Silva

Social Security Disability for congestive heart failure, diabetes & back issues - brother losing employer insurance soon

My brother (57) just discovered he's been having 'silent' heart attacks and is now in congestive heart failure with an ejection fraction of only 32%. He also has Type 2 diabetes and severe back problems that have kept him out of work since December. He was scheduled for back fusion surgery next week (2 discs + rod), but that might get postponed due to his newly discovered heart condition. His situation is getting desperate. He's currently receiving just $1,075/month from his employer's private disability insurance, which isn't nearly enough. He had to move in with our elderly mother (77) because he has no assets or home of his own. His FMLA protection ends next month, meaning he could lose both his health insurance and the disability payments if he can't return to work (which seems impossible given his conditions). I'm trying to help him navigate this nightmare. Would his combination of congestive heart failure, diabetes, and severe back issues qualify him for SSDI? Should we immediately get a disability attorney to handle his case? And realistically, how long might it take for him to get approved? We're extremely worried about the gap between his FMLA ending and potentially getting SSDI/Medicare.

when my wife got disability for her back and diabetes she had to get statements from EVERY doctor and they all had to agree she couldnt work. make sure all his doctors are on the same page!!! also SSI and SSDI are different things. SSDI is based on his work credits and SSI is for people with no assets. he might qualify for both until SSDI kicks in since hes living with your mom and has no assets

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Thanks for pointing out the difference between SSI and SSDI. I think he would qualify for SSDI based on his work history (he's been working continuously for over 30 years), but it's good to know about SSI as a potential option during the waiting period.

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You mentioned your brother's FMLA ends in March. He should immediately have a conversation with his HR department about accommodations under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) which might provide additional job protection beyond FMLA. Regarding getting representation: while you can start the application process yourself online at ssa.gov, having a disability attorney from the beginning often results in stronger initial applications. Most disability lawyers offer free consultations. Look for attorneys who specialize specifically in Social Security disability (not just general personal injury), preferably ones who are members of NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives).

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The ADA suggestion is excellent - I hadn't thought of that as a possible extension beyond FMLA. I'll have him talk to HR this week. And thank you for the tip about NOSSCR members - that gives us a good way to find a qualified attorney. This community has been incredibly helpful!

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Anna Stewart

Social Security earnings limit question - Do marketplace sales and plasma donations count toward the $1860 monthly limit?

My husband started collecting Social Security retirement early at 62, and our kids also get benefits on his record. We know he's allowed to earn up to $1860/month from employment before losing benefits for that month (the 2025 earnings limit). But I'm confused about what exactly counts as 'earnings' for this limit. He has two side activities that I'm not sure about: 1. He repairs broken stuff we get cheap/free (bikes, lawn equipment, kids' Power Wheels, etc.) and sells them on Facebook Marketplace or sometimes Mercari/eBay. Some months he might make $300-400 doing this. 2. He donates plasma twice weekly and gets about $500/month for this. Do either of these count toward his $1860 monthly earnings limit? We're being really careful about staying under the limit since if he goes over, both he AND the kids lose their benefits for that month. Anyone know how SSA views these types of income? Thanks for any help!

One thing nobody's mentioned - if your husband goes over the earnings limit in a month, ONLY THAT MONTH'S benefits are affected. It's not like you lose everything forever! And once he reaches full retirement age (66+), the earnings limit goes away completely and he can earn as much as he wants with no penalty. So even if you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world.

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That's really good to know! I was envisioning worst-case scenarios where we'd have to pay back everything. It's still scary since we rely on those payments, but at least it would be limited to just the months he went over. And you're right - only 4 more years until he doesn't have to worry about this at all!

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wait plasma donations are worth $500 a month???? maybe i should start doing that lol

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yeah but its not easy money... my cousin does it and says it takes like 2 hrs each time and u feel pretty wiped out after. plus they dont pay as much if u dont weigh enough or if your protein levels drop.

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Nia Thompson

When to apply for Social Security in Southern California - timing for October 2025 retirement?

I'm trying to figure out the best timing to submit my Social Security retirement application. I want to start receiving benefits beginning October 1, 2025 (which means first payment would arrive November 1st from what I understand). I live in Southern California and I've heard the processing times can vary by location. How many months ahead should I submit my application? Is there any advantage to applying earlier rather than later? I'm worried about waiting too long and having a gap in income, but also don't want to start the process too early and cause confusion. Any advice from folks who've gone through this recently in SoCal would be really appreciated!

i heard socal offices are super backed up right now because of all the boomers retiring. my dad had to wait 5 months for his application to process last year but that was for ssdi not retirement

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SSDI (disability) and retirement benefits are processed completely differently. SSDI claims take much longer because they require medical reviews and determinations. Straightforward retirement claims are usually processed within 2-6 weeks. The backlog issues are primarily affecting disability claims, not retirement.

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Thank you everyone for all this helpful advice! Based on what I'm hearing, I'll plan to submit my application in June 2025 for my October start date (4 months ahead). I'll make sure I have all my documents ready and will do the application online. And I appreciate the tip about possibly starting in September instead of October - that makes a lot of sense. If I run into any issues with reaching a representative, I'll check out that Claimyr service. This has been incredibly helpful!

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Chloe Anderson

Will I get Social Security survivor benefits at 70 after WEP/GPO reduced them to $0 years ago?

I'm turning 70 next month and trying to figure out if I qualify for survivor benefits now. My situation: My husband passed away in 2015 from cancer at age 59. He had applied for SSDI when he got diagnosed but died before any payments started. I was 59 at the time and working as a county employee under a pension system (not covered by Social Security). When I initially applied for survivor benefits back then, I got that dreaded GPO reduction letter saying my pension completely offset any survivor benefits, so I'd receive $0. Now I'm retiring from my job and wondering if I'm eligible to receive survivor benefits at 70? Would they calculate based on what his benefit would have been in 2015 when he filed for SSDI? Or would they recalculate based on what he would have received at his FRA? And does the Government Pension Offset still apply the same way now that I'm turning 70? The SSA website is so confusing on this topic!

u should definitely reapply anyway. my aunt got denied three times for disability but kept trying and finally got approved. sometimes u just get a different person reviewing ur case.

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While persistence can help with disability claims that involve subjective evaluation, GPO calculations are unfortunately very straightforward math. If 2/3 of the pension exceeds the survivor benefit amount, the result will be $0. That said, it never hurts to verify the calculation is correct, especially with COLA adjustments over time.

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Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. I'm going to make an appointment with my local Social Security office to review my specific situation. I'll also try that Claimyr service to speak with someone by phone before my appointment so I'm better prepared. It sounds like I might still get $0 due to GPO, but at least I'll know for sure and can check if they're calculating everything correctly. I'll update this thread after I speak with them in case it helps others in my situation!

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