What can cause you to lose your Social Security retirement benefits?

Asked by: Dee Carroll  |  Last update: November 25, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (65 votes)

How can you lose your Social Security benefits?
  • You are incarcerated. ...
  • You receive disability payments and return to work. ...
  • You receive disability payments and your condition improves. ...
  • You work during early retirement. ...
  • You remarry.

Can I lose my Social Security retirement benefits?

You Can Lose Some of Your Benefits to Taxes

If you earn more than $25,000 as a single filer or $32,000 as a joint filer, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits are fair game to the IRS. Twelve states also tax Social Security benefits as income.

What are the three ways you can lose your Social Security?

Indeed, here are three ways you can lose at least part of your Social Security benefit.
  • No. 1: Keep working while taking benefits early. ...
  • No. 2: Be a substantially lower-earning spouse. ...
  • No. 3: Be alive in 2034. ...
  • Social Security still provides an important foundation for retirement.

Why would someone lose their Social Security benefits?

Exceeding income or asset limits: The most common reason someone loses their benefits is by having too much income. SSDI beneficiaries may lose their benefits if they experience an increase in income from any source that pushes them over the individual income or asset limit.

What would cause Social Security benefits to be reduced?

Benefits for insured workers and their spouses are reduced by 5.0 percent each in the fourth and fifth years of early benefit receipt. Benefits can also be reduced if there are substantial earnings in retirement or if the beneficiary is entitled to pensions from employment not covered under the Social Security system.

8 Ways You Can LOSE Your Social Security Payment

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What would reduce your Social Security benefits?

If you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than the yearly earnings limit, we may reduce your benefit amount. If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2025, that limit is $23,400.

When my husband dies, do I get his Social Security and mine?

You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement.

What disqualifies you from Social Security?

Some American workers do not qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Workers who don't accrue the requisite 40 credits (roughly 10 years of employment) are not eligible for Social Security. Some government and railroad employees are not eligible for Social Security.

Can Social Security cut your benefits without notice?

But note that Social Security can't cut off your SSI payments without notice. The SSA must send you a letter explaining that your benefits will be reduced or suspended and how to appeal the decision.

How do I regain my Social Security benefits?

EXPEDITED REINSTATEMENT (EXR)

If your benefits terminated because of excess earned income or a combination of earned and unearned income, you can request to have your benefits started again without having to complete a new application. We call this process “expedited reinstatement.”

Why would my Social Security retirement benefits be suspended?

Social Security can suspend your benefits due to issues such as incorrect information in your application or failing to disclose a source of income.

What are three ways you could lose your pension?

The Bottom Line. A number of situations could put your pension at risk, including underfunding, mismanagement, bankruptcy, and legal exemptions. Laws exist to protect you in such circumstances, but some laws provide better protection than others.

Can you pass down Social Security benefits?

More than half of these children get benefits after the death of a parent who worked and paid Social Security taxes. In fact, 98 out of 100 children in this country could get Social Security if a working parent dies. In some cases, the child's surviving parent is eligible for benefits as well.

Can Social Security cut off your benefits?

What Can Cause Benefits to Be Suspended or Stop? Two things can cause us to suspend or stop your benefits: If, after completing a 9-month Trial Work Period (TWP), you work and earn at a level we consider substantial.

What is the Social Security 5 year rule?

The Social Security 5-year rule refers specifically to disability benefits. It requires that you must have worked five out of the last ten years immediately before your disability onset to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

How do I get the $16728 Social Security bonus?

Specifically, a rumored $16,728 bonus that had people wondering if it was true or not in 2024? Sadly, there's no real “bonus” that retirees who receive Social Security can collect.

What can cause you to lose your Social Security benefits?

How can you lose your Social Security benefits?
  • You are incarcerated. ...
  • You receive disability payments and return to work. ...
  • You receive disability payments and your condition improves. ...
  • You work during early retirement. ...
  • You remarry.

Can your benefits be stopped without warning?

Your benefit may be stopped while you're investigated. You'll get a letter telling you about this if it happens. You may be visited by Fraud Investigation Officers ( FIOs ) or asked to attend an interview to talk about your claim - this is called an 'interview under caution'.

Why would Social Security stop my benefits?

The termination of benefits in the Social Security disability program is based predominantly on four factors: conversion to the retirement program (that is, attainment of full retirement age), death, medical recovery, and work recovery.

At what age is Social Security no longer taxed?

Social Security income can be taxable no matter how old you are. It all depends on whether your total combined income exceeds a certain level set for your filing status. You may have heard that Social Security income is not taxed after age 70; this is false.

What affects my Social Security benefits?

Your monthly Social Security benefit is determined by four main factors: your work history, your earnings history, your birth year, and your claiming age.

When a husband dies, does his wife get his Social Security?

Surviving spouse, at full retirement age or older, generally gets 100% of the worker's basic benefit amount. Surviving spouse, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, gets between 71% and 99% of the worker's basic benefit amount.

Can two wives collect Social Security from one husband?

Each survivor benefit can be up to 100% of your benefit. The amount may be reduced if the women start benefits before their own full retirement age, but they don't have to share — the amount isn't reduced because you've had more than one spouse.

What not to do when your spouse dies?

What Not to Do When Someone Dies: 10 Common Mistakes
  1. Not Obtaining Multiple Copies of the Death Certificate.
  2. 2- Delaying Notification of Death.
  3. 3- Not Knowing About a Preplan for Funeral Expenses.
  4. 4- Not Understanding the Crucial Role a Funeral Director Plays.
  5. 5- Letting Others Pressure You Into Bad Decisions.

How much does a widow get from her husband's Social Security?

Payments start at 71.5% of your spouse's benefit and increase the longer you wait to apply.