The Social Security full retirement age — also called the normal retirement age — is the age at which a worker becomes eligible to receive their full Social Security retirement benefit without any reduction for early claiming. Understanding your full retirement age and how it affects your monthly benefit is one of the most important aspects of Social Security planning.
What full retirement age means
Full retirement age is the benchmark age used by the Social Security Administration to calculate retirement benefits. If you claim your Social Security retirement benefit exactly at your full retirement age you receive 100 percent of your primary insurance amount — the benefit you earned based on your lifetime earnings record.
If you claim before full retirement age your monthly benefit is permanently reduced. If you delay claiming beyond full retirement age your monthly benefit increases by a set percentage for each month you wait up to age 70.
Full retirement age by birth year
Full retirement age is not the same for everyone — it depends on the year you were born. Congress gradually increased full retirement age from 65 to 67 as part of the Social Security Amendments of 1983.
The full retirement age schedule is as follows:
- Born 1937 or earlier — full retirement age is 65
- Born 1938 — full retirement age is 65 and 2 months
- Born 1939 — full retirement age is 65 and 4 months
- Born 1940 — full retirement age is 65 and 6 months
- Born 1941 — full retirement age is 65 and 8 months
- Born 1942 — full retirement age is 65 and 10 months
- Born 1943 through 1954 — full retirement age is 66
- Born 1955 — full retirement age is 66 and 2 months
- Born 1956 — full retirement age is 66 and 4 months
- Born 1957 — full retirement age is 66 and 6 months
- Born 1958 — full retirement age is 66 and 8 months
- Born 1959 — full retirement age is 66 and 10 months
- Born 1960 or later — full retirement age is 67
For most people currently approaching retirement the full retirement age is either 66 and a few months or 67.
Claiming before full retirement age
You can begin claiming Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62 — up to five years before full retirement age for most people. However claiming early permanently reduces your monthly benefit.
The reduction is calculated as follows:
- For each of the first 36 months before full retirement age benefits are reduced by five-ninths of one percent per month
- For each additional month beyond 36 months before full retirement age benefits are reduced by five-twelfths of one percent per month
For someone with a full retirement age of 67 claiming at age 62 results in a permanent reduction of approximately 30 percent. For someone with a full retirement age of 66 claiming at 62 results in a reduction of approximately 25 percent.
This reduction is permanent — it applies for the rest of your life and to any survivor benefits your spouse may receive based on your record.
Claiming after full retirement age
If you delay claiming Social Security beyond your full retirement age your monthly benefit increases by two-thirds of one percent for each month you wait — equivalent to 8 percent per year. This increase is called the delayed retirement credit.
Delayed retirement credits accumulate from full retirement age until age 70. After age 70 there is no additional benefit to waiting — the maximum benefit is reached at 70 regardless of how long you wait beyond that.
For someone with a full retirement age of 67 waiting until age 70 to claim increases the monthly benefit by 24 percent compared to claiming at full retirement age.
The break-even analysis
A common way to evaluate the claiming decision is the break-even analysis — calculating the age at which the cumulative lifetime benefits from delayed claiming equal the cumulative benefits from earlier claiming.
For example if claiming at 62 provides $1,500 per month and waiting until 67 provides $2,100 per month the break-even point is approximately the age at which the higher payments from waiting make up for the five years of missed payments. Generally the break-even age is in the late 70s or early 80s.
People who expect to live well into their 80s or beyond typically benefit from delaying. People with serious health conditions or shorter life expectancies may benefit from claiming earlier.
Full retirement age and Medicare
Full retirement age for Social Security is separate from Medicare eligibility age. Most people become eligible for Medicare at age 65 regardless of their Social Security full retirement age. It is possible — and common — to enroll in Medicare at 65 while delaying Social Security until a later age.
Full retirement age and spousal benefits
Spousal benefits are also affected by full retirement age. A spouse who claims a spousal benefit before their own full retirement age receives a reduced spousal benefit. A spouse who claims at or after full retirement age receives up to 50 percent of the worker’s primary insurance amount.
Full retirement age and survivor benefits
Survivor benefits have their own rules regarding full retirement age. A surviving spouse can claim reduced survivor benefits as early as age 60 — or age 50 if disabled. A surviving spouse who claims survivor benefits at their full retirement age receives 100 percent of the deceased worker’s benefit amount.
Working while receiving Social Security before full retirement age
If you claim Social Security before full retirement age and continue working your benefits may be temporarily reduced if your earnings exceed certain limits — called the retirement earnings test. In 2024 for people who have not yet reached full retirement age the Social Security Administration withholds one dollar in benefits for every two dollars earned above $22,320 per year.
Once you reach full retirement age the earnings test no longer applies — you can earn any amount without affecting your Social Security benefits.
How to find your full retirement age
You can find your full retirement age and estimate your future benefits by:
- Creating a free my Social Security account at ssa.gov where you can view your earnings record and see personalized benefit estimates at different claiming ages
- Using the Social Security Retirement Estimator at ssa.gov
- Calling the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213
Key terms to know
- Full retirement age — the age at which a worker receives 100 percent of their Social Security retirement benefit
- Primary insurance amount — the monthly benefit a worker is entitled to at full retirement age based on their lifetime earnings
- Early retirement reduction — the permanent decrease in monthly benefits for claiming before full retirement age
- Delayed retirement credit — the increase in monthly benefits for each month of delayed claiming beyond full retirement age up to age 70
- Break-even age — the age at which the cumulative lifetime benefits from delayed claiming equal those from earlier claiming
- Retirement earnings test — the rule that reduces Social Security benefits for people who claim before full retirement age and continue working above an earnings limit
- Survivor benefit — a Social Security benefit available to the surviving spouse of a deceased worker
Sources
- Social Security Administration — ssa.gov
- USA.gov — Social Security
- National Institute on Aging
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Social Security rules and benefit amounts are subject to change. Visit ssa.gov or contact the Social Security Administration for the most current information specific to your situation.