It's understandable if you want to claim Social Security as soon as possible to improve your quality of life or retire sooner. But if you like your job or you're worried about running out of savings, working longer could be the right move for you.
You're in control of when you retire, but there's a strong case for working at least until your full retirement age (FRA) if you're able to. This is 67 for most workers today. Not only will this give you additional time to grow your retirement savings, it could also help you boost your Social Security benefits in these four ways.
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1. Removing low- or zero-income years from your benefit calculation
The Social Security Administration (SSA) bases your Social Security benefit on your average monthly earnings, adjusted for inflation, over your 35 highest-earning years. When you have a shorter work history, it includes zero-income years that can seriously drag down your benefit.
Continuing to work means the SSA will continue to update your income history annually. You could eliminate any zero-income years from your benefit calculation this way. If you're earning more today than in years past, your more recent, higher-earning years might start to replace your lower-earning years, resulting in larger monthly checks.
The exact increase you'll see from this depends on your work history. However, for some, it could result in tens or hundreds of dollars more per month when they're finally ready to apply for benefits.
2. Avoiding benefit reductions for early claiming
You're allowed to claim Social Security while under your FRA, but doing so carries an early claiming penalty of up to 30%. This is usually permanent, and it can result in a smaller lifetime benefit for some seniors.
This doesn't mean claiming early is always a bad move. It could be a smart choice if you have a short life expectancy, or if you are unable to work and have limited savings to rely on. But if you can work, sticking it out at your job until your FRA could help you avoid the early claiming penalty.
You can also hang around for longer if you'd like. Once you pass your FRA, your checks continue to grow by 2/3 of 1% per month, or 8% per year, until you qualify for your maximum benefit at 70.
3. Avoiding losses due to the earnings test
Those who work while claiming Social Security before their FRAs could find that their checks shrink over time due to the earnings test. This is where the government withholds money from your benefits after you've earned a certain amount of income from your job for the year.
In 2025, you lose $1 for every $2 you earn over $23,400 if you're under your FRA all year. You lose $1 for every $3 you earn over $62,160 if you reached your FRA this year and earned this much before your birth month. These limits will rise to $24,480 and $65,160, respectively, in 2026.
This money isn't lost forever. The SSA will increase your benefit once you reach your FRA to compensate for what it withheld before. But you'll likely still wind up with less this way than you would have if you'd just delayed your Social Security claim until you reached your FRA.
The earnings test no longer applies once you reach your FRA. If you can continue living off your salary and personal savings until then, it may lead to a larger lifetime Social Security benefit.
4. Increasing your family's survivor benefits
If you're eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, your spouse, any dependent children, and possibly your dependent parents may also be eligible for survivor benefits after you pass away. This is different from the spousal and family benefits your partner and children may qualify for while you're alive.
Spousal benefits are worth up to one-half of the benefit you qualify for at your FRA. However, your spouse may get less if they claim before their own FRA. Survivor benefits are different. They're based on the benefit you were receiving or were eligible for at the time of your death. So if you put off applying for Social Security until your FRA or beyond, you're also increasing the survivor benefit your family members will receive once you're gone. This could be critical if you're the main financial provider for your family.
It's OK if you don't think you can afford to wait until your FRA to claim, though. Do what makes the most sense for you. Perhaps that means waiting a few years or a few months to apply. Or maybe it's claiming right at 62. Just be sure you understand the implications of your choice before proceeding.
