Getting Social Security checks and working at the same time? Here are the new rules you must know for 2026

Whether by prime oregon necessity, a increasing fig of American seniors are moving good into their aureate years. As of 2024, 23.4% of men and 16.2% of women implicit the property of 65 were inactive employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (1).

Many of these seniors are besides collecting Social Security benefits portion astatine work. According to the Center for Retirement Research astatine Boston College, astir 40% of individuals enactment aft claiming benefits, often for respective years (2).

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The strategy allows beneficiaries to gain immoderate employment income, but lone up to a definite limit. Beyond these thresholds, benefits are clawed backmost and withheld. If you’re successful this situation, knowing however the rules enactment and what the threshold is for income successful 2026 could beryllium a cardinal portion of your fiscal plans.

Here’s what you request to know.

Working portion collecting benefits is permitted. However, income from your enactment could interaction your benefits depending connected your property and level of income.

If you’re beneath Full Retirement Age (FRA), you tin gain up to $24,480 successful 2026 without impacting your benefits (3). This threshold is adjusted each twelvemonth and is presently 1,080 higher than the erstwhile year. For each $2 you gain supra this threshold, the Social Security Administration (SSA) volition withhold $1 successful benefits.

These earning restrictions are greatly relaxed successful the calendar twelvemonth you scope FRA. If you scope FRA successful 2026, you tin gain up to $65,160 — $3,000 much than the erstwhile twelvemonth — earlier your benefits are impacted. The withholding complaint is besides much generous for beneficiaries who scope FRA successful 2026. The SSA volition withhold lone $1 for each $3 successful net supra this threshold.

Once you scope FRA and beyond, the income bounds nary longer applies. You tin gain immoderate magnitude without impacting your benefits.

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Retirees astir apt person aggregate sources of income, and fortunately, the SSA doesn’t see each forms of income for its net test. Simply put, lone earned income is utilized for the test. That means immoderate wages, salaries oregon bonuses you gain from your employer. If you’re self-employed, lone nett income is considered for the net test.