Retirement

How You Can Grow Your Social Security Benefits Beyond Retirement Age

November 30, 2017 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

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. Adao D.

    I have moved to Brazil and I have a new address, email remains the same. I need to let you know that I am disabled and receive benefits from the government. My name, Adao C. Defreitas Social, *** – ** – ***. Born, Feb. 23, 1951. I lived in 79 Broad St. Perth Amboy, code, 08861.New address. Rua Floresta 11- Central de Minas-MG Brazil. I tried to enter my new address on this site and it was not possible. I need to log in to receive information.You can send me information by email, defreitasadao@yahoo.com …. thank you very much.

    • R.F.

      For security reasons, we do not have access to personal information, therefore, we do not do direct messaging in this venue. We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact their local U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.
      Just a reminder – Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media and communicating personal information via email. Thanks!

      Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media and communicating personal information via email.

  2. Ritumber K.

    I am 72 yrs old on Social Security.
    If I do any part time work, will there be any increase in my monthly Social Security money.

    Regards,
    Ritumber Khosla

    • R.F.

      Each year, we review the records for all working Social Security recipients to see if additional earnings may increase monthly benefits. If your earnings for the prior year are higher than any of the years that were used to compute your retirement benefit, we will recalculate your benefit amount. If an increase is due, a new monthly benefit amount is established on your record automatically.
      We hope this information helps!

  3. Donald S.

    So, I am confused in that I have given 15 years of military service, get nothing for this, 3 years of Vietnam service for nothing, and have to pay for medicare, “”pittance” for the sacrifice I made. We get nothing for COLI, disgraceful, increase, still working and paying into the system will no benefit at all.

    • Donald S.

      So, I am confused in that I have given 15 years of military service, get nothing for this, 3 years of Vietnam service for nothing, and have to pay for medicare, “”pittance” for the sacrifice I made. We get nothing for COLI, disgraceful, increase, still working and paying into the system will no benefit at all.

  4. I. J.

    Retirement has never been better.
    My Social Benifits plays a substantial part of my well-being.
    Thanks.

  5. Russell S.

    How do you justify the high interest rate when a person decides to defer their date of receiving SS benefits? I’d like to invest some money into that vehicle. Thankyou, Russell S Andrews, loyal taxpayer,. russelland16@gmail.com

  6. Ruth N.

    Thanks for the updated information.

  7. Joan W.

    I will be 66 in February 2019. When can I retire and get my full social security. January 1, 2019, February 1, 2019 or March 1, 2019? And also i am presently on Medicare Part A because i am working and i have health benefits with my employer. At what time will i need to apply for Part B?

  8. DeWayne D.

    Yes, Information is good….I don’t understand why , If you work and paying into SSI after starting to collect, that is then necessary with no apparent benefit, but simply to experience it as an additional TAX on what you earn.

  9. Mike q.

    I am currently receiving spousal benefits. It would be nice to be able to see my own benefit numbers. The only way this is possible now is to make an appointment at the local office. This seems to be a waste of time for SSA, and myself just to see my own benefits.

  10. Joelin R.

    Buenos dias. Quiero saber mis beneficios al dia de hoy si me fuera a retirar o si me fuera a incapacitar. Cuanto es la mensualidad que recibiria. Parece que mi password esta bloqueado y no puedo entrar al servicio online.

    Gracias,

    • R.F.

      If you are unable to create an account or encounter a problem with your my Social Security account, you may:
      •Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. At the voice prompt, say “helpdesk”; or
      •Contact your local Social Security office.
      For information in Spanish, please go to http://www.SeguroSocial.gov or visit our Facebook page. Thanks!

Comments are closed.