How You Can Grow Your Social Security Benefits Beyond Retirement Age
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 3, 2023
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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Tags: my Social Security, my Social Security account, retirement, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits, SSA, survivors benefits
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Roy H.
My FRA was 2/2014; spouse was 9/2014. I took full benefit at FRA. Spouse at FRA elected restricted benefit and delayed applying for own benefit, so spouse has been getting 50% of my benefit. Spouse will be age 70 in 9/2018 and should start receiving spouse’s own age 70 full benefit then. Does spouse need to contact SSA to trigger the change-over, or will SSA change her benefit automatically when age 70 arrives?
R.F.
Thank you for your question, Roy. Your wife will need to apply for benefits on her own record. Our system is set up to take applications three months in advance. When ready, she can apply online. Please visit our Social Security Retirement Planner for more information.
Debra L.
I did not get an answer to my question.(question: If my husbands benefits are 50% more than mine can I draw from his benefits?)
Russll R.
I’m 68years old I just got part time job to help pay my two supplements I was already drop by my drug plan I couldn’t afford it So.I got a part time job I just started I haven’t received my first check yet.Do I have to report my earnings.than what will I have I’m right back at stage one I can’t afford. I have to report to employer I receiving SSI I’m out of a job.How do you report this to SSI how is it going to help me.
R.F.
Hello Mr. Ray, if you’re receiving “regular” retirement benefits and if you work and are full retirement age or older, the amount you make at work will not affect your Social Security benefits, no matter how much you earn. However, if you’re receiving Supplemental Security Income or SSI benefits, you must report your wages to the local Social Security office. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is a needs-based program that provides cash assistance to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources, and we must take into consideration any income or resources available to you.
For further assistance, please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks!
Marcela N.
Thanks for all this information. Your blog is so clear and easy to go trough and explore the all information. Thanks!!!
Jimmie R.
that will not effect my social security benefits
Charles H.
I am wanting to know if I can adjust my wife’s SS amount based on my monthly SS checks. I believe it is called the Spousal Adjustment.
Gayle G.
I do not know if I am drawing SS benefits on my own earnings or on my ex husband’s earnings. I heard that a person can change this even if they are divorced. I would really love to know the answer to this & how I could go about increasing my benefit if that is a possibility. Thank you!
Jose A.
I will be 70 years old in Sepmtember 2018. I deferred receiving my SS benefits till them. What should I do now to receive my benefits in September.I’m still working fulltime and xpect to do so past September 2018.
R.F.
You must apply for your benefits, Jose. Keep in mind that the benefit increase no longer applies when you reach age 70, even if you continue to delay taking benefits.
Our system is set up to take applications three months in advance and you can apply for your benefits online. Congratulations!
Steven A.
Hi, I just tried to access my SS account but was “blocked” / suspended. Probably because it’s been a while, and my email account has changed. Please advise how to proceed, thanks
R.F.
Hello Steven, 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. Thanks!
Patricia F.
I retired when I was 62 and started collecting Social Security. I’ve been working every year and paying into Social Security and now I’m 70 years old and still working and paying into the system. Does my Social Security change?????