When to notify Social Security about full retirement if I'm still working while collecting SS benefits?

You don't need to notify SSA when you fully retire if you're already receiving Social Security benefits. Since you're past your Full Retirement Age (FRA), there's no earnings limit, as you correctly noted. When you stop working, your employer will stop reporting wages, and that happens automatically in the system. The only thing you might want to check is whether stopping work will change your Medicare Part B and D premiums, as those are income-based through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). But that adjustment happens automatically based on your tax returns from 2 years prior.

i didnt tell them when i quit working and nothing bad happened lol. but i was already getting my social security checks for like 3 years before i stopped my weekend cashier job

Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE about this? When I stopped working 2 years ago, my neighbor told me I had to notify SSA or they would think I was still earning income!!! I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through to someone on the phone and when I finally did, they said I didn't need to notify them at all!!! So much wasted time and stress for NOTHING. The whole system is designed to confuse people!!!

Quick question related to this - what happens to your benefit amount when you stop working? My husband has been working while collecting for 2 years past his FRA and wonders if his benefit will recalculate when he fully retires next month?

I retired 6 months ago after working part-time for 3 years while collecting Social Security. Never told SSA anything about stopping work and everything's been fine. BUT what you should do is double-check your earnings record on my Social Security account after you file taxes for your final work year. Sometimes employers make reporting mistakes in that final year and it's easier to fix sooner rather than later.

My situation is a bit different from yours since I started taking benefits at 62 and had to watch that earnings limit like a hawk! But when I hit my full retirement age last year and the earnings limit went away, I was told by an SSA rep that I didn't need to report anything when I finally retire completely. Just make sure your last employer reports your final wages correctly on your W-2. One thing though - if you're having taxes withheld from your SS benefits because of your combined income, you might want to submit a new W-4V form to adjust your withholding after you stop working.

Just to add a bit more detail to what others have said - there are only specific life events you need to report to SSA: address changes, direct deposit changes, leaving the country for 30+ days, marriage/divorce, name change, becoming eligible for a pension from non-covered work, felony conviction, or death of a beneficiary. Stopping work when you're already receiving benefits and are past FRA isn't on that list. The SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" (No. 05-10077) has a full listing if you want to double-check.

my sister said she reported when she stopped working and then got a letter about her medicare premium going down the next year so maybe theres some benefit to telling them? idk how it all works tbh

I'm in a similar situation - just turned 68 and still working about 15 hours a week at a local bookstore. It's good to see all these responses confirming that we don't need to notify SSA when we fully retire! One thing I'd add is that if you're like me and have been putting off some medical procedures because you were still working, retiring might be a good time to schedule those since your income will drop and potentially affect your Medicare Part B premiums in a couple years. My financial advisor mentioned this could help with the IRMAA calculations down the road.

As someone who just joined this community and is approaching retirement myself, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 66 and planning to start collecting Social Security next year while continuing to work part-time. Reading through all these responses gives me confidence that the system is more straightforward than I initially thought. It's reassuring to know that once I reach my FRA, I won't need to worry about reporting when I eventually stop working completely. The tips about checking earnings records and adjusting tax withholding are especially valuable - I'll definitely keep those in mind for my own retirement planning. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm 65 and planning to start collecting Social Security at my FRA while continuing to work part-time as a consultant. Reading through all these responses has really clarified the process for me. I especially appreciate the specific details about what does and doesn't need to be reported to SSA, and the practical tips about checking earnings records and adjusting tax withholding. It's reassuring to know that the system becomes much simpler once you reach full retirement age. The mention of the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is particularly helpful - I'll definitely be looking that up. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my voice to thank everyone for this incredibly helpful discussion! I'm 67 and have been collecting Social Security for about 8 months while still working part-time at a nonprofit. Reading through all these responses has really put my mind at ease about the process. I was actually stressing about whether I needed to file some sort of "retirement notification" when I eventually stop working completely, but it's clear from everyone's experiences that SSA doesn't need to be notified. The practical tips shared here are invaluable - especially about checking your earnings record after your final tax filing and potentially adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding. I hadn't considered how my Medicare premiums might change in a couple years due to IRMAA adjustments either. It's wonderful to find a community where people share real-world experiences rather than just regurgitating official policy language. Thanks to everyone who contributed their knowledge!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this discussion incredibly valuable! I'm 66 and just started collecting Social Security last month while continuing to work part-time as a library aide. Reading through everyone's experiences has been so reassuring - I was actually wondering if there was some special form I needed to complete when I eventually retire fully, but it's clear from all the responses that no notification is required once you're past FRA. The practical advice shared here is fantastic, especially the tips about checking your earnings record after filing your final tax return and potentially adjusting Social Security withholding with a new W-4V form. I hadn't even thought about how the IRMAA adjustments might affect my Medicare premiums down the road! It's wonderful to find a community where people share real-world experiences and practical wisdom. The mention of that SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going straight to my reading list. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making this such an informative thread!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my gratitude for this incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I'm 68 and have been collecting Social Security for about 6 months while still working part-time as a bookkeeper. This thread has completely put my mind at ease about the retirement process. I was actually worried there might be some complex paperwork or notification requirements when I eventually stop working completely, but everyone's real-world experiences confirm that SSA doesn't need to be notified once you're past FRA. The practical tips shared here are pure gold - especially about verifying your earnings record after your final tax filing and potentially adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding. I hadn't considered how my reduced income might affect my Medicare premiums through IRMAA in a couple of years either. It's refreshing to find a community where people share actual experiences rather than just repeating policy jargon. The reference to the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going on my must-read list. Thank you to everyone who has made this such an informative and reassuring conversation for those of us navigating this transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm 67 and started collecting Social Security about 4 months ago while continuing to work part-time as a tax preparer (which has been especially busy this season!). This thread has answered so many questions I didn't even know I should be asking. I was actually planning to call SSA when I eventually retire completely, thinking there must be some formal notification process, but everyone's experiences here make it clear that's unnecessary once you're past FRA. The practical insights shared are invaluable - particularly about checking your earnings record after filing your final tax return and considering adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding once your income drops. As someone who works with taxes, I really appreciate the mention of how IRMAA adjustments work with that two-year lag - it's something I'll definitely keep in mind for my own planning. It's wonderful to find a community where people share real experiences and practical wisdom rather than just official policy language. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making this such a comprehensive and reassuring resource for those of us navigating this transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative and reassuring discussion! I'm 66 and planning to start collecting Social Security benefits next month while continuing to work part-time as a substitute teacher. Reading through all these responses has really helped clarify what seemed like a confusing process. I was actually worried there might be complicated paperwork or notification requirements when I eventually stop working completely, but it's clear from everyone's real-world experiences that SSA doesn't need to be notified once you're past FRA. The practical tips shared here are so valuable - especially about checking your earnings record after filing your final tax return and potentially adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income changes. I hadn't considered the IRMAA implications for Medicare premiums either, so that's definitely something I'll keep in mind for future planning. It's wonderful to find a community where people share actual experiences and practical wisdom rather than just policy information. The reference to the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going straight to my reading list. Thank you to everyone who has made this such a comprehensive resource for those of us navigating this important transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for this thorough and reassuring discussion! I'm 65 and planning to start collecting Social Security at my FRA while continuing to work part-time as a freelance graphic designer. This thread has completely eased my anxiety about the process - I was actually wondering if there would be complicated forms or notifications required when I eventually stop working entirely, but everyone's real-world experiences make it clear that SSA doesn't need to be notified once you're past FRA. The practical advice shared here is invaluable, especially the tips about verifying your earnings record after filing your final tax return and considering adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income decreases. I hadn't thought about how the IRMAA calculations might affect my Medicare premiums with that two-year lag either - that's definitely something I'll factor into my retirement planning. It's wonderful to find a community where people share genuine experiences and practical wisdom rather than just repeating official policies. The mention of the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going on my must-read list. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making this such a comprehensive and helpful resource for those of us planning this important transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly comprehensive discussion! I'm 66 and have been collecting Social Security for about 3 months while continuing to work part-time as a retail associate. Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring - I was actually stressing about whether I'd need to file some kind of "work cessation form" when I eventually retire completely, but it's clear from everyone's real-world experiences that no notification is required once you're past FRA. The practical tips shared here are fantastic, especially about checking your earnings record after your final tax filing and potentially adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income drops. I hadn't even considered how my Medicare premiums might be affected by IRMAA calculations down the road! It's wonderful to find a community where people share genuine experiences and actionable advice rather than just policy summaries. The reference to the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is definitely going on my reading list. Thank you to everyone who has made this such an informative and confidence-building thread for those of us navigating this transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this incredibly detailed and helpful discussion! I'm 64 and planning to start collecting Social Security at my FRA next year while continuing to work part-time as a museum docent. This thread has answered questions I didn't even know I should be asking about the retirement process. I was initially concerned there might be complex notification requirements or paperwork when I eventually stop working completely, but everyone's real-world experiences here clearly demonstrate that SSA doesn't need to be notified once you're past FRA. The practical insights shared are invaluable - particularly about checking your earnings record after filing your final tax return and considering adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income changes. The information about IRMAA and how Medicare premium adjustments work with that two-year lag is something I'll definitely factor into my planning. It's refreshing to find a community where people share genuine experiences and actionable advice rather than just regurgitating official policies. The mention of the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going straight to my must-read list. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their knowledge and made this such a comprehensive resource for those of us preparing for this important life transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I'm 67 and started collecting Social Security about 6 months ago while continuing to work part-time as a freelance consultant. This thread has completely answered my concerns about the retirement notification process - I was actually planning to research what forms I might need to submit when I eventually stop working entirely, but everyone's real-world experiences make it crystal clear that SSA doesn't require notification once you're past FRA. The practical advice shared here is outstanding, especially the tips about verifying your earnings record after filing your final tax return and potentially adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income decreases. I hadn't considered how the IRMAA calculations might affect my Medicare premiums with that two-year delay either - that's definitely going into my retirement planning notes. It's so refreshing to find a community where people share genuine experiences and actionable insights rather than just policy information. The reference to the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going straight to my reading list. Thank you to everyone who has made this such a comprehensive and confidence-building resource for those of us navigating this important transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful to have found this comprehensive and reassuring discussion! I'm 66 and just started collecting Social Security benefits two months ago while continuing to work part-time as a tutor. This thread has completely put my mind at ease about what I thought might be a complicated retirement process. I was actually worried there would be specific forms or official notifications required when I eventually stop working completely, but everyone's real-world experiences here clearly show that SSA doesn't need to be notified once you're past FRA. The practical tips shared throughout this discussion are so valuable - especially about checking your earnings record after filing your final tax return and considering adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income changes. I hadn't even thought about how the IRMAA calculations might affect my Medicare premiums down the road with that two-year lag! It's wonderful to find a community where people share actual experiences and actionable advice rather than just policy summaries. The mention of the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is definitely going on my reading list. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their knowledge and made this such an invaluable resource for those of us navigating this important life transition!