QUESTION: I am 67 and still working. Do I have to report my earnings to Social Security? Will my benefits be reduced?ANSWER: No and no. If you have reached your full retirement age, you do not lose benefits when you work. If you were receiving benefits before reaching full retirement age, at age 62 for example, your benefit payments would be reduced based on your earnings. To learn more about Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

QUESTION: Once I retire, will my benefit amount be the same for the rest of my life?ANSWER: Once you start receiving benefits, each year you will receive a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) based on the rise in the consumer price index. And there is another way that your benefit might increase. If you work, you continue to pay Social Security taxes on your earnings even though you are receiving benefits. Because you pay these taxes, Social Security refigures your benefits to take into account your extra earnings. If your indexed earnings for the year are higher than the earnings that were used in the original benefit computation, Social Security substitutes the new year of earnings. The higher your earnings, the more your refigured benefit might be. To learn more about Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).This column was prepared by the Social Security Administration. For fast answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at 800-772-1213.