Social Security early retirement at 62 - Can I work during my first month of eligibility with the earnings limit?

Yes, you're right that you need to be 62 for an entire month to receive benefits. Your first month of eligibility would be the month after you turn 62. Regarding working: The earnings limit for early retirees in 2025 is $2,340 per month or $28,080 for the year. You CAN work during your first month of eligibility, but if you earn over that monthly limit, you'd lose benefits for that month. However, SSA uses an annual test for most people. So technically you could earn more in one month as long as your annual total stays under $28,080. But be careful - in the first year of retirement, SSA generally uses the monthly test until you've been entitled to benefits for a full year. In short: You can work, but watch that $2,340 monthly limit carefully in your first year.

i turned 62 last yr and got confused by the exact same thing lol! my sister said i couldnt work AT ALL the first month but that was WRONG. i worked part time that month and it was fine. just stay under the monthly amount they tell you

The rules about working while receiving early Social Security retirement are frequently misunderstood, so I'll try to clarify: 1. You must be 62 for the entire month to receive benefits for that month. If you turn 62 mid-month, you're first eligible the following month. 2. For your first year of retirement, SSA typically applies a monthly earnings test rather than annual. The 2025 monthly limit is $2,340. 3. You CAN work during your eligibility months, but exceeding the monthly limit means losing benefits for that specific month. 4. After you've been entitled to benefits for a full year, they switch to the annual test ($28,080 for 2025). 5. They count GROSS wages when earned, not when paid. So if you work in June but get paid in July, the earnings count for June. Many HR departments don't fully understand these nuances, which is why you got conflicting information.

Ugh the SS system makes everything SO COMPLICATED!! I went through this last year and got different answers from THREE DIFFERENT SSA REPS when I called!! One said I couldn't work at all, one said I could work up to the limit, and another told me it didn't matter as long as I stayed under the annual limit. How are regular people supposed to figure this out when even THEY don't know?? I ended up working under the monthly limit just to be safe. But then I found out later I could have worked more and just used the annual limit. WASTED OPPORTUNITY. The whole system is a mess.

I ran into this exact problem trying to reach someone at SSA who could clearly explain this. After being disconnected three times and waiting on hold for over 2 hours, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a representative in less than 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with confirmed that you CAN work during your first month of eligibility, but you need to stay under the monthly earnings limit. She also said they look at when the money is earned, not when it's paid - something my employer's payroll department didn't understand.

i think everyones got it wrong here. my cousin works for SSA and she said the earnings limit is actually ANNUAL not monthly for most people. the monthly thing only applies to people who are actually retiring during the year. if youre just reducing hours but not retiring completely, they look at the whole year's earnings.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! To summarize what I've learned: 1. I CAN work during my first month of eligibility (month after turning 62) 2. I need to stay under the monthly earnings limit of $2,340 for 2025 3. SSA counts gross wages when EARNED, not when paid 4. After my first year on benefits, they'll switch to an annual test I'll be careful to reduce my hours enough to stay safely under the limit. My birthday is mid-month so my first eligible month will be the following month. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge!

Great summary! One additional point that might be helpful - if you do accidentally exceed the monthly earnings limit in your first year, don't panic. SSA will send you a notice and you'll just need to repay the benefits for that specific month. It's not the end of the world, though obviously it's better to avoid it. Also, since you mentioned your HR department gave you conflicting information, you might want to double-check with them about how they report wages to SSA. Some payroll systems report earnings based on pay date rather than work date, which could affect your calculations. Make sure you're both on the same page about when your earnings will be reported for each month. Good luck with your retirement planning!