Will money withdrawn from my IRA be considered earnings that reduce my benefits?
Question
I'm retired and the only income I have is a monthly withdrawal from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). I pay income tax on the amount withdrawn. I plan to apply for Social Security benefits in the future. Will the money withdrawn from my IRA be considered "earnings" that could potentially reduce my monthly Social Security benefits?
Answer
No. We count only the wages you earn from a job, or your net profit if you're self-employed. Non-work income such as pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains and other government benefits are not counted and will not affect your Social Security benefits. For more information, we suggest that you read the following publications which are available online: Retirement Benefits (Publication No. 05-10035) and How Work Affects Your Benefits (Publication No.05-10069)."