Will selling personal items on eBay affect my Social Security survivor benefits before FRA?
I'm 62 and currently receiving Social Security survivor benefits after my husband passed away last year. I'm not yet at my Full Retirement Age, which I know means I'm subject to the earnings limit. My question is about selling stuff around my house on eBay. I'm trying to downsize for an eventual move to a smaller place and have a lot of collectibles, clothes, and household items I no longer need. Does SSA consider money from selling my personal belongings on eBay as "earnings" that count toward the annual limit? I'm not running a business or buying things to resell - just getting rid of my own possessions. I'd hate to accidentally trigger an overpayment situation, but I also need to declutter before I can move. Has anyone dealt with this before? Thanks for any insights!
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Rachel Tao
i went thru this last year! as long as ur just selling personal stuff u already own, it doesn't count as earnings. only actual wages or self-employment income counts for the earnings test. ur good to declutter and sell!!
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Sayid Hassan
•Oh that's such a relief to hear! I was worried I'd have to document everything or keep track of original purchase prices. Thank you for sharing your experience!
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Derek Olson
The previous comment is generally correct, but I want to add some important clarification about how Social Security treats income. For the Annual Earnings Test that applies to survivor benefits before FRA, SSA only counts wages and net earnings from self-employment. Selling personal items you've owned for years would typically be considered disposal of personal assets, not earnings. However, be cautious if your eBay selling becomes frequent or looks like a business activity. If you start purchasing items specifically to resell them or your activity looks like a regular business, SSA might view that as self-employment income. Also, while not related to the earnings test, if you make substantial profits (selling items for more than you paid), there could potentially be capital gains tax implications - though that's an IRS issue, not a Social Security one.
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Sayid Hassan
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! I definitely won't be buying anything to resell - this is purely getting rid of things I've accumulated over decades. Most items will probably sell for much less than I paid originally. This is very helpful information!
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Danielle Mays
I sell stuff on eBay all the time and I'm on survivor benefits too. Just make sure you keep it casual - I got flagged once because I was selling too many items in the same category (had my late husband's entire baseball card collection) and they thought I was running a store! Had to explain to SSA it was a one-time cleanout. So maybe space out your listings if you have a lot of similar items.
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Sayid Hassan
•That's a really good tip! I do have several collections my husband and I gathered over the years. I'll definitely space things out rather than listing everything at once. I appreciate the heads-up about your experience!
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Roger Romero
My sister had a HUGE problem with this last year!!!! SSA counted her eBay sales and reduced her benefits! She had to go through a whole appeal process. NIGHTMARE!!!!
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Derek Olson
•I'm sorry about your sister's experience, but there must have been additional factors involved. SSA doesn't automatically monitor eBay accounts. Was she perhaps regularly buying items to resell, or reporting the income on Schedule C as a business? The distinction between casual selling of personal items versus operating a business is important here.
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Anna Kerber
If you're worried about it, you can always call Social Security directly to confirm this won't affect your benefits. I tried calling them last month about a similar question and was on hold for over 2 hours before getting disconnected. Absolutely infuriating! I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it to get a definitive answer directly from SSA rather than wondering if you're doing the right thing.
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Sayid Hassan
•Thank you for suggesting this! I've tried calling SSA before and had the same frustrating experience of waiting forever. I'll check out that service if I need more clarification. Did the agent give you helpful information when you finally got through?
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Anna Kerber
•Yes, the agent was actually really helpful once I got through! She confirmed exactly what others have said here - casual selling of personal items isn't counted as income for the earnings test. She also mentioned keeping good records just in case there are ever any questions. Definitely worth the call for peace of mind.
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Niko Ramsey
I don't think anyone mentioned this... but what about tax implications of selling on eBay? Doesn't eBay send a 1099 form if you sell over a certain amount now? Would that mess up your benefits if SSA sees that report?
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Derek Olson
•That's a good point about the 1099-K forms. As of 2025, payment processors like eBay/PayPal must report to the IRS if you have more than $600 in sales for the year. However, receiving a 1099-K doesn't automatically mean you have taxable income or earnings that count for Social Security purposes. If you're selling personal items for less than you paid (which is common), you actually have no taxable gain to report. You might need to explain this on your tax return, but it wouldn't generate earnings that count toward the Social Security earnings test. If SSA questions you about a 1099-K, you'd need to explain these were personal items sold at a loss or minimal gain, not self-employment activity.
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Seraphina Delan
My friend's mom got in big trouble with SSA for selling stuff online while getting benefits. Just be careful is all I'm saying.
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Derek Olson
•Without knowing the specifics of your friend's mother's situation, it's hard to comment directly. However, there's a critical distinction between: 1) occasionally selling personal possessions you no longer need, and 2) engaging in buying and selling as a business activity. The first typically doesn't count as earnings for SSA purposes, while the second definitely does.
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Danielle Mays
I totally understand wanting to downsize! When my husband died I had to move from our house to an apartment and it was overwhelming dealing with 30 years of stuff. Just take it slow and be kind to yourself during the process. Downsizing after losing a spouse is emotional on so many levels.
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Sayid Hassan
•Thank you for the kind words. It is definitely emotional going through everything. Some days I can barely look at certain items, and other days I feel more ready to let go. I'm trying to pace myself through this process.
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Derek Olson
To summarize what's been discussed: Casual selling of personal possessions on eBay generally doesn't count as earnings for the Social Security earnings test that applies to survivor benefits before FRA. However: 1. If your selling activity becomes regular enough to be considered a business, it could count as self-employment income 2. If you receive a 1099-K for sales over $600 in a year, be prepared to explain on your tax return that these were personal items sold at a loss 3. Keep basic records of what you sold and that these were personal items owned for some time 4. Space out listings if selling multiple similar items to avoid appearing like a business This situation is common, and SSA understands the difference between disposing of personal property versus running a business.
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Sayid Hassan
•Thank you for this excellent summary! This has been incredibly helpful. I feel much more confident about proceeding with selling some items without jeopardizing my survivor benefits. I'll be careful to keep it casual and maintain basic records just in case. I appreciate everyone's advice!
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