If you are at full retirement age (now age 66) or older for all of 2019, you may keep all of your benefits no matter how much you earn. If you are younger than full retirement age at any time in 2019, there is a limit to how much you can earn before we reduce your benefits. Continuing to work could result in withholding some of your benefits. However, we would adjust your benefit amount once you reach full retirement age to account for the months of withheld benefits. Also, we use your 35 highest years of earnings to calculate your benefits. If you continue to work and these earnings are higher than one of the years we used to compute your benefit,your benefit amount may increase. Tell us right away if you expect to earn more than the limit, so we can pay you correctly.
• The 2019 earnings limit for people under age 66 all year is $17,640. We deduct $1 from your benefits in 2019 for each $2 you earn over $17,640.
• The 2019 earnings limit for people turning age 66 is $46,920. We deduct $1 from your benefits in 2019 for each $3 you earn over $46,920 until the month you turn age 66. What If I Worked In 2018? If you were under full retirement age in 2018 and worked, we paid your benefits based on your estimate of how much you would make. We will adjust your benefits as necessary when your employer reports your earnings on your W-2 form. If the earnings on your 2018 W-2 form(s) include money you earned in another year, please contact us before April 15, 2019, to let us know.
• The 2018 earnings limit for people under age 66 all year was $17,040.• The 2018 earnings limit for people who turned age 66 in 2018 was $45,360.