Retirement

How You Can Grow Your Social Security Benefits Beyond Retirement Age

November 30, 2017 • By

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Last Updated: November 3, 2023

man and woman outside on laptop For more and more Americans, reaching retirement age no longer means the end of an active working life. Many people are choosing to work past the age of 65, according to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If you’re willing and able, maintaining gainful employment later in life could go a long way toward ensuring a secure future for you and your family. Besides providing you with additional income to pay your bills, extending your employment or working for yourself could boost your lifetime Social Security benefits.

Here’s how:

Whether you’re still working or not, waiting to claim your Social Security retirement benefits could grow them significantly. Through delayed retirement credits, your monthly benefit amount increases for each year you wait between your full retirement age and 70. Full retirement age is between 65 and 67, depending on when you were born. To learn more about delayed retirement credits, please visit our Retirement Benefits page.

You get credits on your earnings record for each year of additional work income. Once you start receiving retirement benefits, we’ll automatically review your earnings record each year to determine if you’re entitled to an adjustment. When we calculate your retirement benefit amount, we use your best 35 years of earnings. We’ll increase your benefit amount if your new year of earnings is higher than one of the years we used to calculate your initial benefit amount. To see how we calculate your benefits, see our publication, Your Retirement Benefit: How It’s Figured.

An increased benefit amount for yourself could mean more support for your family, too, through Social Security spousal benefits, child benefits, and survivor benefits.

We also encourage you to set up your own online my Social Security account so you can verify your lifetime earnings record, check the status of an application for benefits, and manage them after you’re receiving them. You can create your personal my Social Security account today.

Social Security is committed to helping you prepare for a secure today and tomorrow for you, your family, and future family. You can access all of our retirement resources on our Retirement Benefits page.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Joyce A.

    My daughter, Rita Ann Hoffmann, applied for SS benefits for me when I was 63 years of age.. I did not ask her to do this. She just took this upon herself . Her goal was to apply for spousal benefit off her father’s earnings and let my earnings grow til 70 years of age. I did not even know his SS number nor have any intentions of applying for SS benefits at this time. Rita did ask my SS no. I told her my goal was since my earnings were low was to hold off to my 70th the birthday to apply on my own earnings.

    Rita was under the understanding that I would be eligible for 50% of her Dad’s earnings and it would not affect his benefits. My earnings would not be included and could be drawn upon at full retirement age or later. She said she talked with a SS agent and thought understood clearly it was only spousal benefits.

    SS rules were at the time totally foreign to me though someone told me you can pay all the benefits you have received from SS at anytime and reapply at a more desirable time if you like.
    I just learned when for the first time I talked to a SS agent for the first time that when my daughter applied for benefits for me when I was 63 years of age that my benefits were first filed off my own earnings first ( which I needed to allow to grow and not 50%of my husband to whom I have been divorced from since 1996. There is like 37.2% of his earnings.
    Rita was totally surprised and feels terrible when I told her my findings. I know she meant well. Her father was a cheater and she felt it was time for me to benefit from 23years of loyalty to her father.

    My question is because my daughter did this not understanding the consequences of filing for early retirement for her mother and being mistaken about filling only for spousal benefits may I pay back all money received from SS and reapply.

    I turn 66 this year or from what I understand if Rita had not applied for early retirement on my ex-husband’s earnings that once he passes away I would be entitled to all his benefits if my earnings are lower when I reach 70 years of age.

    I have your understanding and grace in this situation.

  2. Rosann l.

    Can benefits against your spouse still be collected?

  3. Valeria F.

    So social security uses the best of your 35 year work history. And when did that start? Or has it always been calculate like that. I was told that it’s the last 10 year work history, thats used to calculate your benefit amount.

  4. Barbara H.

    I am collecting social security but I have also been working full time since my benefits began. My social security benefit is not enough to live on. Why can’t my earnings and social security deductions from my paycheck contribute to my social security. In the hopes of increasing my monthly amount, this would be so beneficial.

  5. Ines N.

    I want to know if I can go on the internet and have taxes taken out of my automatic monthly payments since I didn’t set it up that way. Can I do it myself online or do I have to go into one of the Social Security Offices or call. Thank you!
    Neal

  6. KAROLYN B.

    DO YOU TELL PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO CONTINUE WORKING AFTER THEY BEGIN RECEIVING THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY THAT THEY WILL BE TAXED ON A PORTION OF THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY? i THINK NOT ! IS THAT ETHICAL? I THINK NOT !

    i OBJECT TO YOU CHANGING THE NAME OF OUR SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY AS A “GOVERNMENT BENEFIT” . THE HE__
    IT IS…….IT IS MY HARD EARNED MONEY AND THE INTEREST IT HAS EARNED IS JUST THAT…MY EARNED INTEREST FROM MY HARD EARNED MONEY., INVESTED. TRUMP IS DRAINING THE SWAMP AND YOU WILL FEEL IT TOO, YOU THUGS.

  7. Jasmin M.

    Blogs on online services of retirement benefits.

  8. Manny G.

    Can anyone answer why we are taxed on SS when we already paid taxes to the SS plan when we were working. We were taxed when we earned it, and now we are taxed when we collect our benefits. It seems that the rules for saving money in IRAs and 401Ks are being applied to SS. Who is confusing the facts and taxing our BENEFITS and calling them INCOME? Does the IRS have the right to do “Double Taxation?” Am I missing something?

    • Ray F.

      Some people have to pay federal income taxes on their Social Security benefits. This usually happens only if you have other substantial income (such as wages, self-employment, interest, dividends and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax return) in addition to your benefits.
      For further income tax questions, you will need to contact the IRS. Their toll-free number is 1-800-829-1040.

  9. Marianne C.

    I am still employed full time. I turned age 68 in January. When I decide to take my social security benefits, how much money can I make while collecting benefits? Is there a limited amount of income I can make while getting my benefits?

  10. Anthony P.

    My wife and I got divorsed on 2006. She has not remarried and currently she receives about half of my SS benefit. She does not have a work history. We were married for 35 years. If I die will she be able to get my benefit? Or would be have to be married for her to claim surveyor benefit??

    • Ray F.

      Hello Anthony, if she remains eligible, her benefits will be converted to Surviving Divorced Spouse.

Comments are closed.