Will working full-time until FRA of 66 years 8 months affect my Social Security benefit calculation?

Yes, your earnings from age 60 until your FRA of 66 years and 8 months will absolutely count toward your top 35 years. In fact, these higher-earning years can significantly boost your Social Security benefit if they replace lower-earning years in your calculation. The Social Security Administration looks at your entire earnings history, adjusts earlier years for inflation (called "indexing"), and then takes the highest 35 years to calculate your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). This AIME is then used to determine your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is your benefit at FRA. The confusion might be because earnings before age 60 are indexed for inflation, while earnings at age 60 and later are counted at face value (not indexed). But they all still count toward your top 35 years calculation.

My brother told me the same thing when he retired but it turned out not to be true!! The SSA absolutely counts your earnings after 60 in the calculation. My benefit went UP by working until 67 because I was making way more in my 60s than my 30s. Dont listen to people who dont know what there talking about, work as long as you need to!

Your question involves understanding how Social Security calculates your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). Here's exactly how it works: 1. SSA looks at your entire earning history subject to Social Security taxes 2. They adjust (index) your earnings before age 60 for wage inflation 3. Earnings at age 60 and later are counted at actual value (not indexed) 4. They select your highest 35 years of earnings (indexed or actual) 5. They calculate your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) 6. Your AIME is applied to a formula to determine your PIA So yes, your earnings from age 60 until 66 years and 8 months will absolutely count in the top 35 years if they're higher than your previous years. Many people actually see their benefits increase by working longer because these later career years often have higher earnings that replace lower-earning early career years. You can check your earnings history and get benefit estimates by creating an account at my.ssa.gov.

i think they only use your highest earning quarter not your actuall salary for each year. thats what the lady at social security told me when i called last month about my application. and i think there's a maximum amount they count per year anyway like $130,000 or something?

I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks to ask similar questions about my benefit calculation and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed what others are saying here - your earnings after 60 absolutely count toward your benefit calculation. In fact, the agent walked me through exactly how my recent years of work had improved my benefit amount by replacing some lower years from early in my career.

My husband thinks the same thing!! He keeps saying he should retire at 62 because working longer 'doesn't count' but I keep telling him that's wrong. Showing him this thread tonight!

One more important point: While your post-60 earnings do count toward your benefit calculation, there's another consideration for working until your Full Retirement Age. If you claim benefits before your FRA (66 years and 8 months in your case) while still working, you might be subject to the earnings test, which could temporarily reduce your benefits. For 2025, if you're under FRA for the entire year, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 you earn above $22,800. In the year you reach FRA, $1 is withheld for every $3 you earn above $60,480 (only counting earnings before the month you reach FRA). Once you reach your FRA, there's no reduction in benefits regardless of how much you earn. And any benefits withheld due to the earnings test are eventually returned to you in the form of higher monthly payments after you reach FRA.

Not only do they count those years, but if you're like me and took some time off for childcare or had lower earnings early in your career, those last few high-earning years can make a BIG difference in your monthly check! I worked until 68 and my benefit is almost $600/month higher than what the estimate showed when I was 60.

WHAT?!?! Im so confused now because my neighbor swore that only your earnings before 60 count for the calculation and she used to work for the government!!! Why is this so complicated!!