Can I suspend my Social Security benefits at 62 if I get a high-paying job later?

u can't "pause" but u CAN withdraw application within 12 months of starting benefits. Have to pay back ALL money received tho! After that or after 12 months u can suspend at FRA til 70. look up "Social Security withdrawal" vs "suspension"

A couple important points to consider here: 1. If you're under Full Retirement Age and earning significant income, you'll be subject to the earnings test. For 2025, if you earn over $22,320, SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 above that limit. With a $125K salary, your benefits would likely be completely withheld anyway. 2. As mentioned, you have two options: - Within 12 months of starting: File Form SSA-521 to withdraw your application, repay all benefits, and it's like you never filed. - At Full Retirement Age: You can suspend benefits until age 70 to earn delayed retirement credits. What many people don't realize is that if your benefits are withheld due to the earnings test, SSA recalculates your benefit at FRA to give credit for those months of withholding. So you don't permanently lose that money.

why would u even bother filing at 62 if u might work??? seriously just wait! my cousin did this exact thing & it was a NIGHTMARE dealing with SSA when she tried to stop her benefits. took like 4 months to process & they overpaid her & now she owes them $$$...

The previous responses are correct, but I'd like to add something important about the earnings test. While your benefits would likely be completely withheld with that salary, that's not necessarily bad long-term. When you reach Full Retirement Age, SSA will recalculate your benefit amount and give you credit for the months when benefits were withheld due to work. This means your benefit amount actually increases at FRA to account for those months you didn't receive benefits. Many financial advisors don't fully understand this aspect. It's not widely publicized, but it's an important consideration when deciding whether to file early while still possibly working.

There's one more thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned yet. If you withdraw your application within the first 12 months, you'll be able to reapply later as if you never filed. This means you could potentially get a higher benefit amount when you reapply at a later age. However, if you let the earnings test simply withhold your benefits, those withheld benefits are effectively lost (though as mentioned, your benefit amount is adjusted at FRA). So if you KNOW you'll be making $125K starting within that first year, withdrawing your application might be financially advantageous compared to letting the earnings test withhold your payments. This is definitely a case where running the numbers with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security optimization would be valuable.

My neighbor said something about a 9 month waiting period to refile? Is that true or is she just confused again??

Since you're considering starting benefits at 62 and then potentially getting a high-paying job, let me offer a different perspective that might be useful for your specific situation: If there's a high probability you'll get this job, consider whether it makes sense to simply delay filing until either: 1. You know for certain about the job opportunity, OR 2. You reach your Full Retirement Age of 67 By delaying, you avoid the complexity of withdrawing your application and repaying benefits. Each year you delay filing between 62 and FRA increases your benefit by approximately 7-8%. And each year from FRA to 70 increases it by 8%. Your specific situation highlights why these filing decisions are so personal and depend on individual circumstances, job prospects, health, and financial needs.

I tried calling SSA like 5 times last month about a similar situation and NEVER got through!!! Just endless holds and disconnects 😡 Has anyone actually reached a real person recently?