Will Social Security earnings limit affect my 12-year-old daughter's benefits if I file at 65?

Yes, unfortunately, your child's benefits will also be affected by your earnings. The earnings test applies to ALL benefits paid on your record, not just your own. So if your earnings cause a 100% reduction of your benefit, your daughter's benefit will be reduced by 100% as well. This is one of those situations where it might make sense to wait until your FRA (probably 66+) when the earnings test no longer applies.

Just adding to the previous comment - it's not just about whether to get benefits now vs later. Remember that your daughter's benefit is calculated as 50% of what YOUR benefit would be, and your benefit grows every month you delay filing (up until age 70). So even if the earnings test wasn't an issue, there might still be an advantage to waiting. Have you calculated what her monthly amount would be if you filed now vs. at your FRA?

my neighbor had similar situaton with his kid and the SSA took back all the money the kid got because he was working too much!! be careful they will want it ALL back if you mess up

I went through this EXACT situation last year. My son's benefits were completely wiped out because of my earnings. Huge disappointment when I realized I had filed for nothing. And yes, there's no partial reduction - if your benefits get completely offset by earnings, so do your dependent's benefits. Stupid system if you ask me.

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're a widower, have you looked into filing for survivor benefits on your late spouse's record? The rules work differently for those. Your daughter might already be eligible for survivor benefits on your late spouse's record regardless of your earnings or whether you've filed for retirement. Those benefits wouldn't be affected by your earnings test.

Have you tried calling SS directly to ask? I spent 3 WEEKS trying to get through to someone about my application last month. It was absolutely infuriating!!! I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent within 20 minutes after weeks of trying on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it to get definitive answers about your specific situation. The SSA agent I spoke with was really helpful once I actually got through.

Another consideration is that child's benefits stop at age 18 (or 19 if still in high school). So you're really only looking at a 6-7 year window for these benefits. If you wait until your FRA to file, your daughter will be around 13-14, still giving her 4-5 years of benefits without the earnings test reducing them. And those benefits will be higher since your PIA will have increased.

i thought kids benefits go til there 16?? my cousins kid stopped getting them at 16 i think

The ENTIRE social security system is rigged against working people!!! I'm in the same boat - still working at 67 and they penalize you for being productive! Why should your child suffer because you choose to WORK for a living instead of retiring early?? The whole earnings test should be abolished. It's a tax on productivity and hurts families who are trying to support young children.

have u thought about reducing ur hours just enough to get under the limit? might be worth it depending on how much ur kid would get

One thing to keep in mind is that the earnings test applies monthly, not just annually. So if you're planning to retire completely at some point during the year (even if you turn 65), you could potentially receive benefits for the months after you stop working, even if your total annual earnings exceed the limit. The SSA uses a monthly test of $1,770 (for 2025) in addition to the annual limit. This might give you some flexibility in timing if you're considering full retirement in the next year or two. Also, make sure you understand exactly when your FRA is - for someone turning 65 in 2025, your FRA is likely 66 and some months, not 66 exactly.