Will my wife's business income affect my Social Security benefits if I'm not at FRA yet?

no her income doesnt affect your benefits at all. only YOUR income matters for YOUR benefits.

The previous comment is correct. Each person's benefits are subject to their own earnings test if they're under Full Retirement Age. Your wife's business income will have no impact on your benefits whatsoever. When you file next year before your FRA, you do need to be aware of the earnings test for your own income, though. For 2025, if you earn over $22,320 (estimated based on current limits), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that threshold. Once you reach your FRA, the earnings test no longer applies to you. Also note that any benefits withheld aren't lost forever - they're added back to your benefit calculation when you reach FRA, effectively increasing your monthly amount going forward.

Each spouse is treated completely separately for earnings test purposes. Your wife reaching FRA means she can earn unlimited income without any reduction in her benefits. When you file before your FRA, only YOUR earnings will count toward YOUR earnings test. One important point: if you were claiming spousal benefits on your wife's record (which doesn't sound like your plan), your benefits would still only be affected by YOUR earnings, not hers. The earnings test is always applied individually. I'd recommend checking your earnings record on my.ssa.gov to make sure everything is accurate before you file for benefits.

Is your wife's business a sole proprietorship or LLC? Because I've heard different rules apply depending on how the business is structured!!! My neighbor told me that if it's an LLC and you're both owners then the income actually DOES count as partly yours. So confusing!!!!

Trying to reach the SSA to get answers about this kind of stuff is SO FRUSTRATING!!! I spent 3 days trying to get through to someone about my earnings test questions last month. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to a real agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed what others are saying - spouse's income doesn't affect your benefits at all. Only your own earnings matter for the earnings test. Definitely worth getting this confirmed directly from SSA though.

my cousin thought the same thing but after she started claiming her husband kept working making like 90k and it didnt change her check at all... btw theres separate rules for disability vs retirement so make sure you know which one your talking about

sSA IS A TOTAL MESS!!! i had to deal with them for 6 months to fix my benefits after they miscalculated everything. dont trust anything they tell you the first time. ALWAYS get a second opinion and keep records of EVERYTHING

Just to add a bit more detail for anyone else reading this thread: there are actually three separate concepts people often mix up: 1. The earnings test - applies only to the individual earning the income and only before FRA 2. Taxation of benefits - your combined household income can affect how much of your Social Security is subject to income tax 3. Deemed filing - which can affect spousal benefit strategies For the original question, only #1 is relevant, and as everyone has said, only your own earnings count toward your own earnings test. However, when it comes to how much of your Social Security might be taxed (#2), your wife's business income would be included in your household income calculation.

Welcome to the community! I'm glad you found this thread helpful. Just to reinforce what everyone has said - your wife's business income absolutely will NOT affect your Social Security benefits when you start collecting next year. The earnings test is applied individually to each person's own earnings. Since you're planning to file at 64 (before your FRA), just make sure you understand the earnings limits for YOUR own income if you're still working. For 2025, you can earn up to about $22,320 without any benefit reduction. Above that, they'll withhold $1 for every $2 you earn over the limit. Your wife being at FRA means she can earn unlimited income from her photography business without any impact on her benefits OR yours. Each spouse is treated completely separately for Social Security purposes. Good luck with your filing process!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - my husband is 66 and already collecting Social Security, while I'm 62 and considering when to start claiming mine. I run a small online tutoring business that brings in about $25,000 per year. Reading through all these responses has really clarified that his benefits won't be affected by my business income at all, and vice versa. I was also confused about this until I found this discussion. It's reassuring to see so many people confirming that the earnings test is applied individually to each spouse. One question for the group - does anyone know if there are any special considerations for online businesses versus traditional brick-and-mortar businesses when it comes to Social Security earnings calculations? I assume it's all the same as long as I'm reporting the income properly on my tax return, but wanted to double-check! Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative community!

Welcome to the community! As a newcomer here, I wanted to chime in because I went through almost the exact same situation last year. My spouse was already collecting at FRA while I was 63 and worried about how their freelance income might affect my benefits when I filed. The advice everyone's given you is spot-on - your wife's photography business income has absolutely zero impact on your Social Security benefits. Each person's earnings test is completely separate. I was so relieved when I learned this because, like you, I was getting conflicting information online and was really stressed about it. One thing I'd add that helped me was creating a my.ssa.gov account before filing. You can see your projected benefits and even use their retirement estimator to play around with different filing dates. Since you're planning to file at 64, it's worth seeing exactly how the early filing reduction will affect your monthly amount versus waiting longer. Also, don't let anyone scare you about the earnings test if YOU have income from work. The benefits aren't lost forever if you exceed the limit - they get added back into your monthly payment when you reach FRA. This community has been fantastic for getting clear, accurate information. Good luck with your filing!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to express how incredibly helpful and reassuring this entire thread has been! I've been lurking here for a while trying to understand Social Security rules, and this discussion really demonstrates the value of having experienced community members share their knowledge. I'm in a similar boat - my spouse is already collecting benefits while I'm still a few years away from my FRA. I had the same misconception that spousal income might somehow affect my future benefits, so reading everyone's clear explanations about individual earnings tests has been eye-opening. What really strikes me is how many people seem to get confused about this topic (myself included!). It makes me wonder if SSA could do a better job explaining that married couples are treated as separate individuals for earnings test purposes. The number of posts I've seen where people worry about their spouse's income suggests this is a pretty common source of anxiety. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide such thorough and patient explanations. This is exactly the kind of supportive, knowledgeable community that makes navigating these complex systems so much easier!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for such a comprehensive and reassuring discussion! I'm facing a very similar situation - my husband reached his FRA last year and is collecting benefits while running a consulting business, and I'm 63 planning to file next year. Like many others here, I was really worried that his business income might somehow reduce my benefits when I start collecting. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful in understanding that the earnings test is applied individually to each spouse. It's such a relief to know that we can each manage our own income and benefits independently! I'm particularly grateful for the clarification about how withheld benefits aren't actually "lost" but get recalculated when you reach FRA. That's something I definitely didn't understand before finding this thread. The tip about using my.ssa.gov to check projected benefits is also really valuable - I'm going to set up my account this week. This community is such a fantastic resource for getting clear, practical answers from people who have actually navigated these situations. Thank you all for taking the time to help newcomers understand these complex rules!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add my thanks to everyone who has contributed to this incredibly informative discussion! I'm 62 and have been agonizing over this exact question for months. My husband is 68 and already collecting his full Social Security benefits while still working part-time as a contractor, earning about $30,000 annually. I was convinced that his continued earnings would somehow impact my benefits when I decide to file. Reading through all these detailed explanations has been such a huge relief! It's now crystal clear that the earnings test applies only to the individual earning the income, not their spouse. I can't believe I spent so much time worrying about this when the answer is actually straightforward once it's properly explained. What really impressed me is how patient and thorough everyone has been in addressing not just the original question, but all the follow-up concerns and misconceptions that came up in the thread. The clarification about business structure not mattering (sole proprietorship vs LLC) and the distinction between the earnings test and benefit taxation were particularly helpful. I'm definitely going to explore that my.ssa.gov account suggestion and maybe even look into that Claimyr service if I need to speak with SSA directly. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment for people trying to navigate these complex Social Security rules!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to express my gratitude for this incredibly thorough and reassuring discussion! I'm 63 and my husband is 69, already collecting his full Social Security benefits while continuing to earn income from his small accounting practice. Like so many others here, I was genuinely worried that his business earnings might somehow reduce my benefits when I file next year. This thread has been absolutely eye-opening! The consistent message from everyone that the earnings test applies individually to each spouse has completely put my fears to rest. I had no idea that married couples are treated as completely separate individuals for Social Security earnings purposes - I just assumed there would be some kind of household income consideration. I'm particularly grateful for the detailed explanation about how temporarily withheld benefits get recalculated at FRA rather than being permanently lost. That's such an important distinction that I hadn't understood before. The recommendation to set up a my.ssa.gov account to review projected benefits is also incredibly practical advice that I'm going to act on immediately. What strikes me most is how patient and knowledgeable this community is. Every question and concern that came up was addressed with real-world experience and clear explanations. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment for those of us trying to navigate these complex Social Security decisions!