Ask Larry

How Much Can I Earn Next Year Without Losing Benefits?

I will be 66 on 5/25/20. What would my earnings limitation be if i apply for ss benefit in January 2020 ?
I was told $44,000 from jan to june which means I can collect ss and continue to work with out losing ss money.

Hi,

Social Security hasn't yet announced the earnings test exempt amounts for 2020, so I can't give you an exact figure. The 2019 exempt amount for people reaching full retirement age (FRA) this year is $46,920, though, so you'll probably be able to earn at least that much from January 1st through April 30th of 2020 without losing any benefits. That would only matter if you claim benefits before May, though, because you can earn any amount starting with the first day of the month that you reach FRA without losing benefits.

However, drawing benefits for months prior to your FRA will cause you to receive a reduced benefit rate for the rest of your life, and could also limit the rate that your spouse could receive as a survivor if you're married and die before your spouse. Before filing, you may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) in order to explore and compare your options so that you can choose the best possible strategy for claiming your benefits.

Best, Jerry

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Posted: 
Sep 27 2019 - 4:20pm
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