"The earliest age to claim Social Security is 62. Some older Americans, however, opt to wait until full retirement age (FRA) so they can claim their Social Security benefits without a reduction. FRA is 67 for those born in 1960 or later. There's also the option to delay Social Security past FRA for boosted monthly checks. For each year filers hold off, until age 70, their benefits grow 8%."
"But a lot of people unfortunately don't manage to retire with much or any savings. And if you're in that situation, you may have to work in some shape or form to boost your retirement income. The good news is that you're allowed to work while collecting Social Security. But there are rules to follow. Those rules, however, have changed for the better in 2026."
"Once you reach FRA, you can earn any amount of money without it having a negative impact on your Social Security benefits. It's if you're working while on Social Security before having reached FRA that you need to be more careful. If you're in the latter situation, you should know that earning too much money could result in having some of your Social Security checks withheld. So it's important to be mindful of Social Security's earnings test."
Workers can begin claiming Social Security at 62, with full retirement age (FRA) at 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Claiming at FRA avoids reductions, and delaying benefits past FRA increases monthly checks by about 8% per year up to age 70. Many retirees lack sufficient savings and may need to continue working to supplement Social Security. Beneficiaries may work while collecting benefits, but earnings before reaching FRA are subject to an earnings test that can cause benefit withholding if limits are exceeded. The earnings test limits increased in 2026, allowing higher earnings before withholding applies.
Read at 24/7 Wall St.
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