SS earnings limit confusion after reaching FRA at 66-10 in Dec 2025

Good news! Once you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), there is NO earnings limit. So after December 2025 when you hit your FRA of 66 and 10 months, you can earn any amount without it affecting your Social Security benefits starting January 2026. The earnings limit only applies before you reach FRA.

im confused too about this!!! i thought there was ALWAYS a limit no matter what age? my uncle got his benefits reduced last year and hes 70! SSI takes everything away if you work too much!!!!

Let me clarify this precisely with some technical details, since there's a lot of confusion about earnings limits: 1. BEFORE FRA: In 2025, the annual limit is likely to be around $23,000 (estimated based on current trends). You lose $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above this limit. 2. YEAR OF FRA: In the months of 2025 before you reach FRA in December, a higher limit applies - probably around $62,000 annually (prorated for those months only). You lose $1 in benefits for every $3 earned above this limit. 3. AFTER FRA: Starting January 2026, there is ABSOLUTELY NO EARNINGS LIMIT. You can earn millions and your Social Security retirement benefit won't be reduced. What your advisor might have been referring to is that your benefits can still be subject to income tax based on your combined income, but that's different from the earnings limit.

My sister went thru this last year. The system is supposed to automatically stop the earnings test when you hit FRA but honestly SSA makes so many mistakes!! She had to call them twice to fix it when they kept reducing her checks even after FRA. Their computer system is from the stone age!

Good morning! Just wanted to chime in that I had this same question last year. Once you hit your FRA, you're good to go - no more limits! I'm now working 30 hours a week at my daughter's business and collecting my full SS check. It's been a wonderful way to supplement my retirement income without any penalties. Wishing you all the best!

If you're getting conflicting info and concerned about this, I'd really recommend calling SSA directly to discuss your specific situation. But getting through to them is a nightmare these days - wait times are over 2 hours! I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) last month when I had questions about my earnings limit. It got me a callback from SSA in under 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold all day. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU But to answer your question - yes, after FRA there is no earnings limit whatsoever. The SSA agent I spoke with confirmed this and explained that the earnings test completely disappears once you reach full retirement age.

THE SSA DOESNT WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THIS BUT once you hit FRA they CANNOT limit your earnings!! The gov't tries to trick people into thinking limits still apply so you don't claim your FULL BENEFITS that you EARNED!! Always question what they tell you!!!!

I just realized my cousin had the exact same FRA as you - 66 and 10 months! What a coincidence. Anyway he also worried about the same thing but it all worked out fine for him after FRA.

One important technical point no one has mentioned yet: When you reach FRA, SSA also recalculates your benefit amount to restore some of the benefits that were withheld due to earnings limits before FRA. So not only do the limits end at FRA, but you eventually get credit for some of those earlier reductions. The formula is complex, but it essentially increases your monthly benefit to account for months when benefits were withheld.