The average worker retiring from Social Security collects about $23,000 a year. For many people, this is not enough income to live comfortably. So you might consider supplementing your monthly Social Security checks with earnings from a part-time job.

Even if you’re not struggling financially, working in retirement has its benefits. First, it’s a reason to get out of the house. Also, many retirees end up missing the social interactions that come with being part of a workplace. Returning to work in some shape or form could be a boon to your mental health if it gives you access to people to talk to.

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Now you should know this if you collect social securityyou are not prohibited from holding a paid job. But if you’re not careful, that job could cause you to lose some of your Social Security checks.

You have to know the rules

Once you arrive full retirement ageyou can earn any amount of money from a job without worrying about the impact on your Social Security benefits. If anything, earnings from a job might PULSE your monthly benefits if considered for the 35 highest-paid years of income. But this is a positive benefit, not a negative one.

However, if you choose to work and collect Social Security before you reach full retirement age, you will be subject to an earnings-tested limit. And going over that limit could result in some of your Social Security benefits being withheld.

Social Security earnings test limits change every year. But here’s what you need to know for 2025.

• If you have not reached full retirement age and will not reach it at any time next year, your earnings test limit is $23,400. Plus, you’ll have $1 in Social Security withheld for every $2 of income.
• If you have not reached full retirement age at the beginning of 2025 but will hit it sometime next year, your earnings test limit is $62,160. From there, you’ll have $1 in Social Security withheld for every $3 of income.

You should be aware, however, that retained benefits are not the same as lost benefits. Once you reach full retirement age, those withheld benefits are added back into your Social Security checks.

However, if your goal in keeping a job is to improve your financial picture, then you may not get there if your earnings reach the point where your Social Security income is withheld in a certain measure. So you’ll need to keep the earnings test limits in mind and adjust your work schedule accordingly if necessary.

A move worth making

Working as a retiree has a lot of benefits, and you shouldn’t necessarily avoid keeping a job because of the restrictions mentioned above. The reality is that you have enough leeway to earn money from a job in 2025 without risking having some of your Social Security withheld. So there’s no reason not to look for a job opportunity if you feel the work makes sense for you for one reason or another.