Working at 72 - Is there an earnings limit for Social Security benefits now that I'm past FRA?
Quick question for the brain trust here - I turned 72 last month and I'm still working part-time at my daughter's accounting firm (mostly during tax season). I've been receiving Social Security since I was 67, but my financial situation changed recently and I'm thinking about increasing my hours. I vaguely remember something about earnings limits affecting benefits, but wasn't that only before full retirement age? I don't want to mess up my monthly checks by earning too much. Does anyone know if there's still a limit to how much I can earn at my age without it reducing my Social Security payments? Thanks in advance!
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Jessica Suarez
Good news! Once you're past your Full Retirement Age (FRA), which is 66-67 depending on your birth year, there is NO limit on how much you can earn while receiving Social Security benefits. Since you're 72, you're well past FRA, so you can work and earn as much as you want without any reduction to your SS benefits. The earnings limit only applies to people who collect benefits before reaching their FRA.
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Jay Lincoln
•Oh that's fantastic! I thought that was the case but wasn't 100% sure. My neighbor kept insisting I'd lose benefits if I earned over $19,000 or something. So glad I asked. Thanks!
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Marcus Williams
Just be aware you'll probably pay more taxes tho... My dad works while getting SS and he said more of his SS benefits became taxable when his total income went up. I think it depends on your 'combined income' or something
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Jessica Suarez
•You're absolutely right about the taxation issue. While there's no earnings limit after FRA, working can cause more of your Social Security benefits to become taxable. Up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable if your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your SS benefits) exceeds certain thresholds. For individuals, that's $25,000-$34,000 for partial taxation and over $34,000 for maximum taxation. Definitely something to consider when planning work hours.
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Lily Young
I'm in the SAME boat but im 70!!!! Went back to work at Costco last year and was TERRFIED they would cut my social security but NOPE - they don't care how much you make after "full retirement age" (whatever that is for YOU). I earn $22/hr and work about 25 hrs a week and get my FULL social security check every month!!! Isn't that GREAT? Still paying into the system tho which seems unfair but whatever!!!
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Kennedy Morrison
•Actually those payroll taxes you're paying at Costco can potentially increase your benefit amount. SSA recalculates your benefit each year and if your recent earnings replace lower-earning years in your 35-year calculation, your monthly check might go up a bit. Happened to my uncle.
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Wesley Hallow
To contact Social Security directly about your specific situation, I recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I had similar questions about working after FRA, and spent DAYS trying to get through to SSA on my own - kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. With Claimyr, I got a callback from an actual SSA agent in under 20 minutes! They have a video demo showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - definitely worth it to get personalized answers about how your specific earnings might affect your benefits.
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Marcus Williams
•Does this actually work? I tried calling SSA like 5 times last month and kept getting the 'all circuits busy' message
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Wesley Hallow
•Yes, it worked great for me. The SSA agent confirmed what others have said here - no earnings limit after FRA - but also explained some nuances about how my specific pension affected things. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Justin Chang
Everybody is saying there's no limit but my sister-in-law just had her benefits reduced when she started working at Walmart!!! She makes like $1800 a month there and her SS check went down by almost $300!!! So there DEFINITELY IS a limit!!!!
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Jessica Suarez
•Your sister-in-law is likely under her Full Retirement Age. The earnings limit applies ONLY to people who are collecting Social Security benefits before reaching their FRA (which is age 66-67 depending on birth year). Since the original poster is 72, they're well past FRA and there is absolutely no earnings limit that would reduce their benefits. For people under FRA in 2025, the annual limit is approximately $22,320 (it adjusts yearly with inflation), and benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 earned above that limit.
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Grace Thomas
I'm surprised no one mentioned Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) yet. Since you're 72, make sure you're taking your RMDs from any traditional IRAs or 401(k)s you might have. That's completely separate from the earnings limit question, but it's something that kicks in at 72 now and can result in hefty penalties if forgotten. Just another consideration when looking at your overall income picture.
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Jay Lincoln
•Thank you for bringing that up! I actually just took my first RMD a few months ago. My financial advisor helped me set up automatic distributions, so I don't forget. It did bump up my income this year quite a bit compared to previous years.
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Kennedy Morrison
Jus wondering - what kinda work do u do at ur daughters accounting firm? I'm 69 and thinking about working again but not sure what jobs r good for seniors
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Jay Lincoln
•I mainly do client reception and basic admin work during tax season (Jan-April). Not too stressful, flexible hours, and I get to see people all day which I enjoy. The rest of the year I just work about 10 hours a week helping with filing and office organization. It's perfect because I can take time off easily when I want to travel or visit my grandkids.
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Grace Thomas
To summarize what others have said correctly: 1. After Full Retirement Age (FRA): NO earnings limit whatsoever 2. Before FRA: Earnings limit applies ($22,320/year for 2025, with $1 deduction for every $2 over) 3. Year you reach FRA: Higher limit applies ($59,520 for 2025, with $1 deduction for every $3 over), and only earnings before your birthday month count Since you're 72, you're completely free to earn as much as you want with no impact on your Social Security benefits. The only consideration is potential increased taxation of your benefits if your combined income exceeds certain thresholds.
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Jay Lincoln
•This is such a clear breakdown - thank you! I really appreciate everyone's help. I feel much more confident about picking up more hours now.
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