Q: “How much can I earn a year and still get my monthly Social Security Retirement Benefit?”
A: The answer depends on your personal situation. If you are:
Full retirement age. If you were born Jan. 2, 1943, through Jan. 1, 1955, then your full retirement age for retirement insurance benefits is 66. If you work and are full retirement age or older, you may keep all of your benefits, no matter how much you earn.
Reaching full retirement age. If you reach full retirement age during 2012, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $3 you earn above $38,880 until the month you reach full retirement age. The year you turn your full retirement age, you are considered retired if monthly earnings are $3,240 or less until the month you reach full retirement age.
Under full retirement age. If you are younger than full retirement age during all of 2012, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earned above $14,640.