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The Social Security Administration (SSA) has updated the earnings limits that apply in 2026 to people who receive retirement benefits while continuing to work. The amount a beneficiary can earn before benefits are reduced depends on whether they have reached full retirement age.
For workers who are below full retirement age, earning more than the annual limit can lead to a temporary reduction in Social Security benefits. Once a beneficiary reaches full retirement age, however, there is no longer a limit on how much they can earn while receiving benefits.
How much can Social Security beneficiaries earn in 2026?
People who are under full retirement age for the entire year can earn up to $24,480 in 2026 without having their Social Security benefits reduced.
If they earn more than that amount, the SSA deducts $1 from benefits for every $2 earned above the limit. The rule applies to earnings from employment or net earnings from self-employment.
The limit increased from $23,400 in 2025 to $24,480 in 2026, according to the SSA’s official 2026 figures.
What happens if you reach full retirement age in 2026?
A different limit applies to people who reach full retirement age during 2026. In this case, the earnings limit is $65,160, but SSA only counts earnings made before the month the person reaches full retirement age.
For every $3 earned above $65,160, the SSA deducts $1 from benefits. Starting with the month the beneficiary reaches full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce Social Security payments, regardless of how much the person earns.
Which income counts toward the limit?
The earnings test generally applies to wages from a job and net earnings from self-employment. SSA also counts certain compensation, such as bonuses, commissions, and vacation pay.
However, the agency does not count income such as pensions, annuities, investment earnings, interest, veterans’ benefits, or other government or military retirement benefits when applying these earnings limits.
The benefits withheld because of excess earnings are not permanently lost. Once the beneficiary reaches full retirement age, SSA recalculates the benefit to account for months in which payments were reduced or withheld because of the earnings test.