Social Security at 62 while earning $34,000 - will earnings limit reduce my $1800 benefit?

You're dealing with the Social Security earnings test. In 2025, if you're under Full Retirement Age (FRA) for the entire year, SSA will deduct $1 from your benefits for every $2 you earn above $22,560. With $34,000 income, that's $11,440 over the limit, which means about $5,720 would be deducted from your annual benefits. So monthly, you'd lose about $477 from your $1800, leaving you with approximately $1,323/month. Your friends giving you the $300 estimate are way off.

i claimed at 62 still workng and it was TOTAL DISASTER!!!! they took almost ALL my $$$ and then sent me overpayment notice for $4800 becuz i made more than i thought i would. DONT DO IT!!!

The previous responder gave you correct information about the earnings limit, but there's more you should know. Once you reach Full Retirement Age, the earnings limit goes away completely - you can earn any amount with no reduction to benefits. Also important: any benefits withheld due to the earnings test aren't truly lost. SSA recalculates your benefit amount when you reach FRA to give you credit for those months when benefits were withheld. Something else to consider: claiming at 62 means your benefit is permanently reduced by about 30% compared to waiting until your FRA. If you can afford to wait, each year you delay increases your benefit amount.

Have you tried calling SSA to get a precise calculation? I've been trying to reach them for WEEKS about my own retirement questions - always disconnected or 3+ hour wait times. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent was able to run calculations specific to my situation with exact numbers. Way better than guessing or getting conflicting info from friends.

Yes, it definitely works! I was skeptical too but was desperate after being disconnected 5 times. The SSA rep I spoke with ran exact calculations based on my earnings history and projected income. For your specific situation with $34K income and $1800 potential benefit, they can tell you the exact monthly amount you'd receive.

EVERYONE KEEPS FORGETTING TAXES!!! Even if you get $1323 after the earnings limit reduction like someone calculated above, you'll still have to pay INCOME TAX on 85% of your SS benefits when you add them to your $34,000 job income. So your actual take-home will be even less. The whole system is designed to punish people who claim early while still working!!!!

my neighbor waited till 67 to claim and gets WAY more than people who took it at 62. like $900 more per month! and no earning limits or nothing. if u can wait u should wait!

I'm in a similar situation but decided to wait. Financially it makes more sense for most people unless you have health issues or really need the money now. That 30% permanent reduction is significant.

To calculate your specific amount with precision: take your annual earnings over the limit ($34,000 - $22,560 = $11,440), divide by 2 = $5,720 annual reduction. Then divide your full benefit by 12 months ($1,800 × 12 = $21,600 annual benefit). Subtract the reduction ($21,600 - $5,720 = $15,880 annual adjusted benefit). Divide by 12 to get monthly = $1,323/month approximately. Remember this is before any tax considerations. And the earnings limit typically increases slightly each year with inflation adjustments.