Social Security earnings limit for 2027
In 2027 you can earn up to $25,560 while collecting retirement benefits before full retirement age. In the year you reach it, the limit is $67,920.
What you earn from work in the year.
Benefits withheld for the year
$7,220.00
- Earnings limit that applies
- $25,560
- Earnings over the limit
- $14,440
- Withheld
- $1 for every $2 over
Benefits withheld are not lost. Once you reach full retirement age, your monthly benefit is increased to account for the months withheld.
| Earnings limit | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Under full retirement age all year | $24,480 | $25,560 |
| The year you reach full retirement age | $65,160 | $67,920 |
| From the month you reach full retirement age | No limit | No limit |
How the earnings test works
The retirement earnings test applies only to people below full retirement age. Social Security withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 of earnings above the lower limit. In the year you reach full retirement age it withholds $1 for every $3 above the higher limit, and only earnings in the months before you reach that age count. Earnings in or after the month you reach full retirement age do not count at all.
The money is not lost
The Social Security Administration states that benefits withheld while you keep working are not lost. Once you reach full retirement age, your monthly benefit is increased permanently to account for the months in which benefits were withheld.
Questions people ask
How much can I earn while on Social Security in 2027?
$25,560 if you are under full retirement age for the whole year, and $67,920 in the year you reach it, counting only the months before you reach it.
What happens if I earn more than the limit?
Social Security withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 over the lower limit, or $1 for every $3 over the higher limit in the year you reach full retirement age.
Is there an earnings limit after full retirement age?
No. Earnings in or after the month you reach full retirement age do not count toward the test.
Check our work
Every figure on this page was read from these official documents. Follow the links and compare.
- 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact SheetSocial Security Administration. Read on November 12, 2026.
- Exempt Amounts Under the Earnings TestSocial Security Administration. Read on November 12, 2026.