Devils Lake Journal Dear Rusty: I will be 65 in August of this year. If I start drawing Social Security on my 65th birthday, how will my Social Security check be affected if I continue working at my full-time job, and take home $1380 every two weeks, until I reach my full retirement age? Signed: Working Senior Dear Working Senior: Social Security (SS) has an “earnings test” which applies to anyone who collects benefits before they have reached their full retirement age (FRA). There is also a “first year rule” which applies when someone claims benefits mid-year, prior to their full retirement age. The first-year rule says that if you exceed a monthly limit you aren’t entitled to benefits for that month, and that applies for each remaining month in the first year, after your benefits start. Then, starting in 2022, you’ll be subject to an annual earnings limit. Since you will reach your full retirement age in 2022, your annual limit that year will be a bit more than the 2021 FRA-year limit of $50,520 (the earnings limits change annually).