The Social Security Earnings Test (2026 Rules)

If you collect Social Security retirement benefits before reaching your Full Retirement Age (FRA)—which ranges between 66 and 67 depending on your birth year—the Social Security Administration (SSA) applies an earnings test limit.

For 2026, the baseline earnings test limit is $24,480. If your earnings from work exceed this threshold, the SSA temporarily suppresses benefits using specific rules:

• Under Full Retirement Age All Year: The SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above $24,480.
• Reaching Full Retirement Age in 2026: For the months leading up to your FRA birthday month, the earnings limit rises to $65,160. The SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above this higher limit.
• At or Above Full Retirement Age: Once you reach your exact FRA, the earnings limit disappears entirely. You can earn unlimited income without any reduction in your monthly Social Security payments.

Keep in mind that withheld Social Security benefits are not lost forever. Once you attain your FRA, the SSA recalculates your monthly benefit amount upward to credit you for the payments withheld during earlier working years.