Should I file for Social Security in December or January if I earned over the earnings limit this year?

The timing absolutely matters in your situation. If you file in December 2025, SSA will count ALL your 2025 earnings against the annual limit (which will be around $22,320 for 2025 if you're under FRA all year). Since you earned $56,000, they would withhold benefits. When you file mid-year, they use a monthly test, but December is the last month, so the annual test applies. If you wait until January 2026, then your 2025 earnings won't matter at all for the earnings test. They'll only look at your 2026 earnings of $23,000, which is still slightly over the limit, but much closer and would result in fewer withheld benefits. Honestly, if it were me, I'd wait until January to file. Cleaner break that way.

wait till january!!!! i made this mistake filing in november last year and they took back almost all my benefits cause i made too much. its not worth filing in december trust me

Question - does it matter whether OP files the application in December vs January, or is it the benefit start date that matters? I thought you could apply a few months early but specify a later start date?

Just to add some technical details: When you file for retirement benefits, you're subject to the Annual Earnings Test (AET) if you're under Full Retirement Age. For 2025, the exempt amount will be approximately $22,320. If 2025 is a "grace year" for you (meaning the first year in which you're both entitled to benefits AND have a month where you neither earn over the monthly limit nor perform substantial services in self-employment), they can apply a monthly test instead of the annual test. However, since December is your only potential month of entitlement in 2025, and you're working through December, you don't really benefit from the grace year provisions. Waiting until January 2026 is almost certainly better for you financially.

omg dealing with social security is a nightmare! tried calling them 3 times to ask questions like this and got disconnected every time after waiting FOR-EV-ER on hold

To answer your question about the grace year provision - 2025 would technically be a grace year since it's your first year of entitlement. However, for the grace year monthly test to help you, you need at least one month where you: 1) Are entitled to benefits, AND 2) Don't earn over the monthly limit ($1,860 in 2025), AND 3) Don't perform substantial services in self-employment Since you're working through December and presumably earned more than $1,860 in December, that month doesn't qualify for the monthly test. And since that's your only potential month of entitlement in 2025, the grace year provision doesn't help you. And yes, if you earn $23,000 in 2026, you'll still be over the earnings limit, but by a much smaller amount than in 2025. You'd have about $684 in benefits withheld for the year (($23,000 - $22,320) ÷ 2).

My sister thought it didn't matter what month she filed and got a nasty surpirse when they wanted all her money back! SS rules are so complicated........

One more thing worth noting: if you do end up having benefits withheld due to the earnings test, you'll get that money back in the form of a higher monthly benefit once you reach your Full Retirement Age. SSA recalculates your benefit amount at FRA to give you credit for the months when benefits were withheld. However, waiting until January 2026 is still the better option in your case because you'd avoid the immediate withholding from your high 2025 earnings.

Thank you all so much for the advice! I'm definitely going to file in December but select January 2026 as my start month. Really appreciate everyone taking time to explain this complicated system to me. I'm actually relieved - I was ready to start benefits in December thinking one extra month would be better, but now I see waiting is smarter because of how the earnings test works. You all saved me from making a costly mistake!