What income counts toward the earnings test limit?
Gross wages and net earnings from self employment count towards the earnings test limit.
Gross wages are the amount you earn before any payroll deductions for income tax, Social Security tax, dues, insurance or other employer deductions. If you earn wages and are self-employed, a net loss from self-employment will reduce the income counted towards your earnings test limit.
After you retire, you may receive payments for work you did before you started getting Social Security benefits. These special payments may not count towards the earnings test limit.
See Special Payments After Retirement for more information, including additional types of payments that may qualify.
Income from non-work sources do not count towards the earnings test limit.
How Work Affects Your Benefitshas more information, including examples of income that do not count towards the earnings test limit.
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