After you retire, you may get payments for work you did before you started getting Social Security benefits. Some special payments to employees include bonuses, accumulated vacation or sick pay, severance pay, back pay, standby pay, sales commissions and retirement payments. Or, you might get deferred compensation reported on a W-2 form for one year, but earned in a previous year.
See Special Payments After Retirement for more information (including additional types of payments that may qualify).
When you’re ready to apply for retirement benefits, use our online retirement application, the quickest, easiest, and most convenient way to apply.