Retiree takes $94 job, gets caught by social security, and ends up paying over $28,000
Each country has its own retirement system, with varying retirement ages. In the United States, for example, the full retirement age in 2025 is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, though Americans can begin claiming Social Security benefits as early as age 62, with a permanent reduction of up to 30 %.
To qualify for retirement benefits, you must also accrue at least 40 Social Security credits—typically earned over about 10 years of work—based on payroll tax contributions.
Italy, through its National Social Security Institute (INPS), introduced a program in 2019 that allowed early retirement at 62.
Known as Quota 100, the scheme combined age and contribution years—62 years of age plus 38 years of contributions. Though it was phased out in 2021, those who met the requirements before the end of that year can still access it.
The program, which benefited thousands of Italian retirees, came with strict conditions. Chief among them: no paid work of any kind. A 67-year-old man violated that rule by working a single day during the grape harvest, for which he earned just $94 (80 euros). The consequence? A $28,320 penalty (24,000 euros), the equivalent of one full year of pension payments.
A full year of lost income
According to Corriere di Bologna, the incident dates back to 2020. Whether he did it to earn a bit of extra money or simply as a favor to a friend or family member, the man’s single day of work triggered a heavy penalty. He appealed the decision before the Ravenna court, but the challenge was unsuccessful. In the end, he was ordered to return a full year of pension income.
His lawyer, Manuel Carvello, explained that the court tends to side with INPS in such cases to avoid broader repercussions. “Any ruling would undoubtedly set a national precedent,” he said. Still, he criticized the severity of the punishment relative to the offense. “The rule broadly states that Quota 100 is incompatible with employment, but it doesn’t clearly define the penalty,” he argued. “The more reasonable approach would be to deduct the $94 earned or, at most, withhold the pension for the month the work was done. Withholding an entire year is unjust,” he concluded.
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