Social Security earnings limit - does income count from January 1 or from when benefits start?

SSA counts ALL of your earnings for the entire calendar year, regardless of when you start benefits. So yes, your $7,800 from January-March will count toward the $23,400 annual limit even though you weren't receiving benefits then. The only exception is the year you reach Full Retirement Age - then they only count earnings in the months before your FRA month. But since you didn't mention being close to FRA, I'm assuming the regular rules apply to you.

my sister started ss last yr and they counted ALL her income from january even tho she didnt start bennefits til june. its super annoying but thats how they do it. u might wanna wait til january 2026 to start if ur already made 7800 this yr, just saying

I think the previous responses might be confusing you. It's important to understand exactly how the earnings test works: 1. SSA counts earnings in the ENTIRE calendar year, regardless of when you start benefits 2. For your first year on benefits, they do provide a monthly earnings test OPTION (different from the special rule in the year you reach FRA) 3. Under this monthly option, you can receive full benefits for any month your earnings are under $1,950 (1/12 of the annual limit) AND you didn't perform substantial services in self-employment You might want to call SSA directly to discuss your particular situation and options, but be prepared to wait on hold for hours.

I actually found a service called Claimyr that gets you through to SSA agents without the ridiculous wait time. It actually worked for me when I had questions about my survivor benefits calculation. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU This would definitely be a case where talking directly to an SSA rep is worth it, since the earnings test rules can get complicated with the monthly vs. annual options.

Wait a minute guys I thought SS was 19,650?? where are you getting 23,400 from? did it change this year??

I HAD THE EXACT SAME SITUATION LAST YEAR!!! The whole system is ridiculous. They take our money our whole lives then make us jump through hoops to get it back. I ended up having to pay back $3,760 because I went over the limit by $7,520. They didn't even TELL ME until after the year was over and by then it was TOO LATE to do anything about it!! Just be SUPER careful about tracking your income!

To answer your follow-up question - SSA typically doesn't reduce your benefits immediately when you go over the earnings limit. What usually happens is: 1. When you apply for benefits, they ask about your expected earnings for the year 2. If you expect to exceed the limit, they may withhold some benefits preemptively 3. After the year ends, they receive your actual earnings from IRS 4. Then they make adjustments - either sending you additional benefits if they withheld too much, or creating an overpayment if they didn't withhold enough However, you should report to SSA if your earnings will be different than what you initially told them. This helps avoid surprises later.

sooo wait... does this mean they count ALL income or just wages? like what if i sell some stuff online or rent out a room in my house? does that count toward the 23,400? im so confused by all these rules!

i remember my uncle had to deal with this when he retired he told me its always better to just wait til FRA then u dont have to worry about any earninsg limit at all. but i get it if u need the money now, just be super careful cuz SS doesnt mess around with overpayments!!

Just wanted to add something that might help with your planning - you can actually request that SSA withhold additional benefits throughout the year if you know you're going to exceed the earnings limit. This way you avoid the overpayment situation that others mentioned. When you file your application, there's a form (SSA-777) where you can estimate your yearly earnings and request voluntary withholding. This is especially useful in your situation since you already know you've earned $7,800 and plan to keep working. It's much easier to deal with this upfront than to get surprised with an overpayment notice later! Also, keep detailed records of all your earnings - pay stubs, 1099s, everything. SSA will eventually match your reported earnings with what they receive from IRS, so having your own records helps if there are any discrepancies.

One thing I'd add is that you should also be aware of the "first year rule" or monthly earnings test that was mentioned earlier. In your first year of receiving benefits, you have the option to use either the annual earnings test OR the monthly earnings test - whichever is more favorable to you. Since you're starting benefits in April and already earned $7,800 from January-March, the monthly test might actually work better for you. Under the monthly test, you can receive full benefits for any month where your earnings are $1,950 or less (regardless of your total annual earnings). So if you can keep your monthly earnings under $1,950 from April onward, you might be able to receive full benefits even if your total annual earnings exceed $23,400. This is definitely something to discuss when you apply - make sure the SSA representative explains both options so you can choose the one that works best for your situation!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation two years ago! I started my benefits in March and had already earned about $6,000 in January and February. What I learned (the hard way) is that SSA gives you a worksheet when you apply where you report ALL your expected earnings for the year - including what you've already made. They use this to calculate how much to withhold from your monthly benefits. The key is to be as accurate as possible with your projections. In my case, I underestimated my year-end earnings and ended up with a small overpayment that I had to pay back. But SSA was actually pretty reasonable about setting up a payment plan when I called them. One tip: if your income varies month to month (like mine did with part-time work), consider the monthly earnings test option others mentioned. It can be a lifesaver if you have some months where you earn very little but others where you might go over the monthly limit. Good luck with your application process!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a similar situation where I'm considering starting benefits mid-year while continuing to work, and reading through all these detailed explanations has really clarified the earnings limit rules for me. The information about the monthly earnings test option for the first year is particularly valuable - I had no idea that was even available. It sounds like it could make a huge difference for people like us who start benefits partway through the year with existing earnings. I'm also grateful for the practical tips about the SSA-777 form for voluntary withholding and keeping detailed records. These are the kinds of real-world insights you don't always find in the official SSA publications. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. This community is such a great resource for navigating these complex Social Security rules!

As someone who just recently navigated this exact situation, I wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand how they calculate "earnings" versus "income." For W-2 employees like most part-time workers, they count your gross wages (before taxes and deductions). But if you have any self-employment income, they count your NET self-employment earnings after business expenses. This distinction can be really important for your calculations. Also, timing matters for when earnings are "counted." Generally, SSA counts earnings when you perform the work, not when you're paid. So if you work in December 2025 but get paid in January 2026, those earnings count toward your 2025 limit. One last tip: if you're close to the limit later in the year, you might consider asking your employer to defer some income to the next year if possible (like a year-end bonus). Just make sure any arrangement complies with tax laws and your employer's policies. The monthly earnings test really can be a lifesaver in situations like yours where you've already earned money before starting benefits!