Yes, you can work and collect Social Security retirement benefits. Before full retirement age, earnings above the annual limit can cause Social Security to withhold some benefits. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, that earnings limit goes away.
The practical question is how much benefit income will actually reach your bank account while you are working. That matters if you are counting on both a paycheck and Social Security to cover the bills.
This guide covers the U.S. retirement earnings test. SSI, disability benefits and work outside the United States have different rules.
How much can you earn in 2026 and 2027?
Use the row for the year you earn the money and your full retirement age status. These are earnings-test limits, not limits on what you are allowed to earn.
| Your situation | Annual earnings limit |
|---|---|
| 2026: under full retirement age all year | $24,480 |
| 2027: under full retirement age all year | $25,560 |
| 2026: reach full retirement age during the year | $65,160 |
| 2027: reach full retirement age during the year | $67,920 |
- Under full retirement age all year: SSA withholds $1 for every $2 above the limit.
- Reach full retirement age during the year: SSA withholds $1 for every $3 above the higher limit, counting only earnings before the month you reach full retirement age.
From the month you reach full retirement age, work earnings no longer reduce benefits under this test.
Both years’ figures appear in SSA’s official 2027 fact sheet.
Full retirement age is 67 for people born January 2, 1960, or later. Earlier birth dates follow SSA’s schedule. Check SSA’s full retirement age calculator before using the table; turning 65 or starting Medicare does not necessarily end the earnings test.
What does the withholding look like?
Here is a simplified example using the 2027 rule. Suppose you are below full retirement age all year and earn $35,560 in wages:
- Annual wages: $35,560.
- Subtract the $25,560 limit: $10,000 above the limit.
- Divide by two: $5,000 in calculated benefit withholding.
That is an illustration of the annual calculation, not a payment schedule. SSA may withhold whole monthly checks while applying the test and make adjustments later. Your actual payments depend on your benefit amount and circumstances. Ask SSA what to expect before building your monthly budget around a reduced check. See How Work Affects Your Benefits.
Which income counts?
For this test, SSA generally counts gross wages, before deductions, and net earnings from self-employment. Bonuses, commissions and vacation pay can count too. Do not assume that working part time or being paid as a contractor puts the income outside the rule.
Pensions, annuities, investment income and interest do not count as work earnings for this test. That does not make them tax-free. SSA explains the distinction in its working while receiving benefits guide.
If you receive a payment after retiring for work you did earlier, ask SSA how it should be treated. The date money arrives is not always enough to determine the answer.
What if you retire partway through the year?
A high salary before retirement does not automatically mean you must go without benefits for the rest of that year.
SSA has a special monthly rule, usually for one year, that may allow a full retirement benefit for a whole month it considers you retired even when annual earnings exceed the limit.
Under this special rule, the monthly earnings amounts are:
| Your situation | 2026 monthly amount | 2027 monthly amount |
|---|---|---|
| Below full retirement age all year | $2,040 | $2,130 |
| Reaching full retirement age that year, for qualifying months before full retirement age | $5,430 | $5,660 |
A qualifying month must also involve no substantial services in self-employment. SSA considers your work activity, not just the business’s profit. Ask SSA to apply its special first-year rule to your circumstances. The amounts appear in SSA’s 2027 fact sheet. This is not a monthly allowance everyone can use year after year.
Are withheld benefits lost forever?
At full retirement age, SSA recalculates retirement benefits to credit months when the earnings test caused all or part of a benefit to be withheld. This reduces the early-claiming reduction for those months and can increase future monthly payments. It does not guarantee a lump-sum refund or recovery of every withheld dollar over your lifetime.
The adjustment does not erase early-claiming reductions for months when benefits were paid without an earnings-test deduction. See SSA’s explanation of the adjustment and its guidance on adjusting the reduction factor.
Before you change your work schedule
- Confirm your full retirement age and the earnings limit for the correct year.
- Estimate gross wages or net self-employment earnings, including expected bonuses.
- Tell SSA when your expected earnings change and ask how payments will be handled.
- Keep the earnings estimate and SSA notices with your budget records.
- Check income taxes separately. Being below the earnings-test limit does not establish whether your benefits are taxable.
For the separate tax question, use IRS Publication 915. If you are planning with a spouse, also consider how household income could change after a death; our Social Security survivor-income guide addresses that different decision.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work full time and receive Social Security?
Yes. Under the usual annual earnings test, countable earnings matter more than whether a job is called full time or part time. Self-employment hours can also matter under the special monthly rule described above. Beginning with your full retirement age month, work earnings no longer reduce benefits under the retirement earnings test.
Does my pension count toward the earnings limit?
A pension does not count as work earnings under this test. Pension income may still affect taxes and other income-based calculations.
Do survivor benefits have the same earnings test?
Work can affect survivor benefits too. SSA uses your full retirement age for retirement benefits when applying the earnings test, which may differ from your survivor-benefit full retirement age. Ask SSA which rule applies to you.
Should I stop working to stay below the limit?
The limit alone cannot answer that. Compare the wages you would give up, benefits temporarily withheld, taxes and your longer-term plans before changing your hours. Ask SSA for the benefit calculation and a qualified adviser for individual financial or tax advice.
A useful next step
Write down the monthly income your household needs, then separate wages, Social Security and other income. Use the actual expected benefit payments when checking whether the plan covers your bills.
For a general insurance-education question, contact ShieldWise. For questions about your Social Security payments, contact SSA. Please keep Social Security numbers, benefit statements, tax returns and private financial records out of the general inquiry form.
This article provides general education, not individual insurance, investment, legal or tax advice. SSA determines benefit eligibility and payments. Rules and annual limits can change.