{"id":20755,"date":"2025-02-28T10:11:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T16:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/?p=20755"},"modified":"2026-01-31T16:20:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T22:20:27","slug":"how-much-can-you-earn-on-social-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/how-much-can-you-earn-on-social-security\/","title":{"rendered":"How much can you earn while on Social Security?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After paying into Social Security for years, you want to be certain that when the time comes, you\u2019ll receive the maximum benefit available. But what if you\u2019d like to keep working, too? Beyond the financial implications, plenty of older Americans find social and emotional value in continuing to work. A Pew Research Center report<\/a> found that 65% of employees 65 and older described their jobs as \u201cenjoyable,\u201d while 68% said their work was \u201cfulfilling,\u201d making this age group the most optimistic among all U.S. workers surveyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you continue working while collecting Social Security, the impact on your benefits depends on two things: your age and how much you earn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the full retirement age?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, you\u2019ll need to determine the age at which you become eligible for full Social Security benefits. Full retirement age ranges between 66 and 67, down to the month, depending on the year you were born. For many people\u2014those born in or after 1960\u2014the full retirement age is 67, per the Social Security Administration<\/a> (SSA). If you were born in 1959, you\u2019ll reach full retirement age at 66 years and 10 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind: The SSA stipulates<\/a> that you can start receiving Social Security benefits as young as age 62. However, drawing Social Security this early will permanently reduce benefits by as much as 30%, depending on when you were born and how far you are from full retirement age<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, per the SSA<\/a>, you can increase your benefit amount if you wait beyond full retirement age to tap into Social Security. Your benefits stop increasing at age 70, even if you continue to delay receiving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much can I make while on Social Security?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve reached full retirement age, there\u2019s no SSA-defined limit<\/a> to how much you can earn while receiving full Social Security benefits. If you\u2019re drawing benefits before that, however, you\u2019ll need to monitor your income<\/a>, as making money while on social security can impact your bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s included in my income?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When figuring any deductions to your benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA)<\/a> considers your earnings to include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n