What's the earning limit after reaching FRA with Social Security benefits in 2025?

I've been trying to plan my retirement and I'm confused about the rules on working while collecting Social Security. I turn 67 (my full retirement age) next March and plan to file for benefits then, but I want to keep working at my current job. I've heard different things about how much I can earn without penalties once I hit FRA. Some coworkers say there's no limit after FRA, but my brother-in-law insists there's still some kind of reduction if I make too much. Can someone clarify this for me? Do I need to stay under a certain income threshold even after reaching my full retirement age? My company might offer me a promotion around the same time and I don't want to mess up my SS benefits.

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20 comments

Brooklyn Foley

Once you reach your full retirement age (FRA), there is NO earnings limit. You can earn as much as you want without any reduction to your Social Security retirement benefits. The earnings test only applies before you reach your FRA. If you're still working in the months before reaching your FRA in 2025, there is an earnings limit that applies - but it's fairly generous. For 2024 it's $59,520/year in the months before reaching FRA (and will likely be higher for 2025), and they only deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above that limit. But again, once you hit your FRA of 67, you're completely free to earn any amount without penalties. Take that promotion without worrying about your SS benefits!

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Marcus Williams

Your sister is confusing the rules. There has NEVER been an earnings limit after reaching Full Retirement Age - this has been the rule for decades. She either 1) hadn't actually reached her FRA yet when working, 2) experienced a reduction for something completely different (like Medicare IRMAA surcharges, which aren't benefit cuts but higher premiums), or 3) misunderstood what happened. I'd suggest she contact SSA directly to clarify what actually occurred with her benefits, because it definitely wasn't an earnings limit if she was past her FRA.

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Lily Young

Let me give you the official info straight from SSA (I'm a retired benefits counselor): 1. BEFORE Full Retirement Age: There are strict earnings limits that will reduce your benefits if exceeded. 2. The year you REACH FRA: There's a much higher limit that only applies in the months before your birthday month. 3. AFTER reaching FRA: There is absolutely NO earnings limit. You can earn millions and it won't affect your Social Security benefit amount at all. The only thing that might be confusing your brother-in-law is that working after FRA might increase your future benefits slightly (if your recent earnings are higher than what was used in your original calculation), and higher income can make more of your Social Security taxable on your income tax return. But these aren't penalties - higher taxes just mean you're making good money!

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Lily Young

I totally understand your frustration with the phone system - it's definitely overwhelmed. If you need to speak with someone at SSA directly to discuss your specific situation, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a service that helps you skip the SSA phone wait. I've had multiple clients use it successfully to get through quickly instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Otherwise, for general questions like the earnings limit after FRA, the MySocialSecurity online account is actually pretty good now for managing benefits without needing to call.

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Brooklyn Foley

The question about claiming at 70 vs. FRA is separate from the earnings limit question. Delaying from FRA (67) to 70 increases your benefit amount by 8% per year - so you'd get 24% more monthly if you wait until 70. Whether that's "better" depends on your personal situation, health, and financial needs. But regarding earnings: there's no limit after FRA regardless of whether you claim at 67 or 70. You can work and earn any amount without SS reductions once you reach FRA, no matter when you actually start your benefits.

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Elijah Knight

Author

I want to thank everyone for all this helpful information! I was really confused and worried about this, but now I understand that: 1. After reaching my FRA at 67, there is NO earnings limit whatsoever 2. I can take that promotion without any reduction to my SS benefits 3. The only consideration is that more income might mean more of my SS is taxable 4. I might even see my benefits increase slightly if my new earnings are higher This is a huge relief and helps me plan better. I think I'll go ahead with claiming at FRA and taking the promotion if offered!

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Aisha Rahman

Great to see all this helpful discussion! Just wanted to add one small clarification for anyone else reading this thread - while there's definitely no earnings limit after FRA, it's worth noting that if you're still working and earning high wages, you might want to consider adjusting your tax withholdings or making quarterly estimated payments. The combination of salary + Social Security benefits can sometimes push people into a higher tax bracket than they expected, especially if they're not used to having Social Security income be partially taxable. It's not a penalty or reduction in benefits - just good tax planning to avoid surprises at filing time. Congratulations on your upcoming FRA and potential promotion! It's a great position to be in.

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Connor Murphy

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who works in HR and helps employees navigate retirement transitions, I see this confusion about earnings limits all the time. One additional resource that might be helpful - the SSA website has a really clear earnings test calculator and FAQ section that walks through all the different scenarios. It's at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking.html. They also have examples showing exactly how the earnings test works in the months before you reach FRA vs. after. I always tell people to bookmark that page because it gets updated annually with the new earnings limits for the pre-FRA period. But as everyone has correctly stated here, once you hit your FRA, those limits become irrelevant! @Elijah Knight - sounds like you have a great plan forming. The combination of Social Security income plus continued earnings from a promotion puts you in a really strong financial position for this phase of life. Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

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Marcelle Drum

Thank you for sharing that SSA resource link! As someone new to all of this Social Security planning, having official sources to reference is really valuable. I'll definitely bookmark that page you mentioned. It's reassuring to see so many people with experience confirming the same information - that there truly is no earnings limit after FRA. This whole thread has been like a masterclass in retirement planning! I feel much more confident now about making decisions around work and Social Security timing.

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