If you’ve happened across some of the headlines about the future of Social Security, you may be thinking we should really be talking about the lack of a future for these benefits.

Follow the news around this topic for any amount of time, and you’ll be hit with some alarming claims. Here’s just a quick sampling:

“The entire Social Security program will be fully depleted…in 2034.”

 “There’s a 0% chance that the government will be able to honor its existing commitments.”

If these warnings have you doubting the availability of Social Security funds to supplement your retirement income, you’re not alone.

A 2016 Transamerica study found 77% of employees felt the same way. American workers reported feeling worried there would be no money left by the time they could leave the workforce and draw their benefits.

But here’s the thing: these concerns may be unfounded.

Is there a legitimate reason to feel alarmed? Are the headlines overdramatic, or do they serve as legitimate warnings?

To answer these questions, you need to understand the history of the Social Security Administration and its benefit program. From there, you can make a more informed, educated prediction for what the future of Social Security will look like — and more importantly, how you can plan for that future.

Where the Social Security Program Started

Social Security’s roots stretch back to the Great Depression, and the program started as a way to ensure financial security for the elderly and disabled.

The SSA started with good intentions. The problem? The system was flawed from the start.

The Social Security program was predicated on the assumption that there would be more workers than retirees to fund the benefits, and that people would continue to live to the same median age.

These assumptions might have been factual at the time the program started. But they’re no longer necessarily true, making the original Social Security setup outdated today.

People live longer these days; in some cases, much longer than they used to. And retiring Baby Boomers who now draw income from Social Security are overloading the system, especially as there aren’t enough younger workers paying into the system to keep it sustainable at current benefit levels.

While politicians have both suggested and actually made policy changes to establish a surplus trust fund, it’s not enough. Social Security is on track to exhaust those funds.

Based on that, it looks like people could face a loss of benefits by 2034.

Where This Prediction of a Loss of Social Security Benefits Comes From

We always hear that 2034 do-or-die date, but where did that forecast come from? And more importantly, is it possible that it could be wrong?

If you pull out your 2018 Social Security Trustees report — all 270 pages of it — you’ll see that they make a series of assumptions that lead them to this projected date.

Broadly speaking, the assumptions fit into three categories: Demographic Assumptions, Economic Assumptions, and Program Specific Assumptions. Here’s what trustees are looking at within these broader categories.

Demographic Assumptions

The first scenario under demographic assumptions that matters for the longevity of the Social Security fund is is the high cost scenario. The question is, what if this specific category doesn’t contribute as much as expected to the trust fund, or takes more from the trust fund than expected? That would make the cost of the program high, and therefore contribute to an earlier date at which the funding dries up.

There’s also a low cost scenario, in which workers actually add more than they take or don’t take as much as expected from the trust fund. In both cases, trustees look at things like fertility rates, mortality rates, and immigration. If fertility rates increase, there will be more individuals to pay into the trust fund. An increased child per woman rate would move the needle towards the low cost. If women start having fewer babies than projected, however, it would mean that fewer future taxes are coming in and would move the needle to the higher cost assumption.

For mortality rates, if people live longer, checks have to be paid out longer, thus moving this toward the higher cost. If life expectancy for the average person drops, the scenario moves towards the lower cost side.

Then there’s immigration. If the rate of immigrants increases, there will be more workers paying payroll taxes and move the needle toward the low cost scenario. If the immigration rate decreases, there will be less taxes paid in.

Economic Assumptions

One of the most important categories is the economic assumptions. There are many here, but two are particularly important to highlight: inflation and unemployment rates.

There are a number of ways that inflation could affect the economy, but the most direct impact to Social Security is through the Cost of Living Amount (“COLA”) adjustments. The Social Security COLA is based on Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (“CPI-W”), which is tied directly to inflation.

If inflation increases, the COLA on benefits will be more than anticipated driving the cost up. If inflation is lower than expected, more money can stay in the trust fund… thus driving us toward a low-cost scenario.

And obviously, if fewer people are employed, there are a number of impacts but one that’s clear is less revenue coming into the trust fund in the form of payroll taxes. If more people are working, there will be more revenue in payroll taxes.

The trustees’ report currently have the high cost scenario at 6.5% unemployment, the intermediate cost is 5.5% and the low cost is 4.5%. But when you look at the actual numbers, we are at 4% unemployment right now and have been for over a year. The trustees want an average, so one year pf data isn’t enough for them to change their assumptions — but if it continues to stay low, it will bode well for the trust fund’s longevity.

Program Specific Assumptions

Under the program specific assumptions, there are a whole slew of sub categories — but the incidence of disability awards has a big impact here. Because a disability benefit is equal to a full retirement age benefit, and is usually paid out for a lot longer than a retirement benefit, the cost will increase substantially if disability awards increase. The trustees are actually predicting that disability benefit awards will increase by around 20%  over the next few years. If it’s more than that the cost will be higher. The inverse will be true if its lower than projected.

If any of these factors swing in the low-cost direction, it will lengthen the life of the trust fund. And if several swing in the low-cost direction? We might not see a shortfall at all.

The Future of Social Security: Will There Be Benefits for You?

I’m not endorsing for people to plan for a best-case scenario, and I do think reforms will be needed no matter what. We need to plan for the worst and go from there. Nothing is certain and right now no one really knows when the trust fund will be empty. Some predict that Baby Boomers can always count on including Social Security in their retirement income, albeit with some minor changes, thanks to one big factor: their voting power. Older voters tend to vote in numbers. Boomers will have a strong voice on this topic and that could influence policy around Social Security. It’s likely going to be younger generations who will face the biggest changes to their benefits, with two of the most probable solutions to the insolvency problem being:

1. A cut to benefits, or,
2. An increase in taxes.

Let’s take a look at each of these potential outcomes could look like for future generations.

Cutting Social Security Benefits

We probably won’t see a universal cut in benefits. The more likely scenario? A cut that varies by age and income bracket. The Social Security Administration could also use means-testing to help evenly distribute benefits based on a demonstrated need. This solution would only affect high-income earners (who may not need Social Security to ensure a secure financial future), but implementing this kind of testing could be cost-prohibitive for the government. The easiest and cheapest option is for the SSA to simply increase the benefit age across the board. Instead of allowing people to collect Social Security benefits at 62, it may make more sense to raise the benefit age to 69 or 70. While this sounds painful, it would correct the original flaw in the system that only accounted for a life expectancy of 58-62 (which falls significantly short of current life expectancy of nearly 79). And remember, retirement and collecting Social Security are two separate events. You can retire before you collect benefits. You just need to do some intentional saving and financial planning to make sure you manage your money well between the time you retire and the age at which you can start drawing benefits.

Increasing Taxes to Fund Social Security

Using higher taxes as a way to keep funding Social Security is the second potential solution to keeping the program solvent. But this comes with its own pros and cons. First, let’s talk about how Social Security tax is calculated. Currently, 6.2% of individual income goes to Social Security. This does not mean, however, that you pay 6.2% tax on every penny you earn, Social Security rates are capped, meaning they are only assessed up to a certain level of income (which is $128,400 as of 2018). Anything above and beyond your first $128,400 is exempt from Social Security tax, which means if you earn above that, you’re contributing a pretty small percentage of your income to the program. Increasing or removing the cap could result in substantial revenue, as would simply increasing the tax rate for everyone across the board. Imposing a 1% increase, every year, for a set number of years can also be a meaningful revenue generator, but may be viewed as excessive taxation. The voting power factor might also come into play here if voters balk at the idea of these across-the-board tax increases.

What the Future of Social Security Means for You

Although there are other proposals beyond these two that could help solve the Social Security problem, these are the two most likely outcomes based on viability. While we can’t say for sure what Social Security will look like in the coming years, we do know it will look different and probably not the same for everyone. Boomers can most likely continue to plan for Social Security as a source of retirement income. Younger workers, though, should be looking to take action now to plan for a worst-case-scenario: no Social Security benefits at all. Speaking with a financial advisor is an excellent way to determine your financial goals and create a retirement plan that can provide you with the peace of mind that relying on Social Security cannot.

Still Have Questions About the Future of Your Social Security Benefits?

If you still have questions, you could leave a comment below, but what may be an even greater help is to join my FREE Facebook members group. It’s very active and has some really smart people who love to answer any questions you may have about Social Security. From time to time I’ll even drop in to add my thoughts, too.  You should also consider joining the 100,000+ subscribers on my YouTube channel! For visual learners (as most of us are), this is where I break down the complex rules and help you figure out how to use them to your advantage.  One last thing that you don’t want to miss: Be sure to get your FREE copy of my Social Security Cheat Sheet. This handy guide takes all of the most important rules from the massive Social Security website and condenses it all down to just one page.

It’s just one little blue, fragile piece of paper — but a lost Social Security card can add up to a lot of trouble. If your card is missing, you need to act now and get a new Social Security card.

Why?

Your card lists out both your full name and Social Security number, and with these two pieces of information, a thief can easily wreak havoc on your finances.

A lost Social Security card is all someone needs to open accounts, file fraudulent tax returns, get healthcare under your name, and a whole lot more. Needless to say, you should keep your card in a safe place (in other words, not your wallet) to prevent accidental loss or theft.

But we all know things happen, even with the best safeguards in place. If your card does go missing, here’s what you need to do.

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Medicare will play an important part in your retirement plan, but it can seem confusing at first. But it’s critical that you learn enough about Medicare to have a basic understanding of the different parts and how they work together.

What Is Medicare?

Medicare is the government-run health program for older or disabled individuals. There are several parts to Medicare, and each part covers different things. The four main parts are:

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Have you ever tried to use a power of attorney for Social Security purposes? If you haven’t, save yourself the trouble. The Social Security Administration will not accept it.

After multiple clients experienced frustration at the Social Security office, I reached out to John Ross, an elder law attorney and co-host of our podcast (Big Picture Retirement) for an explanation and guidance on why powers of attorney (or POAs) don’t fly with the Administration.

Here’s what he told me.

There’s No Such Thing as a Social Security Power of Attorney

John Ross explained that there is no “Social Security Power of Attorney.” Powers of attorney are creations of state law and vary wildly from state to state, Ross added.

“Since the federal agencies like the SSA do not want to have to separately review POAs based on both the facts and circumstances of their creation and the various state laws that may be applicable, these agencies have taken the position that they will not accept a POA under any circumstances,” said Ross.

He explained that the Social Security Administration developed federal regulations related to incapacitated beneficiaries of federal programs and established criteria under who the agency will deal with. “Since federal law trumps state law,” he added, “there is nothing an agent under a power of attorney can do to alter this structure.”

How to Help Someone with Their Social Security When POAs Don’t Work

That’s reason for concern if you’re a friend or family member of someone who struggles to manage their Social Security 100% on their own. How do you help someone with their Social Security issues if the SSA won’t accept a POA?

Essentially, anyone who wants to assist someone receiving Social Security benefits who needs help will have two options:

1. Obtain a court appointment as the Social Security beneficiary’s guardian.
2. Apply to the SSA to become the representative payee for the Social Security benefits.

Let’s look at each option in more detail:

Option #1: Obtain a Court Appointment as Guardian

Warning: This is not your best option.

One way to approach the Social Security Administration is with a court-appointed guardianship. This is an expensive, time-consuming process — but agencies such as the SSA are required to deal with a beneficiary’s court appointed guardian.

First, you’ll have to hire an attorney to file a petition for a guardianship hearing. Depending on your state, this process could take a long time.

The court will have to examine expert findings, such as doctor’s statements, declare that the individual is incompetent, and appoint a guardian. The court then transfers the responsibility for managing all living arrangements, and medical decisions to the guardian.

Then, in many cases, the court will require the guardian to provide regular, detailed financial accounting reports to the court. In most cases, becoming a court-appointed guardian is a complicated, expensive solution.

There’s a much easier way to help someone who may need it:

Option #2: Become a Representative Payee

The second option is applying to become a representative payee. This program is specific to the Social Security Administration, and it allows an individual to manage the Social Security payments of a beneficiary who is incapable of managing his or her own Social Security.

Thankfully, this option is nowhere near as burdensome as applying for guardianship. This is the best solution! It is faster, free, and doesn’t come with all of the encumbrances of a court appointment.

The steps to becoming a representative payee is as follows:

1. Fill out (or least review) SSA 11 Request to be Selected as Payee form.
2. Schedule a meeting with your local Social Security office.
3. Wait on the review process performed by the SSA.

Here are the instructions that the Social Security gives to their technicians in deciding who the payee will be:

“Each payee application must be reviewed and evaluated individually to determine the best payee. All applicants must be carefully screened and considered before a selection is made to ensure that the beneficiary’s best interest is served. In determining the best payee choice, consider all factors, including the applicant’s relationship to the beneficiary, the applicant’s interest in the beneficiary’s well being and whether or not the applicant has custody of the beneficiary.”

Once you are approved as a representative payee, you should receive the publication titled A Guide For Representative Payees.

The Advance Designation of Representative Payee

In the past, a representative payee could not be appointed until the point of need. But now, an individual can designate up to three people who could serve as a representative payee if the need ever arises.

This designation can be updated or withdrawn at any time and the SSA will send a notice each year listing the advance designees for review.

The good news is that it’s really easy to get this done. On the mySSA account, simply navigate to the link

Understanding Your Responsibility as a Representative Payee Report

The SSA requires that a representative payee file an annual accounting called the Representative Payee Report. This report details what you, as the representative payee, have done with the beneficiary’s funds during the previous year.

If you have kept accurate records of the beneficiary’s funds over the course of the year, the report will be very easy to fill out. Commingling funds, or not keeping accurate records of expenditures, can lead to an incredible headache when it comes time to file the report. And not filing the report at all could lead to your removal as representative payee.

So who can become a representative payee? The Administration maintains a list of preferred individuals. This list is in their preferred order of representative selection.

Payee Preference List For Adults

When you determine that the beneficiary needs a representative payee, select the best payee available from this list of preferred applicants:

1. A spouse, parent or other relative with custody or who shows strong concern;
2. A legal guardian/conservator with custody or who shows strong concern;
3. A friend with custody;
4. A public or nonprofit agency or institution;
5. A Federal or State institution;
6. A statutory guardian
7. A voluntary conservator
8. A private, for-profit institution with custody and is licensed under State law;
9. A friend without custody, but who shows strong concern for the beneficiary’s well-being, including persons with power of attorney;
10. Anyone not listed above who is qualified and able to act as payee, and who is willing to do so;
11. An organization that charges a fee for its service.

Payee Preference Lists For Minor Children

When the beneficiary is a minor child, select the best payee available from this list of preferred applicants:

1. A natural or adoptive parent with custody;
2. A legal guardian;
3. A natural or adoptive parent without custody, but who shows strong concern;
4. A relative or stepparent with custody;
5. A close friend with custody and provides for the child’s needs;
6. A relative or close friend without custody, but who shows strong concern;
7. An authorized social agency or custodial institution; or
8. Anyone not listed above who shows strong concern for the child, is qualified, and able to act as payee, and who is willing to do so.

When you’re dealing with a relative or friend who can no longer manage their own financial matters, everyday activities are complicated. It would be really nice if the Social Security Administration would just accept a power of attorney. But since they won’t, being designated a Social Security Representative Payee is the simplest way to help with Social Security issues

That being said, if you’re dealing with Social Security benefits as a representative payee and feel overwhelmed, I know how difficult and isolated it can make you feel.

It can seem that no one understands your predicament and can’t give you the answer you need. What may help is to join my FREE Facebook members group. It’s very active and has some really smart people who love to answer any questions you may have about Social Security. From time to time I’ll even drop in to add my thoughts, too.

You should also consider joining the nearly 400,000+ subscribers on my YouTube channel. For visual learners (as most of us are), this is where I break down the complex rules and help you figure out how to use them to your advantage. 

One last thing that you don’t want to miss: Be sure to get your FREE copy of my Social Security Cheat Sheet. This handy guide takes all of the most important rules from the massive Social Security website and condenses it all down to just one page.

A few years ago I saw a startling headline. It read, “Obama Administration Finalizes Social Security Gun Ban.” The sub-headline read, “On Monday the Obama administration finalized a Social Security gun ban that could prevent ‘tens of thousands’ of law-abiding elderly citizens from purchasing guns for self-defense.”

It didn’t take much browsing to find more headlines that were equally disturbing:

Obama’s Secret Plan To Block Seniors On Social Security From Owning Guns on Breitbart

SPREAD THIS: Obama Makes Huge Move to BAN Social Security Recipients From Owning Guns  on Conservative Tribune

Obama to Ban Thousands of Senior Citizens from Owning Firearms on GunOwners.org

Since then I’ve seen headlines like these pop back up anytime there is a mass shooting.

With provocative headlines like these, it’s no wonder that I get lots of comments from worried retirees. Will seniors really be forced to surrender their firearms before they can receive Social Security payments?

As with many sensational headlines, this headline contains enough truth to keep it from being a flat out lie. However, that’s not the same as being accurate. Not even close.

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Note: The Social Security earnings limit changes each year. The most current version of this article uses numbers for 2023.

At one of my first speaking engagements, I heard a great story from one of the attendees. Her experience provides us with one of the best examples I’ve ever heard of how much the Social Security income limit can catch you by surprise. 

A few years earlier, she’d been at her bridge club when the topic turned to Social Security. As she and the other card players chatted about the best way to leverage Social Security Benefits, the consensus around the table seemed to be that filing at 62 was the smartest thing to do. 

This lady, trusting the advice of some of her closest friends, did just that: She filed for benefits as soon as she turned 62. 

She then told me she’d always wanted to buy a brand-new Toyota Camry. She figured that, once she started receiving Social Security income, it would be the perfect time to buy the car. She was still working, which meant her Social Security check would be extra income. 

As she told the story to me, she bought the car and took out a car loan to do it. She planned to repay the loan using some of the income she expected to receive from her Social Security benefits since she filed for them.

Imagine her surprise, then, when a nasty letter from Social Security Administration showed up in her mailbox.  The letter claimed she had been paid benefits that she was not eligible for!

The Social Security Administration not only asked her to pay the benefits back, but also informed her that future benefits would be suspended due to her income. 

Now she had a new car and a car loan, without the Social Security benefits she planned to use to handle that monthly payment. What happened here?

Something that surprises more than just the poor Camry owner who approached me that day: the Social Security income limit. 

What Is the Social Security Income Limit? 

The earnings limit is also known as the income limit, or the earnings test. The official term is “earnings test,” but income limit and earnings limit are the terms that you’ll hear most often.

For our purposes, know that all these terms mean the same thing — and there are four quick facts about the Social Security income limit that you should know before we jump all the way into explaining the test or limit: 

1. Be aware that we are talking about Social Security income limits for retirement benefits, not disability or SSI. 
2. The earnings limit on Social Security is not the same as income taxes on Social Security. Don’t get the two confused! 
3. The earnings limit does not apply if you file for benefits at your full retirement age or beyond. These limits only apply to those who begin taking Social Security benefits before reaching full retirement age. 
4. The earnings limit is an individual limit. If you are still working, and your spouse is drawing Social Security, your earnings will not count towards their income limit. 

Why We Have An Earnings Limit 

Not long ago, a viewer on my YouTube channel asked me to give her a good reason why we have the Social Security earnings limit. The comments that followed showed how many viewers shared the belief that the earnings limit is unfair and should be eliminated. 

In my response, I explained that the rationale behind the entire program of Social Security was to create a safety net. The original intent of the Social security program was not to supplement retirement income, but to keep the elderly (most of whom lost any potential long-term wealth in the Great Depression) out of poverty. 

I also added that today’s earnings limit is relatively generous compared to where the Social Security earnings limit began. The original Economic Security Bill (which is what the Social Security Act was originally called) President Roosevelt sent to Congress featured a very restrictive earnings limit.

That bill stated, “No person shall receive such old-age annuity unless . . . He is not employed by another in a gainful occupation.”

Whoa! This means that if you had even a single dollar in wages from a job, you could not collect a Social Security benefit at all. 

(If you’re curious, you can read more about the history of the Social Security earnings limit here.)

Thankfully, the system we have in place today allows for individuals to have some earnings from work while they are receiving a Social Security benefit.

However, it’s very important to stay informed on the dollar amount of this limit because it changes every year. 

For 2023, the Social Security earnings limit is $21,240. For every $2 you exceed that limit, $1 will be withheld in benefits.

The exception to this dollar limit is in the calendar year that you will reach full retirement age. For the period between January 1 and the month you attain full retirement age, the income limit increases to $56,520 (for 2023) without a reduction in benefits. For every $3 you exceed that limit, $1 will be withheld in benefits.

This means that if you have a birthday in July, you’ll have a 6 month period with an increased income limit before it’s dropped completely at your full retirement age. This increased limit and decreased withholding amount allow many individuals to retire at the beginning of the calendar year in which they attain full retirement age, rather than waiting until their actual birthdays. 

Again, once you reach full retirement age, there is no reduction in benefits regardless of your income level. 

A Real-Life Example of the Social Security Income Limit in Action

To put these numbers into context, let’s look at an example of how this might work in a real-life scenario:

Rosie is 64 years old. She started taking Social Security benefits as soon as she turned 62. Based on her birth year, her full retirement age is 66.

Right now, Rosie is eligible for $20,000 in Social Security benefits per year. She also worked during the year and made $31,240 in wages.

The question we want to understand is, how much was Rosie’s benefit reduced by working while on Social Security? To answer that, we first need to calculate how much Rosie was over the Social Security earnings limit for her age.

In 2022, Rosie filed for Social Security; she received her first check in January of 2023. Throughout the year she received $1,667 in benefits every month. Without knowing the rules, she also worked and earned $31,240 in wages.

With a Social Security earnings limit of $21,240, she was over by $10,000:

$31,240 Total Wages – the Social Security Income Limit of $21,240 = $10,000 Income in excess Of limit

Because this is a full calendar year during which Rosie is receiving benefits but is not yet full retirement age, the benefits reduction amount is $1 reduction for every $2 in excess wages. Since she was over the limit by $10,000, her benefits will be reduced by $5,000.

The benefit reduction calculation would appear as follows:

$10,000 Income in Excess of Limit x 50% ($1 reduction for every $2 over limit) equals a $5,000 Benefit Reduction

With a $5,000 benefits reduction for exceeding the income limits, Rosie’s $20,000 yearly Social Security benefit will be reduced to a $15,000 benefit for the year. In the following year, she would attain her full retirement age and after her birthday, the limit would no longer apply.

How Does The Income Limit Affect Spousal, Survivor, or Children’s Benefits? 

There are millions of individuals who receive benefits as an “auxiliary” of a retired or disabled worker. These auxiliary beneficiaries are also subject to the same earnings test.

See the chart below for more detail on how the limits are applied to each type of benefit.

Special Monthly Income Limit Rule for the First Year (or, Your Grace Year) 

Many people who retire mid-year have already earned more income than the limit allows. This is why there is a special rule where the earnings limit switches from an annual limit to a monthly limit. (These monthly limits are 1/12 of the annual limit.)

This rule allows you to receive a check for any month you are considered “retired” by the SSA even if you have already exceeded the annual earnings limit.

That sounds straightforward enough — but the interpretation of “retired” as defined by the SSA can cause some confusion. Here’s what they mean by this term:

You are retired if your monthly earnings are 1/12 of the annual limit ($1,770 for 2023) or less and you did not perform substantial services in self-employment.

Essentially, you are considered retired unless you make more than the income limit. The rule for the year you reach full retirement age also applies when working with the monthly limit. In this calendar year for 2023, the limit is $4,710 (1/12 of $56,520).

It’s very important to remember that in the year following this first year, the monthly limit is no longer used and the earnings limit is based solely on your annual earnings limit. 

How the Earnings Limit Is Applied 

The most confusing part of the benefit reduction due to income is how it’s reflected in your monthly benefits deposits. Instead of taking out a little bit every month, the SSA will withhold several months of benefits at a time.

If you predict in advance that you will have excess earnings and report this to the Social Security Administration, they may take a few months of benefits before you actually earn the anticipated excess earnings.

For example, if your Social Security payment is $1,667 per month, and you expect to receive $31,240 in wages from your job, the Administration would calculate that you’ll be over your earnings limit by $10,000 and thus $5,000 in benefits should be withheld. So, they would withhold your benefit payment from January to March. In April, your checks would resume. 

If you don’t report excess income before you earn it, then you have to report this information after the fact. You can do this when you file your income tax return, but the preferred method is to be proactive and call your local Social Security Administration office.

If you wait for the Social Security Administration to learn of your excess earnings via your tax return, there could be a significant gap between the time you earn the excess income and the time that they withhold your benefits. In most cases, it’s better to report the excess earnings quickly so the benefits reduction occurs closer to the time you actually earn that extra income.

Regardless of whether your benefits are withheld in advance or in arrears, benefits withholding can make budgeting and planning difficult, especially if you don’t understand the system. You may need to create a separate savings account to set some of those earnings aside to compensate for benefits withholding that will occur in the future. 

What Kind of Income Counts as Earnings?

The Social Security income limit applies only to gross wages and net earnings from self-employment. All other income is exempt, including pensions, interest, annuities, IRA distributions, and capital gains.

The term “wages” refers to your gross wages. This is the money that you earn before any deductions, including taxes, retirement contributions, or other deductions. 

If you want to see a more in-depth conversation about what counts as income for the earnings limit, see my article on the Social Security Income Limit: What Counts as Income?

What to Do If Your Benefits Are Already Being Withheld 

If you’re subject to the Social Security earnings limit, don’t wait for the SSA to start reducing the benefit you receive. Instead, I’d recommend voluntarily suspending benefits.

If you wait for the Social Security Administration to discover that you’ve earned too much working while receiving benefits, your risk of an overpayment notice is higher.

Either way, you aren’t missing payments that you’ll never get back. Your benefit amount will be recalculated at your full retirement age (or when you stop working) to reflect the months that benefits were withheld. 

The best way to avoid the earnings limitation is to wait until full retirement age to file for benefits. If you can’t wait, make sure you have a clear understanding of how working impacts your Social Security benefits.

If you still have questions, you could leave a comment below, but what may be an even greater help is to join my FREE Facebook members group. It’s very active and has some really smart people who love to answer any questions you may have about Social Security. From time to time I’ll even drop in to add my thoughts, too. 

You should also consider joining the nearly 400,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel! For visual learners (as most of us are), this is where I break down the complex rules and help you figure out how to use them to your advantage. 

One last thing that you don’t want to miss: Be sure to get your FREE copy of my Social Security Cheat Sheet. This handy guide takes all of the most important rules from the massive Social Security website and condenses it all down to just one page.

Social Security credits are the building blocks that the Social Security Administration relies on to determine whether or not you qualify for one of its programs.  In 2021, you receive one credit for each $1,470 of earnings, up to the maximum of four credits per year. The amount of earnings needed to earn a credit increases annually as average wage levels increase.

One stipulation is that your earnings must be subject to Social Security tax to count for a credit.  In exchange for this tax, you are eligible for the following important benefits:

• Social Security Retirement Benefits
• Social Security Disability Benefits
• Social Security Survivor Benefits
• Medicare

Each of these programs have different requirements for the number of credits to gain eligibility.  Here’s a quick look at the eligibility for each. 

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“Do stay at home moms get Social Security benefits?”

My wife asked me that question a few weeks ago after the topic came up over lunch with friends. She thought she knew the answer, but after hearing the varied opinions of her friends she was confused.

Here’s how I explained it to her in one sentence.

“Social Security benefits are paid to eligible spouses and children if the working spouse becomes disabled, dies or retires.”

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