The Irish Voice’s Green Card column provides advice on whether your old US social security card and the number are still usable years later.

“I came to the U.S. seven years ago. I married an American citizen but it was a huge mistake. To make a very long story short I didn’t even get a green card, though I had started the process for doing so. I did get a Social Security number and a document allowing me to work.  I returned home to Ireland for two years, but now I’m back in the U.S.  I am divorced and looking to rebuild my life.

“Is the Social Security number that I obtained still valid? There is no expiration date on it. It would greatly help me if I could use it as I could probably obtain a license.  And I ever have a chance to become legal again, would my past case be held against me? I never contacted immigration about it, and never followed through with my paperwork.”

The Social Security Administration issues three different kinds of Social Security numbers – ones for American citizens and legal permanent residents (green card holders) that have no restrictions at all; ones for those with temporary legal status (such as what you had while waiting for legalization via your former husband); and lastly, those that are not valid for employment in the U.S.

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Though a Social Security number itself never expires, and the one you have will always be yours, even if you become legal in the future, you are technically not supposed to use it for employment or other purposes.

The Social Security card you received at the time would have been stamped with the words “valid for work only with DHS authorization,” meaning its use would be legal as long as your immigration status was still pending.   Those who complete the legalization process can then re-apply for a new, unrestricted Social Security card.

You say that you would like to apply for a driver’s license, but the restricted card you have won’t allow you to do that.  Department of Motor Vehicle offices throughout the 50 states require the physical Social Security card, not just the number, so that’s a hurdle you wouldn’t be able to overcome.

Your past interactions with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service certainly won’t be held against you in the future.   There are many instances where people, for one reason or another, have to terminate an application, but there’s nothing barring them from re-applying for a benefit again should they become eligible.

Speaking of driver’s licenses, in New York State, those with foreign licenses (except Canadian) looking to convert to local ones must essentially start the process from scratch, going through a road test and completing a five-hour driver’s ed course.

“When you receive your New York driver’s license, you must surrender your foreign driver’s license to the DMV road test examiner. The local DMV office keeps your foreign driver’s license and then destroys the license after 60 days. If you plan to return to your home country and use your foreign driver’s license, ask the road test examiner how to make sure that your foreign driver license is not destroyed. If you need to get your foreign driver’s license, go to the local DMV office where you applied for your NYS driver’s license,” the DMV website says.

Maximum Social Security Benefit and How to Get It

In 2025, the maximum Social Security benefit is $4,043 per month if you started receiving benefits at full retirement age (66 now and 67 for people born in 1960 or later). The highest benefit amount of $5,108.is available to recipients who claim Social Security beginning at age 70 Here’s what you would need to do to maximize your benefit.

Work for at Least 35 Years

The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates your final benefit amount based on your earnings for the 35 years when you made the most money. It then indexes your annual earnings, meaning it adjusts for inflation, then takes the average of the 35 indexed amounts.

Here’s the key takeaway: If you have income for less than 35 years, the SSA will give you a zero for those years short of 35.

Those zeroes can bring down your average significantly, so the more years that you can work, the better You can view your earnings record by creating an online Social Security account.

Work Until Full Retirement Age

Another step you can take to maximize your Social Security benefits is to work until your full retirement age (FRA). Originally, this number was set at 65. But it has been steadily creeping up, thanks to the passage of the Social Security Amendments of 1983 (H.R. 1900, Public Law 98-21). Starting in 2000, the full retirement age has been increasing in two-month increments so that as of 2025, it’s 67 for people born in 1960 or later.

If you don’t wait till your FRA, the earliest you can start receiving Social Security is 62 years old. However, your benefit will be reduced by up to 30% if your FRA is 67 in this case.

Whether you can make it until your full retirement age may depend on your job security and overall health. If you develop a chronic condition, for instance, you may need to reduce hours or leave your job altogether. Every year can you delay, however, could get you a step closer to your maximum Social Security benefit.

…Or Go All the Way and Work Until 70

A worker near retirement.

The longer you hold off receiving your Social Security benefits, up to age 70, the bigger your check. For each  month after you reach your FRA, your payout increases by roughly 0.7% (assuming your FRA is 66), which amounts to 8% per year. If you wait till age 70 to claim benefits, your payments will be 32% bigger than if you had started taking them at 66. Once you turn 70 there is no added benefit in postponing payments.

Of course, working until 70 isn’t for everyone, and there’s no penalty in claiming your benefits when you reach your FRA.It’s also not a sure thing that waiting until 70 maximizes your lifetime benefit.

After all, should you pass away the following year, waiting that long will mean you received far less total benefits than if you’d claimed them as soon as you were eligible to. So consider your life expectancy as you make this decision.

Earn More at Your Place(s) of Employment

I have some low-earning years in your 35-year work record (say, from part-time jobs during college), replacing them with higher-earning years could help increase your maximum Social Security benefit.

That could mean staying in your current role longer, or angling for a promotion to a better-paying position within the same company. You may also consider moving to a new organization to unlock higher pay or enhanced employee benefits.

Starting a side hustle or business, or taking on a part-time job could also give your earnings record a boost. Keep in mind, however, that increasing your income to max out your Social Security benefits later could result in a higher tax liability now. Taking advantage of all the credits and deductions you’re eligible for can help keep your tax bill as low as possible.

Watch How Much You Earn in the Years Preceding Full Retirement

Can you claim Social Security while working? Yes, but that could shrink your benefit amount. The SSA has imposed earning limits for individuals who have entered early and full retirement. Those limits, and the impact on your benefits, depend on how close you are to your full retirement age.

In 2025, an early retiree can make $23,400 in gross wages or net self employment earnings without penalty. Any overage will result in $1 deducted from their Social Security check for every $2 earned above this amount.

Once you reach the year of your full retirement age, you can bring in $62,160 prior to the month of your full retirement birthday without penalty. For every $3 earned above this amount, the SSA will deduct $1 from your Social Security payment. These limits also affect the amounts family members can receive from your claim.

Once you’ve reached full retirement age, earnings no longer impact your benefits.

Avoid Social Security Tax Traps

The IRS uses four elements to determine when Social Security benefits are subject to income tax. These elements comprise what the service calls provisional income. They are:

  • Capital gains and dividends
  • Half of Social Security benefits
  • Nontaxable interest
  • Ordinary income (including wages and IRA withdrawals)

Either up to 50% or up to 85% of your benefits can be subject to federal taxation. The amount of tax you owe depends on your provisional income and filing status.

A 50% tax applies to:

  • Single filers with provisional income between $25,000 and $34,000
  • Married couples with provisional income between $32,000 and $44,000

An 85% tax applies to:

  • Single filers with provisional income exceeding $34,000
  • Married couples with provision income exceeding $44,000

For example, say a married couple withdraws $30,000 from an IRA and receives $40,000 in Social Security. Half of that Social Security money ($20,000) is used for the IRS equation and is combined with the $30,000 IRA withdrawal to bring the couple’s provisional income to $50,000. Since that is above the $44,000 threshold for couples, then up to 85% of their Social Security is taxable.

If you’re looking to avoid this, try reducing your taxable income to reduce the amount of taxes. This can be achieved by looking at all of your adjusted gross income (AGI) and evenly distributing your funds over the span of a few years, so there are no sudden increases or decreases.