How to suspend Social Security benefits after taking early retirement at 62 - returning to high-income job

You don't actually "end" your retirement - what you want to do is request a suspension of benefits. You can do this by contacting SSA directly and telling them you want to voluntarily suspend your retirement benefits because you're returning to work above the earnings limit. This is actually a smart move! Your benefit amount will increase when you restart them later (due to fewer reduction months plus any delayed retirement credits after FRA). Call the main SSA number at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office with ID to request the suspension. Just be aware that if you have Medicare premiums being deducted from your SS check, you'll need to pay those separately once your benefits are suspended.

my cousin did this last year went back to work at 63 after taking early retirement. SSA made him pay back a TON of money because he didnt tell them right away about his new job. he was so mad!!!! definitely call them asap

I spent 15 years as a benefits counselor, so I can clarify a few things here: 1. You don't permanently "end" early retirement - you request a voluntary suspension of benefits 2. For earnings over the 2025 limit ($22,320 for those under FRA), SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above the limit 3. Suspending benefits now is smart because: - You avoid the hassle of withholding/overpayments - Your future benefit amount will increase (fewer reduction months) - Once you reach Full Retirement Age, you'll earn Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) of 8% per year 4. There's no specific form - you make the request verbally by calling SSA or visiting an office 5. You can restart benefits at any time with a simple request One important note: If you have others receiving benefits on your record (spouse, children), their benefits will also be suspended when yours are.

To clarify for the person asking about joint tax filing - no, your husband's current income doesn't affect your future benefit amount. Your own benefit is calculated based on your own earnings history. The joint filing only matters for determining if your combined income makes some portion of Social Security benefits taxable.

I tried calling SSA for WEEKS to suspend my benefits and kept getting disconnected or waiting forever!! Finally tried this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SSA agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it since I needed to get this handled before my new job started and I was running out of time.

THE SSA KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING making it impossible to talk to anyone!!! I tried for THREE MONTHS to suspend my benefits after going back to work and ended up with a $4,800 overpayment notice!!! Then they take FOREVER to process the suspension even after you request it. The whole system is DESIGNED to create these problems and then they act like it's YOUR fault. I'm still fighting with them about this!!!!!

To answer your question about restarting benefits - yes, you can request to restart them at any time. But think carefully about timing. If you suspend now and wait until your Full Retirement Age (66+) to restart, your benefit will be higher than when you started at 62 because: 1. Your early retirement reduction percentage decreases 2. After FRA, you earn Delayed Retirement Credits of 8% per year Also, once you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies, so you can earn unlimited income without affecting your benefits. Many people in your situation choose to suspend until at least FRA for this reason.

Yes, your benefit at FRA would be higher than your current reduced amount. The exact increase depends on several factors, but generally: 1. You'd eliminate about 4 years of early retirement reductions 2. Your benefit would be recalculated if these new work years are among your highest 35 earnings years You can get an estimate by creating a my Social Security account online and using their calculators. Or when you talk to SSA about suspending, ask them to calculate your projected benefit at various restart ages.

ive been getting ss since 62 (im 64 now) and just started a part time job that will put me a little over the earnings limit. do i really need to call ssa or can i just report it on my taxes? seems like a lot of hassle for just being a little over

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm going to try contacting SSA this week to suspend my benefits before I start the new job next month. Sounds like suspension is definitely better than dealing with the earnings limit in my case since I'll be making well over the limit. And I like the idea of letting my benefit amount grow until FRA. Thanks again for all the advice!

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - when you call SSA to request the suspension, make sure to ask them for a confirmation number or letter documenting your request. I've heard stories of people having their suspension requests "lost in the system" and then facing overpayment issues later. Having that documentation can save you a lot of headaches if there are any processing delays or mix-ups. Also, keep track of the exact date you requested the suspension since that's when it should become effective. Good luck with the new position - sounds like a great opportunity!

Great discussion here! As someone who went through this exact process last year, I can confirm that requesting a voluntary suspension is definitely the way to go. A few additional tips from my experience: 1. When you call SSA, be very clear that you want to "voluntarily suspend" your retirement benefits - not "withdraw" or "terminate" them. The terminology matters. 2. They'll ask for the effective date of suspension. I recommend making it the month before you start your new job to be safe. 3. If you're enrolled in Medicare Part B and having premiums deducted from your SS check, you'll need to set up direct billing with Medicare. SSA should help coordinate this, but follow up to make sure it happens. 4. Consider keeping a log of all your interactions with SSA - dates, times, representative names, confirmation numbers. This saved me when there was a processing delay. The math really works in your favor here. I suspended at 63 and restarted at my FRA - my monthly benefit went from $1,620 to $2,340. Plus no stress about earnings limits or overpayments. Congratulations on the job opportunity!