How many years did you work

[stepford]

With the (presumed) repeal of WEP and GPO and the prospect of my DW getting half my PIA in spousal benefits I've been thinking about the fact that my PIA is somewhat below maximum because of the limited number of years I worked. I retired after 27.5 years of 'real' work (and another half dozen or so years of low wage jobs I had while a student). As a result my PIA is reduced about 10% from the maximum it could be for someone my age.

This being a site dedicated to early retirement it made wonder how many others here have relatively short careers and whether this has impacted your PIA. In this poll I'm only asking about 'real' full time work - not short low paid gigs, but how you define real work is up to you.

 

[Ronstar]

2 companies. 40 years. 1974-2014.

 

[aaronc879]

I didn't vote since i'm not sure how to. I only had 13 years of what might be considered "real jobs". The rest were part time lower wage jobs including some self employment. The most I ever earned in a year was $49,XXX. I'm 45 and not sure if I will work any more or not. If I do it will be part time and/or seasonal so wouldn't count by OPs definition.

 

[mrfeh]

College graduation at 22, cut back to 2 days per week at 50. Did that for 5 years before complete retirement.

 

[aja8888]

Too many, for sure (over 41+).

 

[stepford]

I didn't vote since i'm not sure how to. I only had 13 years of what might be considered "real jobs". The rest were part time lower wage jobs including some self employment. The most I ever earned in a year was $49,XXX. I'm 45 and not sure if I will work any more or not. If I do it will be part time and/or seasonal so wouldn't count by OPs definition.

If it felt like a real job to you then it probably counts. I guess what I was after was how limited career length impacted our PIA. I'd only exclude these shorter gigs if they don't significantly affect your PIA. (and yes, you have to decide what 'significantly' means)

 

[Kings over Queens]

June 15th'ish of 2025 will mark 40 years in my chosen career. I started in the family business 2 weeks after high school graduation.

 

[stepford]

College graduation at 22, cut back to 2 days per week at 50. Did that for 5 years before complete retirement.

Similar to me. My last 8 years were part time, but it still felt like a real job and I still hit the FICA limit during those years so I count them in my total.

 

[Exchme]

Still working part time after 43 years, but enough to max out SS taxes each year. I have more than 35 years a the max. Hope they don't take away my E-R membership card since not fully retired and it's no longer early.

Note that the maximum benefit they pay new filers goes up over time as they experience a higher average wage index than you did, so no matter what you earned, you will fall behind new filers before long.

 

[scrabbler1]

I had one main job after college graduation in 1985. I retired in late 2008, so I worked 23 years and 4 months. The first 16 years I worked full-time, then I worked part-time for the next 7 years in various part-time arrangements including a mostly WFH deal for 2 years and 3 months.

I did some part-time work during the last 2 years of high school and during my college years. Some of it was in cash and off the books. Very little of it was taxable including subject to FICA taxes.

Since I have been retired for 16 years, I have now exceeded in my retirement the amount of time I worked full-time!

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I voted-41+ years but 20 of those years was for a local government agency that did not participate in social security so my PIA is reduced due to that and currently WEP.

 

[Gumby]

According to my final statement, I had 45 years of social security earnings

 

[iloveyoga]

According to my final statement, I had 45 years of social security earnings

That is a good way to measure.

 

[iloveyoga]

That is a good way to measure.

I had to go in to SSA.gov and count. 49 years of earnings! I retired for the last time on January 31, 2024 so I will have a bit of earnings for this year. I am done working now though.

 

[MC Rider]

Started working part time at 16, but delivered newspapers before that. Worked student job through most of college. Graduated at 22 and worked full time until late 2022. From 2009 - 2022 was self employed, and it was full time feast or famine. Either too busy or not busy enough. So about 47 years.

 

[38Chevy454]

30 years after college, but have worked full time since 15 years old, except part-time during school. So retiring at 53 I had 38 years of real wages. My SSA would show maybe 2 more years of misc wages.

 

[Lewis Clark]

Worked 35 years full time, then 3 years of part time work while ramping down the hours.

Then retirement.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

4 full-time j*bs. Some part-time before, during, and just after college.
Trying to be done with the 35 years needed to get a decent SS (if it's still solvent in 2037)

 

[Jerry1]

My last job I worked over 20 years. Total was from 15 to 57 so over 40.

 

[Alan]

15 years working in the UK paying into their SS program and 23 years working in the USA paying into the US SS system. Once WEP repeal is signed into law my SS will not be reduced because of my foreign pension.

 

[Midpack]

5 years of summer jobs then 35 years professional career - essentially 1 employer. But many years over the SS limit so benefit is very close to the max, and therefore retiring early didn’t hurt my monthly amount. And I waited to age 70 to claim.

 

[imjustawarrior]

I retired in 2023. I am still vesting RSUs and exercising stock options, so I still have earned income for SS. I think some of these years will replace some of my Army years. An E-1 doesn't make much.

career: 31 + 6 (I'm not working these 6 but they add to SS)
Army: 4
35-41 depending on how one counts it

I worked full time (40-50 hrs/wk) in the summers in HS. It was a cash business. Also, I had some part time jobs in HS and college.

 

[braumeister]

21 years in the Air Force
12 years full time in the software world

42 years of Soc Sec earnings, although some were pretty minimal

 

[Texas Proud]

According to my final statement, I had 45 years of social security earnings

Since the OP seemed to make a difference in 'real work' vs student or other low income type I do not think that is the way to go...

I know I have a few years with less than $1,000... heck, 3 or 4 with less than $100...

Then again, I was working as young as 5 in my dad's various businesses without pay... so do not know if I should include them..

 

[Dtail]

34 years full time. My goal is to have 34 years of retirement which would take me to 91 years old.