Will my 2023 earnings above the limit affect my SS survivor benefits calculation?

Yes, those 2023 earnings will still be posted to your earnings record even though you're now receiving survivor benefits. Social Security always keeps track of your earnings on your own record. However, there's an important detail here - since you were already receiving retirement benefits in 2023, those earnings will only be added to your computation if they're high enough to increase your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The recalculation would happen automatically in the year following the year you had those earnings, so sometime in 2024. If they do increase your PIA, it would affect what you might get if you ever switch back to your own retirement benefit.

wait i'm confused... if ur on survivor benefits now why do u even care about ur own record?? once u switch to survivor u stay on that right??

I went through almost this EXACT situation! My husband passed in 2022, I switched to survivor benefits in early 2023, and I also had an income issue. Yes, your 2023 earnings DO still count toward your own record. SSA continues tracking your earnings regardless of which benefit you're receiving. Here's what happened for me: I got a letter about 4 months after the end of the year saying my PIA had been recalculated based on my additional earnings. It didn't affect my survivor benefit at all, but my own retirement benefit amount (which I'm not currently receiving) went up by about $75/month. That could be important later if I ever want to switch back.

This whole system is RIDICULOUS!!! I'm in almost the same boat and the SSA cant even explain their own rules to me! I've called like 15 times and get a different answer every single time. One person says the earnings count, another says they don't, a third person says maybe! How are we supposed to plan our lives when they can't even get their story straight??!!

Just to clarify a technical point: the earnings test applies differently depending on your age. Since you mentioned taking early retirement, I'm assuming you're under your Full Retirement Age (FRA). In that case, they withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. Once you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies, and you can earn as much as you want without any reduction in benefits. The withholding can seem unfair, but you do eventually get that money back in the form of a recalculation when you reach FRA. SSA will adjust your reduction for early retirement to account for the months where benefits were withheld.

are u sure u switched to survivor benefits in september 2023 liek u said? because if u did then the earning limit for survivor benefits is different than for retirement i think. did they apply the correct limit when they calculated what u owe back??

Update: I called SSA this morning (took forever to get through) and spoke with a representative who confirmed that my 2023 earnings WILL be included in my earnings record and could potentially increase my own retirement benefit, but it won't affect my survivor benefit amount. She said they automatically do these recalculations in late summer/early fall of the following year. Also, she mentioned that if I ever want to know what my own benefit would be if I switched back, I just need to call and ask. Thanks everyone for your help!

my mom went thru something similar and she said they never even sent her any letter about the recalculation, she had to go into the office to find out if her earnings changed anything

One thing nobody's mentioned - if you're earning enough to have to pay back benefits, you might want to consider whether it makes sense to just suspend your benefits until you reach FRA. I did that when I went back to work, and it saved me the hassle of paying back benefits. Plus, for each month your benefits are suspended, you get a little boost when they restart (they recalculate to remove some of the early retirement reduction).

To address your specific situation more directly: Since your 2023 earnings were from a period when you were still receiving your own retirement benefits (before switching to survivor benefits in September), those earnings could indeed replace a lower year in your 35-year calculation. However, there's an important timing element here. The SSA doesn't apply new earnings to your record until after the employer W-2 forms are processed, typically around September of the following year. So you might not see any change in your record until late 2024, and any increase to your own PIA wouldn't be relevant while you're receiving survivor benefits (unless your own benefit eventually becomes higher).