Does Social Security earnings limit only apply to my income or my spouse's too when collecting SS at 62?

Good news - only YOUR earnings count toward the Social Security earnings limit when you collect before your Full Retirement Age (FRA). Your husband can make $1 million a year and it won't affect your benefits at all as long as YOU stay under the earnings limit. For 2025, that annual limit will be approximately $23,400 (they adjust it yearly for inflation). Just be aware that if you go over that amount, SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit. Your pension doesn't count as "earnings" either - only wages from employment or net earnings from self-employment count toward the limit.

my sister had this same question when she retired! her hubby kept working but she took ss at 62 and did a little part time job at target. they only looked at HER income for the limit not his. she made sure to stay just under the limit so they wouldn't take any of her ss away.

The earnings limit that applies to beneficiaries who have not reached Full Retirement Age (FRA) is standardized and applies only to the person receiving benefits, not their spouse. For 2025, this limit is projected to be around $23,400 (it increases annually with COLA adjustments). Important points for your situation: 1. Only YOUR earnings count, not your husband's 2. Your pension doesn't count toward earnings 3. Only work income (W-2 or self-employment) counts One thing to consider: taking benefits at 62 means a permanent reduction of about 30% from your full retirement benefit amount. If you can afford to wait until your FRA (probably 67 for you), you'd receive your full Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). And if you wait until 70, you'd get 124% of your PIA with the delayed retirement credits.

Ok but what I don't get is WHY they have this limit at all??? It's OUR money we paid into the system! If I want to work AND collect SS, why should they penalize me? The whole thing is ridiculous!!

Just to add some clarity - the official term for this is the "Annual Earnings Test" and it ONLY applies to the person receiving the benefits. Your spouse's income has absolutely zero impact on your benefits regarding the earnings limit. Also, be aware that only earned income counts - so your pension, investment income, interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income, etc. are all excluded from the test. One important thing to understand is that if you do exceed the limit, you're not permanently losing those benefits. For any benefits withheld due to excess earnings, once you reach your Full Retirement Age, SSA recalculates your benefit amount to give you credit for the months in which benefits were withheld.

I trid reaching the SSA liek 10 times to ask this exact question last month! Kept getting disconnectd or waiting on hold for 2+ hrs!! So frustrting because I'm in pretty much identical situation (except im 63). Thanks for asking this and thanks for all the answers. Saves me more time on hold with them!

Does anybody know if this earnings limit is different for SSDI? My cousin is on disability and I thought she said something about only being able to make $1,500 a month or something way lower? Or is that a totally different thing?

Everyone's answers have been so helpful! Another quick question - do they count my gross income or net income toward this limit? If I do consulting work, can I subtract business expenses before comparing to the limit?

My wife started SS at 62 last year and I'm still working full time making about $110k. They DEFINITELY don't count my income against her limit - they only care about what SHE makes. She does some craft shows and makes sure to stay under the limit. Her financial advisor told her that even her pension and IRA distributions don't count as "earnings" - just actual work income.