Can I temporarily suspend Social Security benefits when exceeding earnings limit with new job?

Yes, you can definitely voluntarily suspend your Social Security retirement benefits and then restart them later. This is different from withdrawing your application, which can only be done within the first 12 months after filing. Since you've been receiving benefits since 2022, suspension is your option. To suspend benefits, you need to contact Social Security directly - either call the main number (though prepare for a long wait) or visit your local office. The suspension can begin the month after you request it. And yes, you can restart your benefits any time you want by making another request to SSA. Just so you know, while suspended, you'll still be covered by Medicare if you have it, but you'll get bills for the premiums instead of having them deducted from your SS payment.

My brother went thru this exact thing last year! He suspended his SS when he took a consulting job. Had no problems turning it back on later. Just be warned the SSA phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE - took him days to get through.

just keep collecting and deal with it next year when they send you the overpayment notice lol thats what i did, you can setup a payment plan

WAIT! Are you sure you'll be over the earnings limit? For 2025, if you're under FRA the limit is $22,750 annually (it goes up every year with COLA). If you're reaching FRA this year, the limit is higher - $60,480. And once you hit FRA, there's NO earnings limit. Maybe you don't even need to suspend??? Also remember they only count earnings from wages or self-employment. Investment income, pensions, other government benefits don't count toward the earnings limit!!

Something else to consider - when you suspend benefits and then restart later, your monthly amount might be higher because of the delayed retirement credits you earn during suspension (after FRA) and possible recalculation if your new job has higher earnings than what was previously calculated in your benefit. So there can actually be a silver lining to suspending!

I really appreciate all this great information! I'm going to call SSA tomorrow to request the suspension starting next month. Just want to confirm one more thing - when I'm ready to restart (after the contract ends), how much advance notice do I need to give SSA? Is there a waiting period or will payments restart the month after I request it?

Good luck with the new job! My cousin went back to work at 63 and it was the best decision for her finances even tho she had to deal with the SS suspension stuff!!

One thing that might be helpful to know - when you call SSA to suspend, ask them to put a note in your file about the reason for suspension and the expected timeframe. This can help streamline the process when you're ready to restart benefits later. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, make sure to ask whether you need to do anything special to reactivate it when you restart payments, or if it will automatically resume to the same account. Some people have had issues with payments reverting to paper checks after suspension. Good luck with your new position!

Just wanted to add - make sure you understand the timing of when your suspension takes effect. If you request suspension in April, it won't start until May, so you'd still receive (and need to account for) your April payment. Also, since you mentioned this is a contract position, keep detailed records of your start/end dates and total earnings. If the contract ends partway through a month, SSA will need to know your exact earnings for that partial month when you restart benefits. Document everything - it'll save you headaches later if there are any questions about the earnings test calculations.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're planning to work past your Full Retirement Age (67 in your case), you might want to consider whether it makes sense to keep benefits suspended even after this contract ends. Once you hit FRA, there's no earnings limit, but if you continue working, you could earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year) by keeping benefits suspended until age 70. Of course, this depends on your overall financial situation and health, but it's worth running the numbers. Given that you're already comfortable suspending benefits for this contract, you might find the math works in your favor to stay suspended longer if you plan to keep working. Just something to discuss with a financial advisor when the time comes!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last year. I was 65 and took a consulting gig that would put me over the earnings limit. The suspension process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to SSA (took about a week of trying different times to avoid the busy periods). One tip that really helped me - when you call, have your exact start date for the new job ready, and be prepared to tell them approximately how much you expect to earn for the year. They'll want to know this for their records. Also, I found that calling first thing in the morning (8 AM EST) or late afternoon gave me the best chance of getting through without crazy hold times. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks from my phone call to actually seeing the benefits stop. Make sure you budget for that transition period! When I restarted benefits 8 months later, it was much quicker - only took about 10 days to get payments flowing again. Best of luck with your new position!