How to use the Social Security earnings test calculator
- 1 Choose whether you are under full retirement age all year or reach it this year.
- 2 Enter your earnings from work; if you reach full retirement age this year, only earnings before that month.
- 3 Enter your monthly benefit.
- 4 Enter the months of benefits this year and read the amount withheld and what you receive.
Worked example
Someone under full retirement age all year who earns $40,000 and is due $1,500 a month. Earnings are $15,520 over the $24,480 limit, so $7,760 is withheld ($1 for every $2). Of the $18,000 due, they receive $10,240: about 6 of the 12 monthly checks are held back. Their benefit is raised at full retirement age to make up for it.
Working while you collect
- Give SSA an earnings estimate and update it if it changes.
- Watch the year you reach full retirement age: the limit is much higher.
- Only wages and self-employment count, not pensions or investments.
- Withheld benefits are not lost: they raise your check later.
Compare claiming ages with the Social Security Calculator, plan income with the Retirement Calculator, and work out pay with the Hourly to Salary Calculator.
Features
2026 limits
$24,480 ($1 per $2) and $65,160 in the year you reach full retirement age ($1 per $3).
Checks held back
Shows how many whole monthly checks Social Security would hold back.
Break-even earnings
The earnings at which your whole benefit for the year would be withheld.
When to use it
Claiming early while working
See whether claiming at 62 is worth it if you keep a job. Compare start ages with the Social Security Calculator.
Part-time work in retirement
Find how much you can earn without losing benefits. Work out pay with the Hourly to Salary Calculator.
The year you turn 67
The limit almost triples in the year you reach full retirement age.
Retirement budgeting
Plan your income with the Retirement Calculator.
Related Savings and Investing tasks
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Security earnings test?
A rule that temporarily reduces retirement benefits for people who claim before full retirement age and earn more than a yearly limit from work. It stops in the month you reach full retirement age.
What are the 2026 earnings limits?
$24,480 a year if you are under full retirement age all year: $1 is withheld for every $2 above it. In the year you reach full retirement age, the limit is $65,160 and $1 is withheld for every $3 above it.
What are the limits for 2027?
Social Security has announced $25,560 for people under full retirement age all year and $67,920 for the year you reach it.
Is the money withheld lost?
No. At full retirement age, Social Security recalculates your benefit to credit the months when benefits were withheld, so your monthly check goes up for life.
What earnings count?
Wages from a job and net earnings from self-employment. Pensions, investment income, interest, IRA withdrawals and other government benefits do not count.
How does Social Security withhold the money?
It usually holds back whole monthly checks from the start of the year until the amount is covered. In the example, about 6 of 12 checks would be held back.
Is there a special rule for the first year?
Yes. In the first year you retire, a monthly test can apply: you get a full benefit for any month you earn under the monthly limit ($2,040 in 2026) and do not work much as self-employed, whatever your yearly earnings.
What is my full retirement age?
67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. It is 66 and some months for people born from 1955 to 1959.
Does the earnings test apply to spousal and survivor benefits?
Yes. It applies to anyone collecting benefits before full retirement age while working. For survivors, the retirement full retirement age is used for the test.
Should I tell Social Security about my earnings?
Yes. Give them an estimate of your earnings for the year, and update it if it changes, so they withhold the right amount and you avoid an overpayment.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Built and reviewed by Hamza Farooq, founder and lead developer
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