Can I suspend early Social Security benefits when returning to work and get higher payments later?

Yes! What you're looking for is called 'voluntary suspension' of benefits. Since you've already reached your FRA (Full Retirement Age), you can ask SSA to suspend your payments. While suspended, you'll earn delayed retirement credits which will increase your benefit amount when you restart. This is actually a pretty smart strategy if you don't need the SS income right now. I did something similar last year - suspended for about 18 months while consulting, and my benefit went up by around 12% when I restarted. Just call SSA directly and tell them you want to suspend your benefits. One thing to keep in mind though - if you have Medicare, you'll need to pay those premiums directly instead of having them deducted from your SS payment.

The previous commenter is incorrect. At 62, you CANNOT voluntarily suspend benefits - that option is only available once you reach Full Retirement Age (probably 67 for you). What happens instead is if you earn enough, your benefits will be automatically withheld due to the earnings limit. In 2025, if you earn above $24,500 (approximately), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. The good news is that when you reach FRA, SSA will recalculate your benefit amount to give you credit for the months your benefits were withheld due to work. So yes, you'll get a bump up, but it happens automatically - not through voluntary suspension.

I went thru this EXACT situation!! Started SS at 63, then got job offer I couldn't pass up. Honestly the whole earnings limit thing is a DISASTER. They kept paying me for 5 months, then suddenly wanted ALL THE MONEY BACK because I never reported my earnings!! Ended up with a $13,000 overpayment notice and had to set up a payment plan!!!! CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY and report your estimated earnings for the year!!! The earnings test is a NIGHTMARE and SSA does NOT make it easy!!!!

You definitely need to contact Social Security right away to report your estimated earnings. The earnings limit for 2025 means most of your benefits will be withheld, and you don't want an overpayment situation. One thing nobody's mentioned - while you can't voluntarily suspend before FRA, you actually do have the option to withdraw your application within the first 12 months of receiving benefits. This is Form SSA-521. You'd have to repay all benefits received, but then it's like you never filed, and you could reapply later at a higher rate. Since you've only been receiving for 8 months, this is still an option for you. Worth considering if you plan to work several more years at a good salary.

Been trying to call the SS office for 2 weeks about a similar issue - early retirement + new job. Impossible to get through. Busy signals or disconnected after long wait. Tried again today and waited 2+ hours before my call dropped.

my mom did this... retired at 62, went back to work at 64, and had her benefits stop because of earnings limit... when she fully retired at 67, her benefit went up by like $340/month! but she said managing the reporting was a huge hassle, so definitely stay on top of that part

Oh no! I mixed up the rules - I was thinking about post-FRA suspension. Sorry for the confusion! The other posters are correct - before FRA you're subject to the earnings test, not voluntary suspension. One important thing - if some of your benefits are withheld due to working, SSA will actually increase your benefit amount when you reach FRA to account for those months you didn't receive benefits. So in that sense, you do get a "bump up" eventually.

To figure out which option makes more sense financially: 1. For the earnings test route: SSA will adjust your reduction factor at FRA to account for months benefits were withheld, which typically results in a 5-8% increase from your current reduced benefit. 2. For withdrawal: You'd restart with a fresh calculation at your new claiming age. The difference between 62 and 66 is about 25% in monthly benefits. 3. Consider how long you'll live. The breakeven point is usually around 10-12 years after your FRA. The SSA has calculators on their website, or you could speak with a benefits specialist who can run personalized numbers for your situation.

One more thing to consider - if you withdraw your application and reapply later, be aware of Medicare enrollment periods. If you'll be 65 soon, you typically need to sign up during your Initial Enrollment Period to avoid late penalties, even if you're not taking Social Security yet. This is a separate consideration from your benefit amount.