If you expect to earn over $1,950 in every month or perform substantial services in self-employment every month of 2025 select "Yes."

Exception: If you will reach full retirement age in 2025 or already reached it in a prior year, select "Yes" only if you expect to earn over $5,180 in every month or perform substantial services in self-employment in every month of 2025.

"Substantial services in self-employment" means that you spend more than 45 hours working in your business during the month or between 15 and 45 hours a month working in a highly skilled occupation.

Why we ask this question

If you:

Exception: If there are months when you do not expect to perform substantial services in self-employment or earn over $1,950 ($5,180 if you will reach full retirement age in 2025), we may still be able to pay benefits based on a special rule regardless of your yearly earnings. The rule, which can only be used for one year, lets us pay you a full Social Security check for any whole month we consider you retired./p>

For additional information, please read "How Work Affects Your Benefits."