Benefits Planner: Retirement | Receiving Benefits While Working (2024)

FAQs

Can you get retirement benefits if you are still working? ›

You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full benefits. If you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than the yearly earnings limit, we may reduce your benefit amount.

Each year we review the records for all Social Security beneficiaries who work. If your latest year of earnings turns out to be 1 of your highest years, we refigure your benefit and pay you any increase due. This is an automatic process, and benefits are paid in December of the following year.

The year after you hit full retirement age

After the year in which you hit full retirement age, there is no limit on what you can earn while collecting Social Security retirement benefits.

The limit only applies if you claim Social Security before reaching your full retirement age. The earnings limit increases (to $56,520 in 2023) for the calendar year in which you'll reach full retirement age. Starting in the month you hit your full retirement age, there is no longer an earnings limit.

Typically, you can't close an employer-sponsored 401k while you're still working there. You could elect to suspend payroll deductions but would lose the pre-tax benefits and any employer matches. In some cases, if your employer allows, you can make an in-service withdrawal if you've reached the age of 59 ½.

If you also continue to work, you will be able to receive your full retirement benefits and any increase resulting from your additional earnings when we recalculate your benefits. Once you reach full retirement age, your earnings do not affect your benefit amount.

The Social Security five-year rule is the time period in which you can file for an expedited reinstatement after your Social Security disability benefits have been terminated completely due to work.

Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

Your benefits may increase when you work: As long as you continue to work, even if you are receiving benefits, you will continue to pay Social Security taxes on your earnings. However, we will check your record every year to see whether the additional earnings you had will increase your monthly benefit.

There is no age at which you will no longer be taxed on Social Security payments. So, if those payments when combined with your other forms of income, exceed one of the two thresholds, then you will have to pay at least federal taxes on either 50% or 85% of the benefits you receive.

Is it better to take Social Security at 62 or 67? ›

If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase. If you start receiving benefits early, your benefits are reduced a small percent for each month before your full retirement age.

You have to pay income tax on your pension and on withdrawals from any tax-deferred investments—such as traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s and similar retirement plans, and tax-deferred annuities—in the year you take the money. The taxes that are due reduce the amount you have left to spend.

You Have the Chance to Enjoy it Longer

Compounding this is that the stress of work can actually contribute to health issues, so if you stop working sooner, you may remain healthier longer. No longer having to work means you have time to work on yourself!

The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960 until it reaches 67. For anyone born 1960 or later, full retirement benefits are payable at age 67. The chart on the next page lists the full retirement age by year of birth.

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time. However, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, we will reduce your benefits. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, we will not reduce your benefits no matter how much you earn.

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time. However, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, we will reduce your benefits. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, we will not reduce your benefits no matter how much you earn.

Starting with the month you reach your FRA, there is no limit on how much you can earn and still receive benefits. (As a reminder, you receive your largest monthly benefit by delaying retirement until age 70 but not beyond, so it never makes sense to wait past that age.)

Learn more about credits at www.ssa.gov/planners/credits.html. Although you need at least 10 years of work (40 credits) to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, we base the amount of your benefit on your highest 35 years of earnings.

Deduct what you'll get from Social Security

The general rule is that Social Security benefits replace about 40% of pre-retirement income. With $30,000 in annual income, that means you could receive an estimated $12,000 per year in Social Security payments, without adjusting for inflation.