Retirement

Three Common Ways Your Social Security Payment Can Grow After Retirement

June 21, 2018 • By

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Last Updated: June 21, 2018

woman planting flowers You made the choice and now you are happily retired. You filed online for your Social Security benefits. They arrive each month in the correct amount exactly as expected. But, did you ever wonder if your Social Security check could increase?

Once you begin receiving benefits, there are three common ways benefit checks can increase: a cost of living adjustment (COLA); additional work; or an adjustment at full retirement age if you received reduced benefits and exceeded the earnings limit.

The COLA is the most commonly known increase for Social Security payments. We annually announce a COLA, and there’s usually an increase in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit amount people receive each month. By law, federal benefit rates increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). More than 66 million Americans saw a 2.0 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2018. For more information on the 2018 COLA, visit our website.

Social Security uses your highest thirty-five years of earnings to figure your benefit amount when you sign up for benefits. If you work after you begin receiving benefits, your additional earnings may increase your payment. If you had fewer than 35 years of earnings when we figured your benefit, you will replace a zero earnings year with new earnings. If you had 35 years or more, we will check to see if your new year of earnings is higher than the lowest of the 35 years (after considering indexing). We check additional earnings each year you work while receiving Social Security. If an increase is due, we send a notice and pay a one-time check for the increase and your continuing payment will be higher.

Maybe you chose to receive reduced Social Security retirement benefits while continuing to work. You made the choice to take benefits early, but at a reduced rate. If you exceeded the allowable earnings limit and had some of your benefits withheld, we will adjust your benefit once you reach full retirement age. We will refigure your payment to credit you for any months you did not receive payments.  Your monthly benefit will increase based on the crediting months you receive. You can find additional information about working and your benefit by reading What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits.

Retirement just got more interesting since you learned about potential increases to monthly payments. Social Security has been securing your today and tomorrow for more than 80 years with information and tools to help you achieve a successful retirement.

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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. Carlo D.

    MY increases for SS are not noted or maybe they are? I am still working and making about $10,000 per year.

  2. Bernie C.

    I’ve been retired for six years. Been working on a part time regular basis. When will the increase be calculated from this income

  3. Marcia L.

    Does the COLA increase include divorced spouses?

  4. Marcia L.

    Does the increase include divorced spouses?

  5. Harold

    How much does your SS payment increase I started receiving it at 66 and still working?

  6. Terri K.

    My first husband passed away and so did my second. I am a widow and on SS disability with stage 4 cancer. Would I qualify for my first husband SS or part of it?

  7. Esther L.

    Sure. All I’ve had is penalties for working after 62 and them taking money back out of my social security plus paying in ea month out of my paycheck
    I only have $547 left deposited in my social security Acct ea month. . Great living on this. I asked for a break and they told me too bad keep working
    Until I pay them over $10k and I’m well over 70.

  8. Donald W.

    Changed email address

  9. steven c.

    i find it very hard to get into my online account.

  10. Marie C.

    I worked many years after receiving S.S on my husbands SS. Will I be able to receive more?

Comments are closed.