Still Working At 69, Eligible For Social Security: Should He Keep Waiting Or Claim Now?

At 69, many Americans are thinking about slowing down, if they haven't already — but not everyone. One Reddit user recently shared that her husband, born in January 1956, is still working full time and loves his job. He's also the only one at his hospital who performs certain specialized tests, so his employer is eager to keep him. While he's already enrolled in Medicare, he hasn't yet started collecting Social Security retirement benefits. 

So, their question is: should he claim now or keep waiting?

Let's look at how Social Security works in this scenario.

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Full Retirement Age Means No Earnings Limit

First, it's important to know that once someone reaches their full retirement age, there's no limit on how much they can earn while receiving Social Security benefits, per Social Security Administration rules.

For someone born in January 1956, full retirement age is 66 years and 4 months. That means this man reached FRA back in May 2022. Since then, he's been eligible to collect his full retirement benefit with no penalty for working full-time.

In other words, yes — he can collect Social Security now and keep working as much as he wants. There's no reduction in benefits due to his job income, and he'll still be contributing to Social Security through payroll taxes.

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What Happens If He Waits Until 70?

If he chooses not to claim just yet, his benefit amount will continue to grow. Social Security increases your benefit by about 8% each year you delay claiming after your full retirement age, up until age 70.

Because he's now 69, he's less than a year away from maxing out that delayed retirement credit. If he waits until he turns 70, his monthly benefit could be roughly 24% higher than it would have been at his FRA.

That increase lasts for the rest of his life — and could also benefit a surviving spouse if she later receives spousal or survivor benefits.

Can Working Increase Future Payments?

Yes. Even if he starts collecting Social Security now, his benefit might still increase over time. That's because the Social Security Administration continues to review earnings records. If his recent work years are among his 35 highest-earning years, the agency could recalculate his benefit upward.

He'll receive a notice if his payment increases due to these new earnings.

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What's the Right Move?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. If the couple wants to lock in the higher monthly benefit, they might wait until he turns 70. On the other hand, if they'd like to start receiving money now — and he's already past his full retirement age — there's no financial penalty for doing so. He can collect benefits while continuing his career.

Factors to consider include their overall financial situation, life expectancy, how long he plans to work, and whether the added income would help meet their current goals.

Bottom Line

At 69 and past his full retirement age, this worker has options. He can safely claim his Social Security benefits now without reducing his payments — even if he continues to earn a full-time income. But if he waits just a little longer, he'll lock in a bigger monthly check for life. Either path can work; it all depends on what fits their needs best.

Before making a decision, it may help to speak with a financial advisor or use Social Security's online tools to estimate benefits.

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