I am planning on starting Social Security when I reach 65 in March 2024. My question is would income earnings from Jan, 2024 till my first SS check will impact my Social Security earnings for 2024?

Hi. The answer is basically yes. The annual earnings test counts all of your calendar year earnings, regardless of what month you claim benefits. However, there is a separate monthly earnings test that can be used in the first year of your entitlement to benefits as an alternate to the annual test. In 2022, for example, people who claim benefits before full retirement age (FRA) can be paid for any month they earn no more than $1630, regardless of how much they earn in the calendar year (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/rule.html).

Before you decide when to claim your benefits, you should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully compare and analyze all of your various options so that you can determine the best possible strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry