Can I Suspend My Social Security and Go Back to Work?

Social Security retirement benefits provide a financial foundation for many Americans. Understanding the rules is important, especially for those considering returning to work or maximizing future payouts. Voluntary suspension allows beneficiaries to temporarily stop monthly checks to increase their benefit amount later. This differs from working while collecting benefits, which has distinct rules and potential reductions based on earned income.

Qualifications for Voluntary Suspension

To voluntarily suspend Social Security retirement benefits, beneficiaries must meet specific age criteria. Suspension is possible only after reaching Full Retirement Age (FRA) but before turning 70. FRA varies by birth year; for those born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. Benefits claimed before FRA can still be suspended once FRA is reached.

Certain Social Security benefits cannot be voluntarily suspended. Disability benefits are not eligible. If other family members, such as a spouse or dependent child, receive benefits based on the primary beneficiary’s earnings record, their benefits will also be suspended. However, a divorced spouse receiving benefits on the primary beneficiary’s record can continue to receive payments.

Steps to Suspend Social Security Benefits

Beneficiaries can submit a request for voluntary suspension to the Social Security Administration (SSA) orally or in writing. This can be done by calling the SSA’s toll-free number, visiting a local office, or potentially through their online portal.

Suspension begins the month immediately following the request. For example, if a request is submitted in August, payments will cease starting with the September benefit. While the SSA may accept advance requests, suspension cannot take effect earlier than the month after the request, the month the individual reached their Full Retirement Age, or their initial month of entitlement.

No specific forms are required for a voluntary suspension request. Maintaining a clear record of communication with the SSA, such as following up an oral request with written confirmation, can be beneficial. Contact the SSA directly for current procedural guidance.

Future Benefit Growth from Suspension

A primary motivation for voluntarily suspending Social Security benefits is to accrue Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs), which increase future monthly benefit amounts. For each month benefits are suspended past Full Retirement Age, up to age 70, individuals earn these credits. The benefit amount increases by approximately two-thirds of one percent (0.66%) for each month of delay, equating to an 8% annual increase.

These credits apply to the individual’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), the benefit received at Full Retirement Age. For example, if an individual’s FRA is 67 and they delay claiming until age 70, their monthly benefit will be 24% higher than their FRA benefit, plus any cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). DRC accumulation ceases once the beneficiary reaches age 70, as there is no further financial incentive to delay claiming beyond this age.

The increased benefit amount from DRCs is paid for the remainder of the individual’s life. This strategy is valuable for those with other income sources or sufficient savings during the suspension period.

Resuming Social Security Benefits

After a period of voluntary suspension, individuals can restart their Social Security benefits. Beneficiaries can reactivate their checks at any time after suspension begins, up until age 70. If no action is taken, payments automatically restart in the month the individual turns 70, reflecting all earned Delayed Retirement Credits.

To request benefit resumption before age 70, beneficiaries can contact the Social Security Administration. This can be done through a phone call to the SSA’s general inquiry line, by visiting a local office, or potentially through their online account. Clearly state the desired month for benefit resumption.

Resumed benefits will reflect the higher monthly payment due to accumulated Delayed Retirement Credits. Once benefits resume, any future Medicare Part B premiums will be deducted from the monthly Social Security check. Beneficiaries can suspend benefits again as long as they are between their Full Retirement Age and age 70.

Working While Collecting Social Security

Working while collecting Social Security benefits operates under different rules than voluntary suspension. The Social Security Administration (SSA) applies an “earnings test” to beneficiaries under their Full Retirement Age (FRA), setting limits on how much can be earned before benefits are temporarily withheld.

For beneficiaries under FRA for the entire year, the 2025 earnings limit is $23,400. If earnings exceed this, the SSA deducts $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above the limit. For instance, earning $2,000 over the limit would reduce benefits by $1,000.

In the year a beneficiary reaches FRA, a higher earnings limit of $62,160 applies in 2025. The SSA deducts $1 for every $3 earned above this limit, but only considers earnings before the month FRA is reached. Once FRA is reached, the earnings test no longer applies, allowing beneficiaries to earn any amount without benefit reduction.

Income counted for the earnings test includes wages and net self-employment earnings. However, certain income types do not count, such as pension payments, annuities, investment income, and government benefits. Benefits withheld due to the earnings test are not permanently lost; the SSA recalculates the benefit amount at FRA to account for withheld payments, leading to a higher monthly benefit.