Social Security Survivor Benefits: Monthly vs Annual Earnings Limit Confusion in 2025

The earnings test for survivor benefits is actually based on your annual earnings, not monthly. SSA uses the $1,860 monthly amount primarily for the first year you claim benefits or the year you reach Full Retirement Age. For ongoing benefits like yours, they look at your total annual earnings. If you stay under $22,320 for the entire year of 2025, you won't face any reduction in benefits, even if some months exceed $1,860. However, you MUST report these higher-earning months to SSA. They might temporarily reduce your benefits during high-earning months as a precaution, but you'll receive those funds back after they verify your annual earnings stayed under the limit.

i had the same thing with my work at the hotel - busy season i make wayyy more than other times. SSA only cared about my W2 at the end of the year, not each month. just dont go over the yearly limit and ur fine!

The ENTIRE Social Security earnings test system is BROKEN!!! I faced this exact situation when my husband died, and SSA gave me THREE different answers about how this works. First they said monthly matters, then annual, then both! I ended up with a $4,800 OVERPAYMENT notice even though I thought I was following the rules! They don't even understand their own complicated system. I'm STILL fighting with them about this two years later. Their earnings test is impossible to navigate for anyone with variable income!! DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and save all your paystubs. You'll need them when SSA inevitably messes up your benefits calculation.

I went through this exact situation with my survivor benefits and seasonal income from my landscaping business. Here's what I learned after dealing with SSA for the past two years: 1. The ANNUAL limit is what ultimately determines if you'll face benefit reductions ($22,320 for 2025 if you're under FRA) 2. BUT you are required to report monthly income fluctuations to SSA 3. They may temporarily adjust your benefits during high-earning months as a safeguard 4. At year-end, they'll reconcile everything based on your actual annual earnings 5. If you stayed under the annual limit, you'll get back any benefits they withheld The most frustrating part is trying to actually speak with SSA about this. I spent WEEKS trying to get through on their 1-800 number with no luck. Eventually I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent within 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It was worth it to actually talk to someone who could document my earnings changes in their system. Otherwise, you're at risk for overpayments later.

my mom deals with this every year with her SS surviver benefits. she just adds up what she made each month and if she's about to go over the yearly amount she just stops working for the rest of the year. She says its easier than dealing with the complicated monthly reporting system. But shes also got a job where she can take time off whenever. Not everybody can do that I guess.

To clarify some of the confusion in this thread: The earnings test for survivor benefits is indeed based primarily on ANNUAL earnings. The monthly earnings test only applies in two specific situations: 1. The first calendar year in which you receive benefits 2. The calendar year in which you reach Full Retirement Age In your case, since you've been receiving benefits for 8 months and aren't reaching FRA this year, only the annual limit applies. However, SSA regulations still require you to report significant earnings changes. SSA Publication No. 05-10069 states: "If you're receiving retirement benefits and you work, you must report your earnings to Social Security if you earn more than the annual limit." This doesn't mean monthly reporting, but if your earning pattern significantly changes, you should report it. The best approach is to contact SSA now and explain your variable income situation. They can document this in your file to prevent misunderstandings later. Since your annual income will remain under $22,320, you won't lose benefits, but proper communication prevents problems.

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice! I called SSA this morning (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked - got through in about 15 minutes instead of waiting forever). The agent confirmed that since I'm beyond my first year of receiving survivor benefits, they'll primarily look at my annual earnings. But she strongly recommended I report any months where I earn significantly more than usual. She set up what they call a "work activity report" in my file noting my seasonal construction work and variable income pattern. This way it's documented in their system ahead of time. Apparently, they may temporarily adjust my benefits during high-earning months as a precaution, but I'll receive any withheld amounts back after they verify my annual income stays under the limit. I'm keeping careful records of all my earnings just to be safe. Thanks again for helping me understand this confusing system!

Great to hear you got through to SSA and got it sorted out! That "work activity report" sounds like exactly what people with seasonal income need. I wish more people knew about that option - it could prevent a lot of the overpayment nightmares we hear about. Your situation is probably pretty common in construction and other seasonal industries. Having it documented upfront in their system should give you peace of mind. And keeping those earnings records is definitely smart - you never know when you might need to reference them later. Thanks for following up with what you learned from SSA. This thread will be really helpful for other people dealing with survivor benefits and variable income!

Welcome to the community @Libby Hassan! I'm so sorry for your loss. Dealing with survivor benefits while grieving is incredibly overwhelming, and the earnings rules just add another layer of stress. Since you're in seasonal retail, you're definitely going to face the same variable income challenges. Based on what I learned from my SSA call, I'd really recommend contacting them sooner rather than later to set up that "work activity report" in your system. It documents your seasonal work pattern before any issues arise. The key things that helped me understand the system: - Annual earnings limit is what ultimately matters ($22,320 for 2025 if under FRA) - Monthly variations are okay as long as you stay under the annual total - Reporting significant income changes helps prevent overpayment issues later - Keep detailed records of all your earnings Holiday retail can be brutal with those income spikes followed by almost nothing in January/February. Having SSA document this pattern upfront should give you the same peace of mind it gave me. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions about navigating this system!

I'm also dealing with survivor benefits and variable income, though mine comes from freelance graphic design work. What really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my monthly earnings and running total throughout the year. I update it after each payment and can see exactly where I stand relative to that $22,320 annual limit. The peace of mind is worth the few minutes it takes each month to update. Plus, if SSA ever questions anything, I have a clear record showing I was monitoring my earnings carefully and staying compliant. For anyone with unpredictable income, I'd also suggest setting aside a small percentage of those higher-earning months in a separate account. That way if SSA does temporarily withhold benefits during busy periods, you have a buffer to cover expenses until everything gets reconciled at year-end. It's frustrating that the system is so complex, but this community has been incredibly helpful for figuring out how to navigate it all!

As someone new to this community who recently started receiving survivor benefits, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and practical advice. Reading through this thread has been incredibly enlightening - I had no idea about the "work activity report" option or how SSA handles variable income situations. I work as a freelance photographer, so my income is all over the place depending on wedding season, holiday bookings, and corporate events. Some months I barely make anything, while others I can earn $4,000+. I've been so worried about accidentally triggering benefit reductions during those busy months. The spreadsheet tracking idea from @Jamal Brown is brilliant - I'm definitely going to set that up to monitor my running annual total. And @Oliver Schulz, thank you for following up with what you learned from your SSA call. Knowing that they can document seasonal work patterns ahead of time takes such a weight off my shoulders. I'm planning to call SSA next week using that Claimyr service everyone mentioned. It's reassuring to know others have successfully navigated this system with variable income. This community is such a valuable resource for understanding these complex benefits!

As a newcomer to this community who's been dealing with survivor benefits for about 6 months now, I can't tell you how helpful this entire discussion has been! I work in landscaping and face the exact same seasonal income challenges that @Oliver Schulz described - making almost nothing during winter months but then having weeks where I pull in $800+ during peak growing season. I had no idea about the "work activity report" option or that SSA could document variable income patterns ahead of time. Like many of you, I've been stressed about those high-earning weeks potentially triggering benefit reductions even though my annual total will definitely stay under the $22,320 limit. The practical advice here is incredible - from the spreadsheet tracking system to actually getting through to SSA using services like Claimyr. I've been dreading that phone call for months, but seeing how well it worked out for others gives me the confidence to finally tackle it. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment where we can share real experiences and solutions. Dealing with survivor benefits while grieving is hard enough without having to figure out these complex earnings rules alone. This thread is going to help so many people in similar situations!

As someone new to this community who's currently navigating survivor benefits with seasonal work income, I want to echo everyone's gratitude for such a thorough and helpful discussion. I work in seasonal tax preparation, so I have the opposite pattern from most of you - I make almost all my income during the few months of tax season (January through April), then have very little income the rest of the year. Reading about the "work activity report" option has been a game-changer for my understanding. I had been so worried that earning $3,000+ per month during tax season would automatically trigger benefit reductions, even though my annual total will be well under the $22,320 limit due to earning almost nothing from May through December. The advice about proactive communication with SSA and documenting the seasonal pattern ahead of time makes perfect sense. I'm definitely going to call them before next tax season starts to get this properly noted in my file. It's such a relief to know that the annual limit is what ultimately matters, not those temporarily high monthly earnings. Thank you @Oliver Schulz for sharing your successful experience with SSA, and to everyone else for the practical tips about tracking earnings and using services like Claimyr to actually get through to speak with someone. This thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with survivor benefits and variable income!