Social Security earnings limit at 67 - what's my Full Retirement Age threshold?

Good news! Once you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), which is 67 for those born in 1958, there is NO earnings limit. The earnings limit disappears starting the MONTH you turn your FRA, not the following year. So in your case, when you turn 67 in December, you can earn unlimited income without any reduction to your benefits. For the months before you turn 67 this year, the 2025 earnings limit for those reaching FRA during the year is $63,840 (annually), and SSA only counts earnings before the month you reach FRA. They would reduce your benefits by $1 for every $3 you earn above that limit.

Exactly right. Once you hit Full Retirement Age (FRA) of 67, there is absolutely NO earnings limit. You can earn $1 million and it won't affect your SS benefits at all. However, until you reach your FRA in December, you're still subject to the higher earnings limit for people reaching FRA this year ($63,840 annualized, but they only count what you earned January-November). One important note: even with no earnings limit, your benefits may still be subject to income tax depending on your combined income. Up to 85% of SS benefits can be taxable if your combined income is high enough.

Yes, the month absolutely matters! The earnings limit goes away starting the MONTH you reach your Full Retirement Age, not the calendar year. It's a common misunderstanding. So in the original poster's case, they have an earnings limit until December when they turn 67. Then from December onward, no limit at all.

my mom went thru this last yr. yes its the MONTH u turn FRA that matters. she made too much before her bday month and got a letter about paying some back. but after her bday she took extra shifts and it was fine

If you've been struggling to get through to Social Security to discuss your specific situation (which can be complex with the monthly calculations), I'd recommend trying Claimyr. I was getting nowhere with the normal SSA phone lines about my earnings limit questions, but Claimyr got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and their website is claimyr.com. Really saved me when I needed clarification on my specific earnings situation.

Yes, it worked for me. I was skeptical too, but after my third disconnection trying to sort out my earnings limit question, I was ready to try anything. Got connected to an agent in about 15-20 minutes. The agent was able to look at my specific record and explain exactly how my earnings would affect my benefits for the months before my FRA.

Im in almost exact same situation except my bday is January. I had no idea there was still an earnings limit until your actual birth month! I though it was just the year you turn FRA. I need to double check my earnings for this year now... Does anyone know if SS automatically checks this or do we need to self-report if we go over? I'm worried I might have earned too much already.

Thanks everyone for the really helpful information! Now I understand - no earnings limit AT ALL starting in December when I hit 67. That's a relief since I was thinking of picking up some extra holiday shifts that would have put me over what I thought was the limit. I'll definitely report my earnings properly just to be safe. One last question - does anyone know if bonuses count toward the earnings limit? My company sometimes gives holiday bonuses in December.

my grandpa had this exact thing happen with a december bonus right b4 his bday and it pushed him over the limit. big headache for him. make sure u know exactly when that bonus hits ur account

This is such valuable information! I'm 66 and was completely confused about when the earnings limit disappears. I thought it was based on the calendar year you turn 67, not the actual month of your birthday. This thread just saved me from potentially making a costly mistake with my work schedule next year. Quick question for the group - does anyone know if the earnings limit applies to self-employment income the same way as regular W-2 wages? I do some freelance consulting work and want to make sure I understand how that counts toward the limit before I reach my FRA.

This is such helpful information! I'm 65 and planning to start collecting Social Security next year while still working part-time. Reading through this thread has really clarified the earnings limit rules for me. I had no idea that the limit disappears the exact MONTH you reach FRA, not just the calendar year. That's going to make a huge difference in my retirement planning. One thing I'm still wondering about - if someone goes over the earnings limit before reaching FRA, how quickly does Social Security usually catch this and send an overpayment notice? I want to make sure I'm tracking my earnings carefully so I don't accidentally go over and then get surprised by having to pay money back later.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 66 and was completely confused about the earnings limit rules. I thought once you started collecting Social Security, you were stuck with the earnings limit until you turned 67 at the END of that year. Learning that it disappears the exact month you reach FRA is a game-changer for my planning. I've been turning down extra work opportunities because I was afraid of going over the limit, but now I realize I need to look at this month-by-month. My FRA birthday is in August next year, so I only need to worry about the earnings limit for the first 7 months of 2025, not the whole year. Does anyone know if there's an easy way to track your year-to-date earnings to make sure you stay under the limit? I'm getting income from multiple sources and want to make sure I don't accidentally go over before my birthday month.

As someone new to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion! I'm 64 and planning to start Social Security in a few months while continuing to work, and I had no idea about these month-specific rules. I've been researching online but most articles just say "earnings limit until FRA" without clarifying that it's the MONTH you turn FRA, not the year. This thread has probably saved me from making expensive mistakes with my work schedule planning. One follow-up question - I see people mentioning the 2025 limit of $63,840 for those reaching FRA during the year. Does this number get adjusted annually for inflation, and where can I find the most current figures each year? I want to make sure I'm using the right numbers for my planning.

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm 65 and have been putting off claiming Social Security because I was terrified of the earnings limit rules - all the government websites make it sound so complicated and confusing. Reading through everyone's experiences and explanations here has finally made it click for me. The key takeaway that the earnings limit disappears the MONTH you reach FRA (not the calendar year) is something I've never seen explained this clearly anywhere else. This is exactly the kind of real-world knowledge that makes the difference between making costly mistakes and planning properly. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about tracking earnings and the reminder that bonuses count toward the limit based on when they're actually paid. These are the details that can really trip you up if you're not aware of them. Thank you all for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences - this community is a valuable resource for navigating these complex Social Security rules!

As a newcomer here, I want to add my voice to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm 66 and will be turning 67 next October, and I had been stressing about whether I should reduce my work hours this year to stay under the earnings limit. Reading through all these responses has been such a relief - I now understand that I only need to worry about the earnings limit from January through September, and then starting in October when I turn 67, there's no limit at all! This completely changes my financial planning for the year. I particularly appreciate the practical advice about tracking earnings month by month and the clarification that bonuses count based on when they're actually received. These real-world details make such a difference compared to trying to decode the official SSA materials. One thing I'm curious about - for those of you who have gone through this transition, did you notice any changes in how your Social Security benefits are taxed once you hit FRA and started earning more? I know the earnings limit disappears, but I want to make sure I understand the tax implications too.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this discussion! I'm 66 and planning to file for Social Security in a few months while continuing to work part-time. Like many others here, I was completely confused by the official SSA materials about earnings limits. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening - especially learning that the earnings limit disappears the exact MONTH you reach FRA, not just sometime during that calendar year. I had been planning my work schedule all wrong! My birthday is in September, so now I understand I need to be careful about the earnings limit from January through August, then I'm free and clear starting in September. The practical tips about tracking earnings monthly and understanding when bonuses count have been invaluable. It's clear that the devil is really in the details with these Social Security rules, and having real people share their experiences makes all the difference compared to trying to navigate the government websites alone. One question for the group - has anyone dealt with the situation where you're collecting Social Security but also contributing to a 401k or IRA while still working? I'm wondering if those retirement contributions affect the earnings limit calculations at all, or if it's just based on gross wages before any deductions.

As a newcomer to this community, this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 65 and have been hesitant to start claiming Social Security because the earnings limit rules seemed so intimidating and confusing when I tried to research them on the SSA website. What I've learned here is game-changing - particularly that the earnings limit disappears the exact MONTH you reach your Full Retirement Age, not just during that calendar year. I had always assumed it was based on the full year you turn 67, which would have led me to make some very poor financial decisions. The practical advice shared here about tracking monthly earnings, understanding when bonuses count, and even how retirement contributions can help you stay under the limit before FRA is exactly what I needed. It's clear that navigating Social Security requires this kind of real-world knowledge that you just can't get from official government materials. I'm particularly grateful for learning about the different earnings limits - $23,400 if you're under FRA all year vs. $63,840 if you're reaching FRA during the year (and only counting pre-FRA months). These details make such a difference in planning when to claim and how much to work. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative community. I feel much more confident about my Social Security decisions now!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo what others have said - this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm 66 and was completely overwhelmed trying to understand the earnings limit rules from the SSA website alone. What really stands out to me is how this discussion has revealed the critical importance of the MONTH you reach FRA, not just the year. I had been operating under the assumption that earnings limits applied for the entire calendar year you turn 67, which would have led me to unnecessarily restrict my income for months after reaching my actual FRA. The breakdown of the different limits ($23,400 vs $63,840) based on whether you reach FRA during the year is something I never would have fully grasped from official materials. And the practical advice about tracking monthly earnings, understanding bonus timing, and how pre-tax retirement contributions can help you stay under the limit before FRA - these are the real-world insights that make all the difference. I'm particularly grateful for learning about services like Claimyr that can help get through to SSA when you need clarification on complex situations. After reading about people waiting hours on hold or getting disconnected, it's good to know there are alternatives when you need to speak with an actual agent. Thank you all for creating such a valuable resource for navigating these complicated Social Security rules!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm 64 and have been putting off claiming Social Security because the earnings limit rules seemed so confusing and intimidating when I tried to research them on my own. This thread has been absolutely eye-opening - especially learning that the earnings limit disappears the exact MONTH you reach your Full Retirement Age, not just sometime during that calendar year. I had been planning based on the assumption that I'd need to worry about earnings limits for the entire year I turn 67, which would have cost me a lot of unnecessary income restrictions. The distinction between the $23,400 limit (if under FRA all year) vs. $63,840 limit (if reaching FRA during the year, counting only pre-FRA months) is something I never would have understood from the official SSA materials. These practical details make such a huge difference in planning when to claim and how to manage work income. I'm also grateful for the real-world tips about tracking monthly earnings, understanding when bonuses count toward the limit, and how pre-tax retirement contributions can actually help you stay under the threshold before reaching FRA. Plus learning about resources like Claimyr for actually getting through to SSA when you need answers - after hearing all the stories about hours on hold and getting disconnected, that seems invaluable. This community is providing the kind of practical, actionable guidance that you just can't find anywhere else. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my gratitude for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm 65 and have been anxious about starting Social Security while still working because the earnings limit rules seemed so complex and confusing on the SSA website. This thread has been a revelation - particularly learning that the earnings limit disappears the exact MONTH you reach Full Retirement Age, not just during that calendar year. I had been under the impression that I'd need to worry about earnings restrictions for the entire year I turn 67, which would have led to some very poor financial planning decisions. The clarification about the different earnings limits ($23,400 if under FRA all year vs. $63,840 if reaching FRA during the year, only counting pre-FRA months) is absolutely crucial information that I never found clearly explained elsewhere. These details are game-changers for planning when to claim and how to manage work income. I'm also incredibly grateful for all the practical advice shared here - from monthly earnings tracking tips to understanding bonus timing, and even how pre-tax retirement contributions can help you stay under the limit before FRA. The mention of Claimyr as an alternative to the notorious SSA phone waits is also valuable information I'll definitely keep in mind. This community is providing exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes the difference between making costly mistakes and navigating these rules successfully. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and knowledge so generously!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my thanks for this incredibly comprehensive discussion! I'm 66 and will be turning 67 in March, and I had been completely stressed about the earnings limit rules after trying to decipher the SSA website on my own. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - especially the critical insight that the earnings limit disappears the exact MONTH you reach FRA, not just sometime during that calendar year. I was planning to drastically reduce my hours for the entire year 2025, not realizing that I only need to be careful about earnings from January through February! The breakdown of the different limits ($23,400 vs $63,840) and all the practical advice about tracking monthly earnings, bonus timing, and retirement contributions has given me the confidence to make much better financial decisions. I'm particularly grateful for learning about resources like Claimyr for getting through to SSA when needed - the phone wait horror stories had me dreading having to call them. What amazes me most is how this community provides the real-world context that makes these complex rules actually understandable. The official materials tell you the rules exist, but they don't explain how they work in practice or share the crucial timing details that can save you thousands of dollars in mistakes. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative resource!