Social Security spousal benefits from ex-husband count toward earnings limit before FRA?
I'm 63 and recently qualified for Social Security spousal benefits from my ex-husband (we were married 12 years). I'm planning to collect 50% of his benefit amount while still working part-time. My question is: does the spousal benefit count toward the earnings limit ($22,320 in 2025) since I'm not at my Full Retirement Age yet? I'm confused because these aren't MY retirement benefits - they're based on his record. My retirement counselor said something about "combined income" but wasn't clear if that meant my wages + the spousal benefits together can't exceed the limit, or if she was talking about something else. Anyone gone through this specific situation?
17 comments
Join the conversation
Caesar Grant
No, your ex-spouse benefits do NOT count toward the earnings limit. The earnings test only applies to your WAGES or self-employment income. However, your wages could affect how much of your spousal benefit you actually receive. If you earn over the annual limit ($22,320 for 2025), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. Your counselor was probably referring to the combined income calculation for tax purposes, which is different from the earnings test.
0 coins
Philip Cowan
•Thank you so much! That makes more sense. So if I earn $30,000 from my job this year, SSA would withhold about $3,840 of my spousal benefits (half of the $7,680 I'm over the limit), right? And this continues until I reach my FRA?
0 coins
Lena Schultz
went thru this last yr. its confusing but the SS benefits DONT count as earnings. only ur actual job money counts. but they WILL reduce ur benefits if u make too much. its crazy complicated lol
0 coins
Philip Cowan
•Thanks for sharing your experience! Did they automatically reduce your benefits or did you have to report your income to them? I'm trying to figure out the logistics of how this actually works month-to-month.
0 coins
Gemma Andrews
I THINK YOUR COUNSELOR IS WRONG!!! My sister was in this EXACT situation and Social Security counted EVERYTHING and reduced her check! She had to fight with them for MONTHS to get it fixed. The local office told her one thing and the payment center did something else. Don't trust what they tell you - get it in WRITING!!!
0 coins
Caesar Grant
•There's often confusion because there are different rules at play. The earnings test only counts wages/self-employment - not benefit payments. But there are separate rules about taxation of benefits and potential offsets for government pensions (WEP/GPO). Your sister's situation might have involved one of these other issues. It's always good advice to get everything in writing though!
0 coins
Pedro Sawyer
To clarify what others have said: The earnings test is based solely on your wages and self-employment income. Your ex-spouse benefits are not counted as "earnings" for this purpose. However, your earnings CAN reduce those spousal benefits if you exceed the annual limit. You should also be aware that once you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies, and you can earn unlimited income without any reduction in benefits. Another important point: any benefits withheld due to excess earnings aren't lost forever - they'll increase your monthly benefit once you reach FRA.
0 coins
Philip Cowan
•That's really helpful information! I didn't realize that the withheld benefits would eventually come back to me in some form. Do you know if I need to contact SSA each year to report my expected earnings, or do they just adjust based on what my employer reports?
0 coins
Mae Bennett
I had EXACTLY the same situation last year. Couldn't get through to SSA for weeks to get a clear answer. Spent hours on hold only to get disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in under 20 minutes. The agent confirmed what others are saying here - only your W-2/1099 income counts toward the earnings test, not the benefit payments themselves. You can see how it works in their video: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - saved me so much frustration.
0 coins
Beatrice Marshall
•does that service really work? i've been trying to reach social security for 2 weeks about my disability application
0 coins
Mae Bennett
•Yes, it actually does! I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for days. They connected me to an SSA agent in about 15 minutes. Totally worth it for me since I needed an answer about my benefits right away.
0 coins
Melina Haruko
My mom went thru this when she turned 62. The SS office told her that the earnings limit only applies to what you make from working. But she still had to report her work income to them every year so they could adjust her benefits.
0 coins
Philip Cowan
•Thanks for sharing about your mom's experience. Did she have to report her income at the beginning of the year (estimated) or at the end with actual figures?
0 coins
Melina Haruko
•She had to give them an estimate at the beginning of the year, and then if her actual earnings were different, they'd make adjustments. One year she ended up getting a small backpayment because she earned less than her estimate.
0 coins
Lena Schultz
wait im confused now. does this mean the money from ss is completely separate from the earnings limit? so u can get full ex spouse benefits as long as ur job doesnt pay too much?
0 coins
Pedro Sawyer
•Yes, that's correct. The Social Security benefits themselves don't count as "earnings" for the earnings limit test. Only your wages from work count. So you could receive $15,000 in ex-spouse benefits, and as long as your job pays less than the annual limit ($22,320 in 2025), you'd get your full benefits with no reduction. If your job pays more than the limit, only then would they reduce your benefits.
0 coins
Philip Cowan
Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I think I understand now - my spousal benefits don't count toward the earnings limit, but my work income might reduce how much I receive if I earn over $22,320 this year. I'll definitely contact SSA to set up the proper reporting for my estimated income. When I reach my Full Retirement Age in a few years, none of this will matter anymore and I can earn whatever amount without reductions. This community has been so much more helpful than the confusing explanations I got elsewhere!
0 coins