What is the Social Security earnings limit for 2026?
For 2026, the Social Security earnings limit is $24,480 if you are under full retirement age all year, with $1 in benefits withheld for every $2 earned above it. In the calendar year you reach full retirement age, the limit is $65,160, with $1 withheld per $3 over, counting only earnings in the months before you reach that age. Once you hit your full retirement age month, the limit ends and you can earn any amount with no withholding.
Last reviewed August 17, 2026 · Published August 17, 2026 · Mere Benefits Data Desk
The limit only exists if you are collecting benefits before your full retirement age (FRA), which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. It measures gross wages and net self-employment income, nothing else. Pension payments, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income, and annuity income never count against it. A common misreading goes the other direction too: exceeding the limit does not make you ineligible for Social Security, it just delays some checks, and those months are credited back at FRA.
The 2026 limits
| Situation | Annual limit | Monthly equivalent | Withholding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under FRA for all of 2026 | $24,480 | $2,040 | $1 per $2 over |
| Reaching FRA during 2026 | $65,160 | $5,430 | $1 per $3 over, pre-FRA months only |
| At FRA or older | None | None | None |
Both limits rose for 2026 (from $23,400 and $62,160 in 2025) because they are indexed to national wage growth each year.
Two worked examples
Under FRA all year. Dan is 64 and earns $30,480 at a part-time consulting job in 2026 while collecting $1,500 per month. He is $6,000 over the $24,480 limit, so $3,000 of benefits is withheld. Social Security withholds whole checks from the start of the year until the $3,000 is covered, exactly two months at his benefit level, then pays normally the rest of the year.
Reaching FRA mid-year. Linda turns 67 in July 2026 and earns $12,000 per month. Only January through June counts, $72,000 in those six months, which is $6,840 over the $65,160 limit. At $1 per $3, about $2,280 is withheld. From July onward she can earn $144,000 more that year and Social Security will not withhold a dime.
The first-year monthly rule
Here’s what I tell clients who retire mid-year: your first calendar year on benefits gets a special monthly test. Say you retire in September 2026 after earning $80,000 from January through August, then claim benefits. Under the annual test you would be far over the limit, but under the monthly rule you receive a full benefit for any remaining 2026 month in which you earn $2,040 or less (and do not perform substantial self-employment). High earnings before your claim simply do not count in that first year. After the first year, only the annual limits apply. If you expect to be near the line, give Social Security an accurate earnings estimate up front, because withholding is based on your estimate and honest updates beat an overpayment letter every time.
Sources
Not sure how this applies to you? Let's talk — free, no pressure, from a licensed Florida agency. Or browse all our straight answers.