{
  "id": 3248157,
  "title": "3 Social Security Rules Retirees Forget About",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/3-social-security-rules-retirees-forget-about",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-25T11:20:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Finance",
    "slug": "yahoo-finance",
    "url": "https://finance.yahoo.com/small-business/articles/3-social-security-rules-retirees-112000380.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Social Security presents numerous rules that retirees may overlook, potentially resulting in unintentional reductions of their benefits. Here are three critical rules to bear in mind while preparing for retirement.\n\nFirst, the Social Security earnings test is a rule that frequently catches working retirees by surprise. If you haven't reached your full retirement age by the end of a given year, some of your Social Security benefits may be withheld once your earnings surpass $24,480. Under this rule, you lose $1 for every $2 earned above the limit. If you will attain full retirement age during the year but haven't yet, you will lose $1 for every $3 earned above the higher threshold of $65,160.\n\nDespite the temporary loss of benefits, your payment is recalculated upon reaching full retirement age to account for any missed benefits. However, this rule can still affect you if you were anticipating collecting Social Security while maintaining a source of income. Another lesser-known rule is that you have options if you claim benefits early and later decide you would have preferred to wait. If it has been less than a year since you filed a claim, you can withdraw it. Although you will need to repay all Social Security payments received, as if the early claim never occurred, doing so restores your benefits to their original state.\n\nLastly, keep in mind that you may owe taxes on a portion of your benefits. If your provisional income exceeds $25,000 for single filers or $32,000 for married joint filers, at least some of your Social Security will be subject to taxation. Provisional income encompasses half of your Social Security payment, along with all taxable income and some non-taxable income. However, these thresholds are not adjusted for inflation, and many Americans may be unaware of this rule, potentially leading to an unexpected tax bill. Understanding these rules when planning for retirement is essential to making informed decisions about your Social Security and maximizing your retirement income.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Can withdraw early claim within a year, repay all payments to restore original benefits",
    "May owe taxes on benefits if provisional income exceeds $25,000 for singles or $32,000 for couples"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Motley Fool",
        "title": "3 Social Security Rules Retirees Forget About",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/3-social-security-rules-retirees-forget-about-3253034",
        "published": "2026-08-25T11:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Nasdaq Markets",
        "title": "3 Social Security Rules Retirees Forget About",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/3-social-security-rules-retirees-forget-about-3255007",
        "published": "2026-08-25T11:20:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}