How much money can you make in 2022 and draw social security

How much money can you make in 2022 and draw social security

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Working while you are retired can make a difference in boosting your income and is a good way to fill your days. And having a job, even a part-time one, often helps with the transition from worker to retiree. However, there is a limit to what older workers can make and still receive full Social Security benefits.

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According to the Social Security Administration, you are considered retired once you begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits. Upon reaching full retirement age — 66 or 67 depending on if you were born before or after 1960 — you don’t have to worry about work earnings affecting your benefits. That’s one of the bonuses of waiting: You can earn as much as you want without the penalty of having your Social Security income withheld.

If you’re under the full retirement age, however, the annual earnings limit is $19,560 for 2022. If you earn more than this, the SSA will deduct $1 for every $2 you have earned above the limit.

In the year that you reach the age of full retirement, the deduction will be $1 for every $3 you earn above the limit. In 2022 the limit stands at $51,960. The earnings calculation is made up to the month before the month you reach retirement age, not your total yearly earnings.

The SSA gives examples to illustrate both scenarios.

Say you are younger than the full retirement age for a full year and are due to receive $800 a month, or $9,600 per year, in benefits. If you work and earn $29,560, which is $10,000 over the $19,560 limit, your Social Security benefits would be reduced by $5,000 — $1 for every $2 over the limit. So, you would receive $4,600 of your $9,600 in benefits for the year.

Using the same hypothetical benefit amount, say you reach full retirement age in August, and you make $63,000 during the year, with $52,638 of it in the seven months from January through July. That would be $678 over the $51,960 limit. Your Social Security payments would be reduced by $226 in January through July — $1 for every $3 you earned above the limit.

Come August, when you reach full retirement age, you would receive your full benefit regardless of what you earn.

When the SSA calculates how much to deduct from your benefits, it counts the wages you make from your job or, if you are self-employed, your net profit, including bonuses, commissions and vacation pay. It doesn’t count pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, veterans benefits or other government or military retirement benefits, according to the SSA’s “How Work Affects Your Benefits” publication.

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It should be noted that the benefits you lose when you are under full retirement age are not lost completely. You’ll receive previously withheld benefits after you reach your full retirement age. However, drawing Social Security benefits early means lower benefits later in life.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Can I Earn In 2022 and Still Collect Social Security?

You can earn any amount and not be affected by the Social Security earnings test once you reach full retirement age, or FRA. That's 66 and 2 months if you were born in 1955, 66 and 4 months for people born in 1956, and gradually increasing to 67 for people born in 1960 and later.

In 2022, if you collect benefits before full retirement age and continue to work, the Social Security Administration will temporarily withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn over $19,560. If you will reach FRA in 2022, the earnings limit goes up to $51,960, and $1 is deducted from your benefits for every $3 you earn over that. Once you actually attain full retirement age, the earnings limit goes away.

The only Social Security benefits affected by working after reaching full retirement age are benefits paid to disabled adult children collecting on a parent’s earnings record.

Keep in mind

If you did have benefits withheld before reaching full retirement age due to work income, you can recoup them afterward. When you hit full retirement age, Social Security bumps up your monthly benefit to make up, over time, for the withholding.

Updated December 23, 2021

How much money can I make without affecting my Social Security?

If you're younger than full retirement age, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full Social Security benefits. If you're younger than full retirement age during all of 2022, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earn above $19,560.

Can I work full time at 66 and collect Social Security?

When you reach your full retirement age, you can work and earn as much as you want and still get your full Social Security benefit payment. If you're younger than full retirement age and if your earnings exceed certain dollar amounts, some of your benefit payments during the year will be withheld.

What is the max you can earn on Social Security in 2022?

Although his earnings for the year substantially exceed the 2022 annual limit ($19,560), John will receive a Social Security payment for July, August and September.

Can I draw Social Security at 62 and still work full time?

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time before your full retirement age. However your benefits will be reduced if you earn more than the yearly earnings limits.