Will Social Security benefit amount change if I retire early but delay claiming until FRA?

You're mostly on the right track. Social Security benefits are indeed calculated using your highest 35 years of earnings (indexed for inflation). If you stop working at 60 and don't replace any of your existing 35 highest years, then yes, your benefit amount won't increase based on additional earnings. When using the SSA calculator, you should enter what you realistically expect to earn. If you'll earn zero, put zero. If you'll work part-time, estimate those earnings. The calculator will then give you the most accurate projection based on your input. Keep in mind that even if you don't work between 60-67, your benefit still increases by approximately 8% per year from your Full Retirement Age (which you correctly identified as 67) until age 70 if you delay claiming. This is completely separate from the earnings calculation.

your not thinking about it right. SS uses your last 10 years not 35 years

I went through the exact same planning process last year. You're absolutely correct that only earnings that replace one of your lowest earning years in your top 35 will increase your benefit amount. One thing I found helpful was creating an account on SSA.gov and downloading my complete earnings record. I put it in Excel and sorted by highest to lowest earnings (adjusting older years for inflation using their index factors). This showed me exactly which years were my top 35 and what the threshold would be for part-time work to make a difference. In my case, I discovered that working part-time at about $30,000/year would actually replace some of my early career years and slightly increase my future benefit. Might be worth checking your own numbers this way!

I'm in a similar boat. Just turned 62 and I've been trying to figure all this out too. The whole system is SO confusing! I find the SSA website calculator gives me different numbers every time I use it. 🤦‍♀️ Anyone else have this problem?

LISTEN UP - the SSA calculators are ALWAYS wrong!!! I retired early at 59 and when I finally claimed at 66, my actual benefit was over $400 LESS per month than what their stupid calculator predicted. They don't tell you about all the deductions and adjustments they make. And don't get me started on Medicare - total ripoff with all the supplemental plans you HAVE to buy or you're basically uninsured. The whole system is designed to confuse seniors!!

One additional point that might be helpful - even if you stop working at 60, your past earnings are indexed for inflation when calculating your benefit. So while you won't have new earnings added to your record, the value of your existing earnings will still be adjusted upward over time to account for wage growth in the economy. This is why even if you input zero for future earnings on the SSA calculator, you might still see your projected benefit amount increase slightly over time. It's not just the delayed retirement credits (the 8% per year I mentioned earlier), but also this wage indexing factor that affects your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).

my brother retired at 58 and his ss check is tiny bc he didnt work enough years. make sure u have 40 credits or u might not get anything

One other suggestion based on my experience - request a Social Security Statement by mail or print one from your online account. It gives a clearer breakdown of your estimated benefits at different ages than just using the calculator. When I was planning my retirement, I found that my benefit estimate at FRA (66+2 months for me) was about $2,850 if I continued working until then at my current salary. When I modeled stopping work at 60, it dropped to about $2,650. For me, that $200/month difference wasn't worth working an extra 6+ years at a stressful job. Everyone's numbers will be different, of course, but doing this calculation helped me make my decision.

Does anyone know if you can start Medicare at 65 even if you're not taking SS yet? I'm so confused about how all these programs work together!

This is exactly the kind of detailed retirement planning I wish I had done earlier! You're asking all the right questions. Just to add one more perspective - have you considered the psychological aspect of retiring early? I stopped working full-time at 62 and found that having those extra years before claiming Social Security gave me time to explore part-time work that I actually enjoyed, rather than staying in a high-stress job just for the slightly higher benefit. Sometimes the mental health benefits of early retirement are worth more than the extra dollars. Also, since you mentioned feeling overwhelmed by Medicare planning - don't forget that you'll need to think about health insurance coverage for the gap years between 60-65 before Medicare kicks in. COBRA, ACA marketplace plans, or spousal coverage might be options worth researching alongside your Social Security planning. Good luck with your decision! It sounds like you're being very thoughtful about all the moving pieces.

I went through a similar analysis when I was planning my early retirement a few years ago. One thing that really helped me was using the SSA's detailed benefit calculator along with their annual earnings statement to model different scenarios. You're absolutely correct that SS uses your highest 35 years of earnings. What I discovered was that even modest part-time work could sometimes bump out some of my lower earning years from the 1980s and early 90s. But the key is knowing what those lowest years actually are. Here's what I'd recommend: Download your complete earnings history from SSA.gov, then use their online calculator to test a few scenarios - zero earnings from 60-67, modest part-time earnings, etc. The difference between scenarios might be smaller than you think, which could make the early retirement decision easier. Also, don't forget that delaying benefits past your FRA gives you those delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70), which can significantly boost your monthly benefit even if your earnings record doesn't change. Sometimes that mathematical certainty is more valuable than the uncertainty of continued high earnings. The peace of mind and reduced stress from leaving work early might be worth far more than a slightly higher benefit amount. You sound like you're being very thoughtful about this - trust your analysis!

I'm in a very similar situation and have been wrestling with the same questions! What really helped me was realizing that the SSA calculator on their website has different tools - make sure you're using the "Retirement Estimator" that pulls your actual earnings record rather than the "Quick Calculator" that just estimates. One thing I learned that might be useful: if you create a my Social Security account, you can see your complete earnings history year by year. This shows you exactly which years might be your lowest earning years that could potentially be replaced by part-time work. I also discovered that the calculator assumes you'll keep earning at your current salary level until you claim benefits, so if you plan to stop working at 60, you definitely want to adjust those future earnings to zero (or whatever you expect from part-time work) to get an accurate projection. The 8% delayed retirement credits are really powerful - that's guaranteed growth that you can't get anywhere else risk-free. Between that and the wage indexing that continues even after you stop working, your benefit can still grow nicely even during your non-working years. Have you thought about consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security? Sometimes having a professional run the numbers with your specific situation can give you more confidence in your decision.

Just wanted to add that you might also want to consider the impact of taxes when planning your retirement timing. Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on your total income, and the timing of when you start claiming can affect your overall tax situation. If you retire at 60 but don't claim SS until 67, you'll have those gap years where you might be in a lower tax bracket - this could be a great opportunity to do Roth IRA conversions or other tax planning strategies. Then when you do start receiving Social Security at 67 (with those delayed retirement credits), you'll have a higher monthly benefit but potentially better tax management overall. Also, something to keep in mind - if you're married, your claiming strategy affects not just your own benefits but also potential spousal and survivor benefits. The higher earner delaying benefits can significantly impact the survivor benefit for the spouse. I know there are a lot of moving pieces here, but it sounds like you're asking all the right questions and being really thoughtful about the planning process!

This is such a comprehensive discussion - you're all covering so many important angles! As someone new to this community, I'm learning a lot from reading through everyone's experiences and advice. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think has been mentioned yet: if you do decide to work part-time between 60-67, keep in mind that Social Security has an earnings test that applies before you reach full retirement age. Since you're planning to wait until 67 to claim, this won't affect you, but it's worth knowing about in case you change your mind and decide to claim earlier. Also, I've found that many people don't realize you can actually start your Social Security application up to 4 months before you want your benefits to begin. So if you're planning to claim at exactly 67, you could start the application process a few months early to avoid any delays. The psychological benefits that several people have mentioned really resonate with me too. Sometimes the financial "optimal" choice isn't the best choice for your overall well-being and happiness. It sounds like you're being very thoughtful about balancing all these factors!

I've been following this discussion as someone who's also navigating early retirement planning, and I wanted to share something that might be helpful. Beyond all the excellent technical advice about calculations and benefit optimization, don't underestimate the value of doing a "practice run" of your retirement budget before you actually stop working. What I mean is: try living on your projected retirement income (including that estimated Social Security benefit) for 6-12 months while you're still working. Put the difference in savings. This will help you identify any gaps in your planning and give you real confidence about whether your numbers work in practice, not just on paper. I did this exercise and discovered I was spending more on healthcare and home maintenance than I had budgeted for, but I was spending way less on work-related expenses (commuting, professional clothes, eating out) than I expected. It completely changed how I thought about the trade-offs between working longer for a higher benefit versus retiring early with a slightly smaller one. Also, if you do find that part-time work might boost your benefit by replacing some low-earning years, consider whether that part-time work could be something you'd actually enjoy rather than just tolerate. The extra income is nice, but if it's work you find meaningful, it serves double duty for both your finances and your sense of purpose in retirement. You're clearly putting a lot of thought into this decision - that preparation will serve you well regardless of what you ultimately choose!