Can you update Social Security about job changes online instead of waiting hours on phone?

Yes, she absolutely can update this online through her my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. She'll need to create an account first if she doesn't have one already. Once logged in, she can report wages under the "Report Wages" section. It's much easier than calling, especially with those ridiculous wait times. If she's over her FRA (Full Retirement Age), she might not even need to report the earnings since there's no earnings limit after FRA, but it's still good practice to keep SSA updated.

your mom probly doesnt need to report anything if shes at full retirement age cuz theres no earnings limit anymore. my dad works and gets SS and hasnt reported anything in 3 years, no problems

I tried to create an online my Social Security account for my husband last year and it was IMPOSSIBLE!! They kept saying they couldn't verify his identity even though we entered everything correctly. So frustrating!!

When it comes to reporting work activity to Social Security, the rules depend on what type of benefits your mother is receiving: 1. If she's receiving retirement benefits and has reached her Full Retirement Age (FRA), there is NO earnings limit, so she doesn't need to report her work activity. 2. If she's receiving retirement benefits but is UNDER her FRA, she would need to report her earnings because there are annual earnings limits ($22,320 in 2025 for those under FRA). 3. If she's receiving SSDI (disability), she would absolutely need to report any work activity regardless of age. If reporting is needed, there are three options: - Online through my Social Security account (ssa.gov/myaccount) - By phone (yes, those long waits) - In person at a local office (requires appointment in most locations) The online "Report Wages" tool is found under the "Benefits & Earnings" section after logging into my Social Security. If she can't create an account, you may want to schedule an in-person appointment, which can avoid the phone wait times.

The SSA phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE these days!!! I spent 4 hours on hold last month trying to fix an issue with my benefits and then got disconnected right before someone picked up. FOUR HOURS WASTED!!! I was literally screaming at my phone. I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 10 minutes after trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Their website is claimyr.com - basically they navigate the phone system for you and call you back when they have an agent on the line. Saved me days of frustration. Might be worth it for your mom if she ends up needing to call rather than using the online option.

Wait, I'm confused... I thought you ALWAYS had to report new work to Social Security no matter what? I've been calling them every time I switch jobs (I'm 68) and sitting through those awful wait times for nothing??? Someone please clarify!

Update: I talked to my mom and she's definitely receiving retirement benefits and is exactly at her FRA (66). Based on everyone's helpful replies, it sounds like she doesn't need to report her new job at all since she's at FRA and there's no earnings limit. I'm still going to help her set up a my Social Security account though, because she's been getting all her SS information through paper mail and it would be easier to have online access. Thank you everyone for the super helpful information!

Just wanted to add that even though your mom likely doesn't need to report her earnings at FRA, it's still a good idea to keep records of her work history and earnings. Sometimes SSA makes mistakes on their end, and having documentation can help resolve any issues quickly. Also, when you help her set up the my Social Security account, make sure she uses a strong password and enables two-factor authentication if available - there's been an increase in scammers targeting seniors' SSA accounts lately.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if your mom does decide to set up the my Social Security account, she should do it sooner rather than later. SSA has been tightening their identity verification requirements, and it's getting harder to create accounts online. Sometimes they'll lock you out after a few failed attempts and then you have to wait or go in person. Also, since she's 66 and just started working again, she might want to check if her new earnings could potentially increase her future benefit amount - even at FRA, higher earnings in your record can sometimes bump up your monthly payment in future years through recalculation.

As someone who went through this exact situation with my grandmother last year, I can confirm that the my Social Security account is definitely the way to go! Even though your mom probably doesn't need to report her earnings at FRA, having online access is so helpful for other things. One tip that saved us a lot of headache: when you help her create the account, have all her documents ready beforehand - Social Security card, driver's license, and a recent bank statement or utility bill. The identity verification questions can be tricky (they ask about previous addresses, old loans, etc.) so having her think through her history before starting helps a lot. Also, if she has trouble with the identity verification online, don't keep trying over and over - after 3 failed attempts they lock you out for 24 hours. We learned that the hard way! If it doesn't work the first time, it might be easier to just schedule an appointment at the local SSA office to get it set up in person.

I work part-time for SSA customer service (remotely) and can offer some insider perspective on this! Your mom is absolutely right that she doesn't need to report earnings at age 66 since that's her FRA. The phone wait times have been absolutely brutal lately - we're understaffed and call volumes are through the roof. For the my Social Security account setup, here's a pro tip: if she has trouble with online identity verification, she can also verify her identity by mail. SSA will send her a verification code by postal mail instead of requiring the online quiz questions about her credit history. It takes about 7-10 days but might be easier for someone who doesn't have extensive online financial footprints that the verification system can check against. Also, once her account is set up, she can download her Social Security Statement which shows her complete earnings history. This is super useful for keeping records and catching any errors in reported wages from previous employers.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with my dad who's 67 and just started a consulting gig. I was panicking thinking he needed to report everything to SSA, but reading through all these responses has been so reassuring. The fact that there's no earnings limit after FRA is such a relief - I wish SSA made this clearer on their website! I'm definitely going to help him set up the my Social Security account too, especially after reading about the mail verification option. That sounds much more manageable than those tricky online identity questions. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and insider knowledge - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find on official government sites!

I just wanted to chime in as another person who's helped family navigate this exact situation! My mother-in-law went through the same worry when she started working part-time at 65. The peace of mind that comes from understanding the FRA rules is huge - she was so stressed thinking her benefits would get cut or messed up. One additional thing I'd mention is that it's worth helping your mom understand WHY she doesn't need to report at FRA. The Social Security Administration designed the system so that once you reach full retirement age, you've "earned" your full benefits regardless of work income. This encourages people to keep working if they want to, which actually helps the overall Social Security system since they're still paying into it through payroll taxes. Also, if she's anything like my mother-in-law, she might feel guilty about "taking Social Security while working" - but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! She paid into the system her whole career and earned those benefits. Working at 66 is actually helping fund Social Security for future generations. The my Social Security account really is worth setting up even if she doesn't need to report wages. Being able to access her information digitally will save so many headaches down the road!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how helpful and knowledgeable everyone has been in this thread! I'm actually dealing with a very similar situation with my own parent, and reading through all these responses has answered questions I didn't even know I had. The clarification about FRA rules is particularly valuable - like many others here, I was under the impression that ANY work while receiving Social Security needed to be reported, regardless of age. Learning that there's no earnings limit after reaching Full Retirement Age is such a relief! I'm also grateful for all the practical tips about setting up the my Social Security account, especially the advice about mail verification for those who might struggle with the online identity questions. The insider perspective from the SSA employee was incredibly helpful too. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's so hard to find on official government websites. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and knowledge - it's going to make navigating this process so much easier for families like mine!