Dear Help Me Retire,
I am 81 years old. I retired at age 67, but went back to work for five years. Can I get more in Social Security benefits?
Hardworking Retiree
Dear Hardworking Retiree,
Yes — it’s possible to receive a higher Social Security benefit after you’ve already started collecting. Whether it happens depends on your earnings record.
Normally, once you begin claiming Social Security, your monthly amount stays the same for life. There are only a few situations where benefits can change, such as when a spouse dies and the surviving spouse switches to a higher survivor benefit.
But there’s another way your benefit can increase: earning more after retirement while paying Social Security taxes. When you go back to work and your employer withholds Social Security taxes from your paycheck, those earnings are added to your record. The Social Security Administration reviews your file each year and recalculates your benefit if your new earnings improve your overall average.
As the agency explains:
“We will check your record every year to see whether the additional earnings you had will increase your monthly benefit. If there is an increase, we will send you a letter telling you of your new benefit amount.”
Here’s the key detail: Social Security calculates your retirement benefit using your highest 35 years of indexed earnings. If the five years you worked after retirement were among your highest-earning years, they could replace lower-earning years in that 35-year window. If that happens, your average rises — and so can your monthly benefit.
A few reminders for context:
- You can start benefits as early as age 62, but full benefits kick in at your full retirement age.
- If you delay claiming beyond your full retirement age up to 70, your benefit increases.
- Starting early reduces your benefit, while waiting raises it. You can read more about the incremental increase in benefits you will receive by waiting here.
There’s no single “best” age to claim benefits. Some people claim early because they need income right away, others wait to maximize what they receive, and many choose something in between based on health, finances, and family needs.
Finally, it’s smart to confirm that your work history and earnings are recorded correctly. The easiest way to check is through a “my Social Security” account on the agency’s website, where you can review your earnings record and current benefit amount.
If your post-retirement earnings qualified as top years, you should see the increase automatically. If not, your benefit may stay the same — but it’s still worth verifying your record to be sure everything was counted.
