Will my full-time job earnings disqualify me from Social Security survivor benefits in 2025?

I tried to do this last year and got burned. Ended up having to pay back almost $7k because i earned too much. They don't just reduce your benefits they ELIMINATE them completely if you go over by too much. wish I'd waited till my FRA when the earnings test goes away.

The earnings limit is one of the most confusing parts of Social Security. If you're under your Full Retirement Age (FRA) and earn more than the annual limit ($23,400 in 2025), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. With full-time work above that threshold, you likely won't receive any survivor benefits until you reach your FRA. However, there's a strategy worth considering: In the year you reach FRA, the earnings limit is higher ($62,760 for 2025), and SSA only withholds $1 for every $3 above the limit. Plus, they only count earnings before the month you reach FRA. If you're close to your FRA, this might be worth looking into.

The earnings limit is frustrating but there are some nuances to understand about your situation: 1. The first year rule: During your first year of benefits, SSA uses a monthly test instead of annual. If you retire mid-year, you can get benefits for months you earn under $1,950 regardless of annual total. 2. If your earnings are significantly over the limit, your benefits might be completely withheld until you reach FRA. 3. Once you reach FRA, benefits reduced due to earnings will be recalculated to give you credit for those months. 4. For the health insurance concern, look into the Medicare Special Enrollment Period that lets you delay enrollment without penalty if you have employer coverage. I'd recommend scheduling a call with SSA to discuss your specific situation, but be prepared for long wait times. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an agent quickly. They have a video demo here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU that shows how it works. Saved me hours of waiting on hold.

my sister in law is getting widows benefets and she just doesnt report all her income to social security. she does housecleaning and gets paid cash so they dont know. not saying you should do this just saying what she does!!!!

I'm in almost exactly the same situation!!! It's SO FRUSTRATING that they encourage people to NOT WORK by having these stupid earnings limits!!! Why should we be penalized for being productive members of society???? I decided to just wait until my FRA which is in 18 months because otherwise it's just throwing money away. The whole system PUNISHES WORKERS!!!!!

Have you considered if your own retirement benefit might be higher than the survivor benefit? Sometimes if you had higher earnings than your spouse, it might make sense to take your reduced survivor benefit now (even if it's partially or fully withheld due to earnings) and then switch to your own higher retirement benefit at 70 when it's maximized. The math gets complicated, but a good SSA representative can help you run the numbers for your specific case.

Something nobody mentioned is that even if you can't get the benefits now because of the earnings test, you should still APPLY for them! If you're eligible for survivor benefits, applying establishes your eligibility even if you don't receive payments right away. Then when your income changes or you reach FRA, you don't have to go through the whole application process again.

i got so confused about all this that i paid for a consultation with a financial advisor who specializes in social security. cost me $300 but honestly it was worth it because this stuff is COMPLICATED!! especially with the survivor stuff and working while collecting. might be worth looking into?