Social Security Limits
Social security is a great program that gives retirees and people with disabilities money and benefits to support a retirement budget. However, there are social security limits on the benefits one can receive.
The benefits of social security cover both money and types of health care; a social security limit can be on either. However, most social security limits are on wage/retirement income based on age or disabilities.
What are my Social Security Income Limits?
According to the Social Security Administration’s webpage, people who are receiving social security benefits but have not reached full retirement age are entitled to receive all of their benefits as long as their earnings are below the social security limit. The social security retirement income limit differs based on age.
The table below illustrates the different social security income limit of different age brackets. Often this number changes from year to year. From 2009-2010, however, the social security limits stayed the same.
Do I Still Have Social Security Limits Even if I’m Disabled?
The answer is yes. Even if you work while receiving disability benefits, the government needs to know about the earnings you make. You are, however, given a bit of wiggle room. A disabled person can have unlimited earnings during a trial work period of up to nine months. Once the trial period is over, you will be reevaluated to see if you should continue to receive disability benefits.
The social security disability limits do not focus on age, but on the type of disability. The following shows the disability beneficiaries’ earning limits; in this case, the amounts changed from 2009 to 2010.
| 2009 | 2010 | |
| At Full Retirement Age or Older | No social security income limit | No social security income limit |
| Under Full Retirement Age | $14,160For every $2 made over limit, $1 is withheld from benefits | $14,160For every $2 made over limit, $1 is withheld from benefits |
| In the Year you Reach Full Retirement Age | $37,680For every $3 made over the limit, $1 is withheld from benefits until you reach full retirement age | $37,680For every $3 made over the limit, $1 is withheld from benefits until you reach full retirement age |
| 2009 | 2010 | |
| Substantial Gainful Activity- non blind | $980/month | $1,000/month |
| Substantial Gainful Activity- blind | $1,640/month | $1,640/month |
| Trial Work Period Month | $700/month | $720/month |
As you can tell, the social security limits are very exact and are monitored heavily by federal eyes and ears. When looking at social security statements, always make sure your retirement income is giving you the right amount of benefits.
