Your full retirement age depends on the year you were born

Your full retirement age is the age at which Social Security calculates your benefit as 100 percent of your primary insurance amount — the base monthly payment you have earned. This age is not 65 for most people anymore. The Social Security Administration raised it gradually starting in 1983, and where it lands for you depends entirely on your birth year.

If you were born between 1943 and 1954, your full retirement age is 66. If you were born between 1955 and 1960, it falls somewhere between 66 and 67, increasing by two months for each year of birth. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. This is the age the government uses to calculate your benefit amount — not the age you must claim it.

Key Takeaways

  • Full retirement age ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year, and it is different from the age you can start receiving benefits.
  • You can claim Social Security as early as age 62, but your monthly payment will be permanently reduced if you claim before your full retirement age.
  • If you delay claiming past your full retirement age, your monthly benefit increases by about 8 percent per year until age 70.
  • Your full retirement age affects how much you lose by claiming early or gain by claiming late, but it does not prevent you from claiming at any age between 62 and 70.

How your birth year determines your full retirement age

The Social Security Administration uses a specific table to match birth year to full retirement age. People born in 1943–1954 have a full retirement age of 66. For those born in 1955, it is 66 and 2 months; 1956, 66 and 4 months; 1957, 66 and 6 months; 1958, 66 and 8 months; 1959, 66 and 10 months; and 1960 or later, 67.

This gradual increase was written into law in 1983 as the population aged and people began living longer. The change was phased in over many years so workers would have time to plan. If you are unsure of your exact full retirement age, you can find it on your Social Security statement, which the agency mails to you each year, or you can use the online calculator on the Social Security Administration website.

What happens if you claim before your full retirement age

You can claim Social Security as early as age 62, but doing so means a permanent reduction in your monthly benefit. The reduction is steeper the earlier you claim. If your full retirement age is 67 and you claim at 62, your benefit is roughly 30 percent lower than it would be at 67. If you claim at 65, it is roughly 13 percent lower.

This reduction stays with you for life. Even after you reach your full retirement age, your monthly payment will never rise to what it would have been if you had waited. The trade-off is that you receive payments for more years overall. Whether claiming early makes sense depends on your health, family history, and how long you expect to live — factors only you can weigh.

What happens if you delay past your full retirement age

If you wait to claim Social Security after your full retirement age, your benefit grows. For each year you delay between your full retirement age and 70, your monthly payment increases by roughly 8 percent per year. This is called delayed retirement credits. If your full retirement age is 67 and you wait until 70, your benefit at 70 will be about 24 percent higher than it would have been at 67.

Benefits stop growing at age 70, so there is no financial advantage to waiting past that point. Delaying works best if you are in good health and expect to live well into your 80s or beyond, because the higher monthly payment eventually makes up for the years you did not receive anything.

How full retirement age affects your earnings limit

If you claim before your full retirement age and continue to work, Social Security reduces your benefit based on your earnings. In 2024, if you have not yet reached your full retirement age, Social Security deducts $1 from your benefit for every $2 you earn above a certain threshold. The threshold changes each year.

Once you reach your full retirement age, this earnings limit disappears entirely. You can earn as much as you want without any reduction to your benefit. This is one reason some people choose to wait until their full retirement age to claim — it allows them to keep working without a benefit cut.

The difference between full retirement age and claiming age

Full retirement age and the age you claim are two separate things, and the confusion between them costs people money. Your full retirement age is what Social Security uses to calculate your benefit amount. Your claiming age is straightforward the age at which you decide to start receiving payments. You can claim at 62 even if your full retirement age is 67 — you will just receive a smaller monthly payment.

Understanding this distinction matters because it helps you see the real cost of claiming early. If you claim at 62 when your full retirement age is 67, you are not just getting your benefit five years sooner; you are permanently accepting a 30 percent lower payment. That lower amount follows you through retirement and affects any survivor benefits your family receives if you pass away.

How to find your full retirement age

The easiest way to find your full retirement age is to create a my Social Security account on the Social Security Administration website. Once you log in, your full retirement age appears on your benefit estimate. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and speak with a representative, or visit your local Social Security office in person.

Your Social Security statement, which arrives in the mail each year if you are not yet receiving benefits, also lists your full retirement age. If you have lost that statement, you can request a new one through your my Social Security account or by calling the number above. Having this information in writing before you make a claiming decision is worth the few minutes it takes to find it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim Social Security before my full retirement age?

Yes. You can claim as early as age 62, regardless of your full retirement age. Your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced, but you will receive payments for more years. The reduction is steeper the earlier you claim.

Does my full retirement age change if I keep working?

No. Your full retirement age is fixed based on your birth year and does not change. However, continuing to work may increase your benefit amount because Social Security recalculates your earnings record each year you work.

What if I was born on January 1st — which year's rules explore to me?

If you were born on January 1st, Social Security treats you as if you were born on December 31st of the previous year. So if you were born January 1, 1955, your full retirement age is 66 and 2 months (the age for people born in 1954).

Does my spouse's full retirement age affect my benefits?

No. Your spouse has their own full retirement age based on their birth year, and it does not change your benefit calculation. However, if you claim a spousal benefit, your full retirement age does affect how much that spousal benefit is reduced if you claim early.

What happens to my full retirement age if I become disabled?

Your full retirement age does not change. However, if you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your benefit automatically converts to a retirement benefit at your full retirement age, though the amount stays the same.