Picking up a part-time job after 65 provides extra cash, but it directly affects your Social Security payments if you have already claimed benefits. Your earnings can trigger benefit withholding, alter your tax bracket, or permanently boost your future payout.

The critical factor is your Full Retirement Age, which is 67 for anyone turning 65 today. Earning wages before reaching that milestone subjects your benefits to strict government limits.

Knowing how the earnings test operates ensures you keep more of your hard-earned pay while maximizing your retirement income.

The Essentials: Working After 65 at a Glance

Before reviewing the details, examine the foundational rules that apply when you collect benefits and earn wages simultaneously.

• Full Retirement Age (FRA): Age 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
• Annual Earnings Limit (2026): $24,480 ($2,040 per month); the 2025 limit was $23,400.
• Under FRA Withholding Rate: $1 withheld for every $2 earned above the threshold.
• Year Reaching FRA Limit (2026): $65,160 ($5,430 per month); the 2025 limit was $62,160.
• Year Reaching FRA Withholding: $1 withheld for every $3 earned above the threshold.
• Permanent Benefit Loss: Zero; withheld funds are credited back once you reach age 67.
• Work After FRA: Unlimited earnings with zero benefit withholding.

Full Retirement Age: Why Age 65 Is No Longer the Finish Line

For decades, Americans viewed age 65 as the traditional benchmark for retirement. Congress changed that standard in 1983 to ensure the program’s long-term financial solvency.

If you celebrate your 65th birthday today, your Full Retirement Age is 67. Claiming benefits at age 65 permanently reduces your monthly check by roughly 13.3 percent.

Working a part-time job at 65 means you are working before your FRA. Consequently, every dollar of wage income faces federal earnings limits.

Once you reach age 67, these restrictive earnings caps disappear entirely. Until then, you must navigate the rules of the Retirement Earnings Test.