{
  "title": "Social Security Earnings Limit 2026: How Much You Can Earn While Collecting",
  "canonical": "https://quantcalc.app/social-security-earnings-limit-2026/",
  "status": "OFFICIAL",
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "date_modified": "2026-10-11",
  "sources": [
    {
      "label": "SSA, Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2026 (Federal Register, 3 November 2025, FR Doc. 2025-19763)",
      "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/03/2025-19763/cost-of-living-increase-and-other-determinations-for-2026",
      "verified": "2026-10-11, govinfo PDF FR-2025-11-03/2025-19763: 'the contribution and benefit base ... $184,500 for remuneration paid in 2026'; lower monthly exempt amount '$2,040 for 2026', 'The lower annual exempt amount is $24,480'; higher monthly exempt amount '$5,430', annual '$65,160'."
    },
    {
      "label": "SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, Retirement earnings test exempt amounts",
      "url": "https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/rtea.html"
    },
    {
      "label": "20 CFR §404.429 (earnings counted by the test)",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-III/part-404/subpart-E/section-404.429",
      "verified": "2026-10-11 (eCFR API): 'The term \"earnings\" ... includes the sum of your wages for services rendered in a taxable year, plus your net earnings from self-employment for the taxable year, minus any net loss from self-employment'."
    },
    {
      "label": "20 CFR §404.430 (earnings-test exempt amounts; $1 for $2 and $1 for $3)",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-III/part-404/subpart-E/section-404.430",
      "verified": "2026-10-11 (eCFR API): 'A larger \"annual\" exempt amount applies to the total earnings of the months in the taxable year that precedes the month in which you attain full retirement age'; table headings 'Reduction: $1 for every $2 over the exempt amount' / '$1 for every $3'."
    },
    {
      "label": "20 CFR §404.434 (how excess earnings are charged)",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-III/part-404/subpart-E/section-404.434",
      "verified": "2026-10-11: 'we will charge these excess earnings to your full benefit each month from the beginning of the year, until all of the estimated excess earnings have been charged'; (c) 'eliminated the Social Security earnings test, beginning with the month in which a person attains full retirement age'; 'The reduction rate for these months is $1 of benefits for every $3'."
    },
    {
      "label": "20 CFR §404.435 (grace year; non-service months)",
      "url": "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-III/part-404/subpart-E/section-404.435",
      "verified": "2026-10-11: no reduction for a non-service month in the grace year: a month without self-employment and without wages above the monthly exempt amount."
    },
    {
      "label": "42 U.S.C. §402(q)(7) (adjusted reduction period)",
      "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/402",
      "verified": "2026-10-11: 'the \"adjusted reduction period\" ... is the reduction period prescribed in paragraph (6) for such benefit, excluding— (A) any month in which such benefit was subject to deductions under section 403(b)'."
    }
  ],
  "figures": {
    "annual_limit_under_fra_2026": 24480,
    "monthly_limit_under_fra_2026": 2040,
    "annual_limit_fra_year_2026": 65160,
    "monthly_limit_fra_year_2026": 5430,
    "withholding_under_fra": "$1 per $2 over",
    "withholding_fra_year": "$1 per $3 over",
    "example": {
      "earnings": 34480,
      "withheld": 5000,
      "fra_year_earnings": 74160,
      "fra_year_withheld": 3000
    }
  }
}