Can I exceed Social Security survivor benefits monthly earnings limit if I stay under annual limit?
I've been on survivor benefits since my husband passed in 2020 (I'm now 65). My FRA is 66 years and 7 months according to my SSA account. I recently started a part-time job at my grandson's daycare center, but I'm confused about the earnings limit rules. Here's my question - I normally work about 15 hours a week, but this month they were short-staffed and I worked extra shifts which pushed my monthly income to $2300. I thought the monthly limit was around $1800?? But someone told me that SSA looks at the yearly total, not month-by-month. So can I earn more in some months as long as I stay under the annual limit overall? Or will I lose benefits for this month because I went over? I really need to keep my survivor benefits until I reach FRA, but I also enjoy working and the extra income helps with inflation. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Emma Davis
Yes, SSA uses an annual earnings test for survivor benefits when you're under FRA, not a monthly one in most cases. For 2025, if you're under full retirement age for the entire year, you can earn up to $22,680 without affecting your benefits (they increase these limits every year). So if you earn more in some months but stay under that yearly total, you're fine. The only exception is your first year of retirement - which doesn't apply to you since you've been receiving benefits for 5 years already. In that first year, they do use a monthly test. Remember to report your estimated earnings to SSA at the beginning of each year, and report any changes if your income will be significantly different than what you initially reported.
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Javier Torres
•Thank you so much! That's a huge relief. So even though I made $2300 this month (which seems over the monthly limit), as long as my total for the year stays under $22,680, I won't lose any benefits? I've been so anxious about this.
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Malik Johnson
•This isn't completely right! My sister just had her benefits reduced because she went over the monthly amount in March even though she was under for the year!!! The SSA is VERY STRICT about these limits and they DO check month by month. You need to call them ASAP to report the overage or they'll make you pay it all back later with penalties!
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Isabella Ferreira
•The previous response about annual limits is actually correct. SSA applies an annual earnings test for survivor benefits if you've been receiving benefits for more than a year. The monthly earnings test only applies during the first year of entitlement or in the year you reach FRA. From the SSA website: "In years after the first year, we figure the benefit amount based on your annual earnings and the number of months during the year that you are entitled to benefits." So if your total earnings for 2025 stay under $22,680, your benefits won't be affected, even if some months are higher than others.
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Ravi Sharma
I work part time too while getting survivors and its such a pain to track! Just make sure u report everything or they'll hit you with overpayment later
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Javier Torres
•Do you report your earnings monthly or just at the end of the year? I've been trying to stay under a monthly amount but it sounds like maybe I don't need to be so strict about it month-to-month?
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Ravi Sharma
•I report my estimated earnings at start of year then actual earnings when I file taxes. Some months i work more shifts, some less, no issues so far
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NebulaNomad
Glad someone explained the annual vs monthly limit thing. I was so confused about this too! And yes, the limit for 2025 is $22,680 if you're under FRA for the whole year.
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Freya Thomsen
•I thought it was good to know too! But watch out because there's a different rule for the year you reach FRA. If you turn FRA in 2025, the limit is higher ($60,120) and they only count earnings BEFORE the month you reach FRA. After that month, no limit at all. I went through this whole nightmare last year when I reached FRA. Kept getting different answers from different SSA reps when I called. Literally spent 6-7 hours on hold over several days. Eventually got through to someone who actually knew what they were talking about. If anybody needs to talk to a real person at SSA without the hold time, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to an agent. They have a demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU that shows how it works. Totally worth it for resolving complex questions like earnings limits.
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Javier Torres
•Thank you for that information about the year of FRA! I'll be reaching FRA next year, so that's helpful to know the rules will change. And I appreciate the tip about Claimyr - I might need that if I have more questions. The hold times when calling SSA are just ridiculous.
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Omar Fawaz
My situation is similar to yours. I've been on survivor benefits for 3 years (I'm 64) and I started working part-time at my church. I talked to a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security issues, and he confirmed that SSA uses the ANNUAL limit for ongoing benefits, not monthly. So you should be totally fine as long as you stay under $22,680 for the year. But do yourself a favor and keep careful records of all your earnings in case there's ever a question. I keep a spreadsheet with my monthly earnings and a running total for the year to make sure I don't accidentally go over.
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Malik Johnson
•Not trying to argue but it's CRAZY how many different answers people get from SSA!!! When my neighbor went through this they definitely used MONTHLY limits and she lost benefits for going over in just ONE month!!! Maybe the rules changed or maybe the SSA staff don't even know their own rules???
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Emma Davis
•The confusion is understandable. The monthly earnings test only applies in the first year you claim benefits or in the year you reach FRA. For all other years, it's an annual limit. Your neighbor may have been in one of those special situations, or there may have been a misunderstanding. The rules haven't changed in this regard for many years. Also worth noting - if you do exceed the annual limit, SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit.
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Javier Torres
I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses! I feel much better knowing I can manage my annual earnings rather than worrying about each individual month. I'll definitely keep track of my total earnings to make sure I stay under the $22,680 limit for the year. I'm going to call SSA just to confirm this information for my specific situation, but at least now I have a much better understanding of how the earnings test works. This community has been so helpful!
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NebulaNomad
•Glad you got the answers you needed! This stuff is so confusing sometimes.
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Isabella Ferreira
•That's a good plan to call SSA for confirmation. Just remember that when you call, you might need to politely ask for a supervisor if the first representative seems unsure about the annual vs. monthly earnings test. Unfortunately, not all SSA staff are equally knowledgeable about every rule. Good luck!
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