Earnings test calculator, 2026
Claiming before full retirement age and still working means some benefits are withheld. How much depends on which of three situations you are in, and the difference between them is large.
General information, not financial, tax, legal or benefits advice. Figures show what published rates and formulas produce for the amounts you enter; your actual payment depends on your earnings record, claim age, withholding and Medicare status. COLA Ledger is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CMS or any U.S. government agency. Confirm your figures with SSA or your my Social Security account.
- Exempt amount
- $24,480$2,040 a month
- Earnings above it
- $5,520
- Benefits withheld
- $2,760$1 for every $2 over
Withheld benefits are not lost. At full retirement age SSA recomputes the payment to credit back the months that were withheld, which raises the monthly amount from that point on.
2026 exempt amount, under full retirement age
$24,480
$2,040 a month. Above it, $1 of benefit is withheld for every $2 of earnings.
- Under FRA all year
- $24,480$1 withheld per $2 over
- Year you reach FRA
- $65,160$1 withheld per $3 over
- From FRA onward
- no testearn anything
- Monthly equivalents
- $2,040$5,430 in the FRA year
The three situations
| Situation | Exempt amount | Withholding rate | Which earnings count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under full retirement age for the whole year | $24,480 | $1 for every $2 above | The whole year |
| Reaching full retirement age during the year | $65,160 | $1 for every $3 above | Only months before the birthday month |
| Full retirement age already reached | no limit | nothing withheld | none — the test does not apply |
What it costs at three earnings levels
| Annual earnings | Withheld, under FRA | Withheld, FRA year | Withheld, past FRA |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $2,760 | $0 | $0 |
| $40,000 | $7,760 | $0 | $0 |
| $60,000 | $17,760 | $0 | $0 |
The gap between the first two columns is the whole reason the test is worth understanding before choosing a claim date: at $60,000 of earnings the difference between being under full retirement age and being in the year you reach it is +$17,760 of benefit.
Withheld is not lost — and this is the most misunderstood part
Benefits withheld under the earnings test are credited back. At full retirement age SSA recomputes the payment as though those months had never been claimed, which raises the monthly amount permanently from that point. Someone who loses a year of payments to the test does not lose the money; they lose the timing. The recomputation in full.
The exempt amounts over time
| Year | Under FRA | Year of FRA |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $24,480 | $65,160 |
| 2025 | $23,400 | $62,160 |
| 2024 | $22,320 | $59,520 |
| 2023 | $21,240 | $56,520 |
| 2022 | $19,560 | $51,960 |
| 2021 | $18,960 | $50,520 |
| 2020 | $18,240 | $48,600 |
| 2019 | $17,640 | $46,920 |
| 2018 | $17,040 | $45,360 |
| 2017 | $16,920 | $44,880 |
| 2016 | $15,720 | $41,880 |
| 2015 | $15,720 | $41,880 |
The full series back to 1972. The amounts move with the national average wage index rather than with the cost-of-living adjustment, which is why they can rise in a year when benefits do not.
Common questions
Is the withheld money lost?
No. At full retirement age SSA recomputes the benefit to credit back the months in which benefits were withheld, which raises the monthly payment from that point onward. The test defers money rather than confiscating it.
Which income counts?
Wages and net self-employment earnings only. Pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains, other government benefits and veterans benefits are all outside the test.
Does the test stop at full retirement age?
Yes, entirely — and it stops from the month you reach it, not from the following January. In the year you reach it only earnings before the birthday month count, and against the higher exempt amount of $65,160.
Does the earnings test affect Medicare or the COLA?
Neither. The cost-of-living adjustment applies to the underlying benefit regardless of whether payments are being withheld, and the Part B premium is unaffected by the test.
Related
- How the test worksthe mechanism
- Exempt amountsevery year
- Full retirement ageby birth year
- COLA calculatoryour amount
- Benefit taxationa different test
- Retirement benefitsthe numbers
Sources and freshness
- SSA OACT — Retirement earnings test exempt amounts — verified 10 August 2026
- SSA — 2026 COLA fact sheet — verified 10 August 2026
Figures effective January 2026. Page figures last verified against the sources above on 10 August 2026. Corrections: the correction log · support@inventum.com.au