Social Security earnings record question - do earnings after turning 70 still count toward benefits?
Hi all, I've been receiving my Social Security retirement benefits since January (first payment came in February). I'm turning 70 in May, but I'm planning to continue working through the end of 2025. This year might end up being my highest earning year in the last 35 years. My question is: will my 2025 earnings AFTER my 70th birthday still count toward potentially increasing my benefit amount? Or does the SSA stop considering new earnings once you hit 70? I've heard conflicting information and don't want to work all these extra hours if it won't make any difference to my monthly check. Thanks for any guidance!
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NightOwl42
Yes, your earnings for the entire year of 2025 will count, even after you turn 70. Social Security continues to review your earnings record and will automatically adjust your benefit amount if your recent earnings replace a lower-earning year in your top 35 years used to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). There's no cutoff at age 70 for earnings consideration - that's a common misconception because age 70 is when delayed retirement credits stop accruing.
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Dylan Hughes
•That's such a relief to hear! Thanks for clarifying. Do you know if the adjustment would happen automatically or do I need to contact SSA to request a recalculation after I file my 2025 taxes?
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Sofia Rodriguez
My dad had same situation kept working till 72 and got a small increase after he filed taxes that year. SSA did it automatic no need to call them.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Not always automatic in my experience! My husband waited 8 months and nothing happened. He finally called and they said "oops" and fixed it with backpay. Always good to follow up if you don't see a change after filing taxes for a high-earning year.
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Ava Thompson
Just to add a bit more technical detail to what others have said - SSA recalculates benefits annually through an automated process called the Automatic Earnings Reappraisal Operation (AERO). This typically happens after your employer submits your W-2 and your tax return is processed, usually around October of the following year. So for 2025 earnings, you might see an adjustment around October 2026. One important thing to note: the benefit increase is retroactive to January of the year after you earned the higher wages. So if your 2025 earnings increase your benefit, you'll get the higher amount starting January 2026, even though the adjustment might not appear until later in 2026.
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Miguel Herrera
•THIS is why I love this forum!!! Such detailed info u can't find on the SSA website. THANK YOU for explaining AERO - never heard of that before but makes total sense. OP should definitely keep working if it's a high-earning year!
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Zainab Ali
I turned 70 last year and worked half the year. My earnings were pretty high that last 6 months (like $48k) and it DID increase my monthly SS amount by about $37. Not huge but something! And they did it automatically around August this year. Got a letter in the mail about it.
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Dylan Hughes
•Thanks for sharing your experience! $37/month adds up to $444/year, which isn't insignificant. I'm definitely going to continue working through December now that I know it could still help my benefit amount.
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Connor Murphy
Everyone's giving good info but I just want to add - be aware that working while collecting Social Security means you'll pay FICA taxes on those earnings even though they might only marginally increase your benefit. At age 70, the return on those FICA contributions is generally pretty small compared to what you paid in. Not saying don't work, just be realistic about the financial impact.
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Ava Thompson
•That's a good point about diminishing returns from FICA taxes after 70. However, if 2025 will replace a zero or very low-earning year in OP's top 35, the benefit increase could still be meaningful. It's always a personal calculation weighing continued work, taxes, and potential benefit increases.
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Dmitry Ivanov
I tried caling SSA about this EXACT question last year and spent 3 HOURS on hold before getting disconnected!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!! Then I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Agent confirmed what others are saying - earnings after 70 still count and can increase benefits if they're higher than previous years. Worth getting a definitive answer for your specific situation.
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Dylan Hughes
•Thanks for the tip! I was planning to call SSA tomorrow and was dreading the wait. I'll check out that service if I can't get through.
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Sofia Rodriguez
anyone know if theres a limit how much it can go up? like if i suddenly make $150k this year at age 71 will it matter?
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NightOwl42
•There is a cap on how much earnings count toward Social Security benefits. For 2025, only the first $175,800 in earnings is subject to Social Security tax and counts toward your benefit calculation. Also, benefits only increase if the new year replaces a lower-earning year in your top 35. So a single high-earning year at age 71 could help, but it depends on your lifetime earnings history.
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Miguel Herrera
HOLD UP aren't we mixing up delayed retirement credits and recalculation based on earnings??? I thought once you file for benefits, you CANT earn delayed retirement credits anymore???? OP already started collecting in January!! So confused about all this now...
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Ava Thompson
•You're absolutely right that these are two different things. Once you've filed for benefits, you can't earn delayed retirement credits (which max out at 70 anyway). However, continued earnings can still increase your benefit through recalculation if they're high enough to replace a lower-earning year in your top 35. OP is asking about the earnings recalculation, not delayed credits, since they've already filed.
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Dylan Hughes
I want to thank everyone for all the helpful responses! To summarize what I've learned: 1) Yes, my earnings for all of 2025 will count, even after I turn 70 in May. 2) If 2025 ends up being one of my highest 35 years of earnings, it could replace a lower year and increase my benefit. 3) The adjustment should happen automatically through the AERO system around October 2026, but it's good to follow up if I don't see a change. 4) Any increase would be retroactive to January 2026. I feel much better about continuing to work now, knowing it might still boost my monthly check!
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NightOwl42
•Excellent summary! And just so you know, you can always request a Social Security earnings statement through your my Social Security account online to verify that your 2025 earnings were properly recorded. It's also a good way to see all 35 years that are being used in your calculation.
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