Social Security earnings limit confusion - monthly vs yearly limits for 2025 when not at FRA

The monthly limit only applies in your first year of receiving benefits. After that, only the annual limit matters until you reach Full Retirement Age. Since you're starting benefits in March 2025, SSA will apply the monthly test from March-December 2025. Any month you earn over $1,950, you won't receive a benefit, regardless of your annual total. Starting January 2026, they'll only look at your annual earnings to determine if you exceed the limit (which will probably increase slightly from the $23,400 for inflation). Hope this helps!

I think ur confusing yourself. SS only cares about the yearly amount. I went through this last year and made more some months and less others. No problems with my checks at all. Just stay under the yearly amount and your fine!

Had the same problem last yr!!! SS system is SO MESSED UP now. Spent 3 HOURS on hold and then got disconnected. TWICE!!! Try calling right when they open, thats what finally worked for me. The monthly limit thing is real tho, my brother in law lost benefits for 2 months when he went over.

I've been dealing with social security for years and yes the monthly earnings test is definitely a thing in your first partial calendar year of benefits. After your first year they only look at annual totals. If you're starting benefits in March, the monthly limit applies March-December 2025. In 2026, they'll switch to annual.

I went through this exact situation in 2023. Here's what you need to know: 1. For your first calendar year receiving benefits (2025 in your case), the monthly earnings test applies. If you earn over $1,950 in any month, you'll forfeit your benefit for that month. 2. Starting January 2026, only the annual limit matters (likely around $24,000 by then with COLA). 3. If you're close to the limits, it's extremely important to contact SSA and report your expected earnings. Don't wait for them to discover it later - they can assess overpayments going back years with interest. 4. At Full Retirement Age, these limits disappear completely. You can earn any amount without reduction. The system is frustrating but it works if you stay on top of reporting. For the phone issues, I discovered a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes after I spent days trying. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it saved me so much frustration after being on hold for hours previously.

My friend tried getting benefits early and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! Just wait til FRA if u can. Not worth the headache of all these stupid rules!!!

To make matters even more complicated, if you're self-employed, SSA also considers "time spent in business" as part of the monthly earnings test during your first year, not just your income! I had to document my work hours to prove I wasn't working too much in months where I received larger payments for previous work. The rules are in POMS RS 02505.055 if you want to look it up. The system is absurdly complicated.

Let me clarify everything for you: 1. The monthly earnings test only applies during your first year of receiving retirement benefits before Full Retirement Age (FRA). 2. In 2025, if you earn over $1,950 in any month during this first year (March-Dec 2025 for you), you'll lose benefits for that specific month regardless of your annual total. 3. Beginning January 2026, only the annual limit matters ($23,400 plus any COLA increases). 4. For earnings over the annual limit, SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit. 5. Self-employment adds complexity because SSA considers both earnings and hours worked (generally over 45 hours/month is considered substantial). You should contact SSA directly to discuss your specific situation and estimated earnings pattern. Make sure to establish an account on my.ssa.gov if you haven't already to monitor your benefits. One important note: Any benefits withheld due to excess earnings aren't truly "lost" - they're factored back into your benefit calculation when you reach FRA, resulting in a higher monthly payment later.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above last week after trying for DAYS to reach SS about my disability review. It actually works! Got through in like 15min after spending hours getting busy signals. Way better than waiting on hold forever or getting hung up on.

One strategy to consider: if you know which months you'll earn over $1,950 in 2025, you could ask SSA to suspend your benefits just for those specific months. This way, you won't have an overpayment to deal with later. Then in 2026, when only the annual limit applies, you can adjust your work schedule as needed throughout the year as long as your total stays under the limit. Just make sure to report your expected earnings to SSA in advance.