Social Security Survivor Benefits: Monthly vs Annual Earnings Test when working before FRA in 2025

the monthly test is only for the first year u claim benefits, its a special rule. if u start in jan 2025 and work all year, they look at the whole year. dont worry about the monthly thing unless ur starting mid-year

This is a common misunderstanding about the earnings test. There are two different rules: 1. The annual earnings test that applies to most people - for 2025, that's $62,160 if you reach FRA during 2025. 2. The monthly earnings test that only applies in the first year you receive benefits. Since you're starting benefits in January and reaching FRA in December, you would be subject to the annual test, not the monthly one. The SSA will look at your total earnings from January through November (the months before your FRA). If that total stays below $62,160, you won't have any benefits withheld. The monthly test is typically for people who retire mid-year and want to receive benefits immediately, despite having already earned over the annual limit earlier in the year before they retired.

I went through this exact situation last year. The monthly earnings test ($5,180/month for 2025) only applies if you're claiming benefits partway through the year. Since you're starting in January, SSA will use the annual limit ($62,160). However, there's a special rule for the month you reach FRA and beyond. For the month you reach FRA (December 2025 in your case), there's a much higher limit - $16,560 for the month of December alone - and after that, no earnings test at all. So you're absolutely right - as long as your January-November earnings stay under $62,160, you're fine! And in December, you could earn up to $16,560 without any reduction. One more thing: even if you did exceed the limit, SSA only withholds $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn over the limit in your FRA year.

I don't think anyones mentioned this yet but if you DO go over, they don't take ALL your benefits away. They just reduce them based on how much you go over. And actually, once you hit FRA, they recalculate and give you credit for months they withheld benefits. So its not as scary as it seems at first!

trying to reach SSA to ask about this is IMPOSSIBLE these days!!! i spent 3 HOURS on hold last week trying to get answers about my own earnings test question and then got DISCONNECTED!!! this system is BROKEN!!!! did you have any luck calling them directly???

my uncle had this problem and he thought he was fine with the annual limit but SSA still took some of his money!!! turned out he misunderstood something about how they count earnings. make sure you count gross wages not take-home pay!!! and bonuses count too!!!

One additional clarification that might help: The earnings test counts your gross wages in the month they're earned, not when they're paid. So if you earn money in November but get paid in December after reaching FRA, that money still counts toward your pre-FRA total. Also, only earned income counts - not investment income, pensions, or other Social Security benefits. And if you're self-employed, SSA looks at your net earnings and also considers your work activity. It sounds like you've done your homework and should be fine with staying under the annual limit through November.

my friend had her benefits reduced and was shocked cuz she didnt report her earnings to ssa! make sure u call and tell them what ur earning or they might take money back later!!

To follow up on the reporting question - you should estimate your earnings for the year when you apply for benefits. If your earnings change significantly, you should contact SSA to update your estimate. But yes, ultimately SSA will verify your actual earnings when your W-2s and tax returns are processed. If they withheld too much, you'll get money back. If they didn't withhold enough, you may have to repay some benefits. Since you're close to the limit but still under it, it's definitely a good idea to keep SSA updated on your earnings throughout the year just to be safe.

my dad just went through this whole thing and was so confused by all this FRA and earnings test stuff. he ended up waiting until his FRA to claim just to avoid the headache lol

Based on everything you've shared, you're approaching this correctly. Let me summarize to make sure everything is clear: 1. You're subject to the ANNUAL earnings test of $62,160 for 2025 (not the monthly test) 2. Only your earnings from January through November 2025 count toward this limit 3. As long as you stay under $62,160 through November, no benefits will be withheld 4. In December 2025 when you reach FRA, a separate higher limit applies ($16,560) 5. After you reach FRA in December, no earnings limits apply at all Keep track of your earnings, report your estimates to SSA, and you should be all set!