United States · Social Security · Retirement age
Social Security full retirement age by birth year.
Your full retirement age from your birth date, what claiming at 62 does to the monthly benefit, and the rule for birthdays on the 1st.
Short answer: Full retirement age is 66 for people born from 1943 to 1954, rises by two months a year from 66 and 2 months for 1955 to 66 and 10 months for 1959, and is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Claiming at 62 cuts a retirement benefit by 25% for 1943 to 1954 births and by 30% for 1960 and later, according to the SSA.
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Full retirement age by birth year
Full retirement age is the age at which a retirement benefit is neither reduced for early claiming nor increased for delay. The SSA table below lists it by year of birth, the months between age 62 and full retirement age, and how much a benefit is reduced if you start at 62. The percentages are approximate because of rounding, as the SSA notes.
| Year of birth | Full retirement age | Months from 62 | Retirement benefit at 62 | Spouse's benefit at 62 (reduction) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 to 1954 | 66 | 48 | 25.00% lower | 30.00% lower |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months | 50 | 25.83% lower | 30.83% lower |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months | 52 | 26.67% lower | 31.67% lower |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months | 54 | 27.50% lower | 32.50% lower |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months | 56 | 28.33% lower | 33.33% lower |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months | 58 | 29.17% lower | 34.17% lower |
| 1960 and later | 67 | 60 | 30.00% lower | 35.00% lower |
For a spouse, the maximum benefit is 50% of the benefit the worker would receive at full retirement age, and the spouse's reduction for early claiming is applied after that 50%. The SSA's own example turns a $500 spouse's benefit into $325 at 62 for someone born in 1960 or later.
Birthdays on the 1st
The SSA says that if you were born on the 1st of the month, it figures your benefit and full retirement age as if your birthday were in the previous month, and for someone born on January 1 as if the birthday were in December of the previous year. The calculator applies that rule. You also must be at least 62 for the entire month to receive benefits for it.
Delayed retirement credits
Waiting past full retirement age raises the benefit by 2/3 of 1% for each month, 8% a year, for people born in 1943 or later, and the increase stops at age 70. For earlier birth years the SSA lists lower rates, from 5.5% a year for 1933 and 1934 to 7.5% a year for 1941 and 1942.
Worked example
A person born June 15, 1962 reaches full retirement age at 67, in June 2029. A person born on October 1, 1958 is treated as born in September 1958 for this purpose, so full retirement age is 66 and 8 months, reached in May 2025. Someone born in 1957 with a $2,000 benefit at full retirement age who claims at 62 gets $1,450, which is 27.50% less, a 54-month early claim.
Common mix-ups
- Full retirement age is not 65. That was the age for people born in 1937 and earlier; for everyone in this chart it is 66 or 67.
- Full retirement age is not the age you can start. You can start as early as 62 with a permanent reduction.
- Medicare eligibility is separate. Medicare starts at 65 whatever your full retirement age, and the SSA advises signing up for Medicare at 65 even if you delay your retirement benefit.
- Survivor benefits can have a different full retirement age. The SSA says survivors may have a different age than for retirement benefits.
- The year is the birth year, not the claiming year. January 1 births count as the previous year.
Method
The calculator reads your birth date, applies the SSA rule for birthdays on the 1st, looks up the full retirement age in months (792 for 1943 to 1954, plus 2 months for each year from 1955 to 1959, and 804 months for 1960 and later) and adds that to your birth month. The reduction at 62 uses 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months early and 5/12 of 1% for each month beyond; that reproduces every percentage in the SSA table above.
What this does not cover
- Birth years before 1943, for which the SSA uses a different table.
- Your actual benefit amount, which depends on your earnings record.
- Survivor benefit ages and disability benefits.
- Whether claiming early or late is right for you.
Figures read from the sources below on November 9, 2026. Last updated November 9, 2026.
Sources
- SSA Benefits Planner: Retirement Age and Benefit Reduction (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- SSA Benefits Planner: Delayed Retirement Credits (retrieved November 9, 2026)
- SSA: 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Fact Sheet (retrieved November 9, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is my full retirement age?
It depends on your birth year: 66 for 1943 to 1954, 66 and 2 to 10 months for 1955 to 1959, and 67 for 1960 and later.
What is the full retirement age for someone born in 1960?
67. Everyone born in 1960 or later has a full retirement age of 67 according to the SSA.
How much is my benefit reduced at 62?
25% for births in 1943 to 1954, rising to 30% for 1960 and later. A $1,000 benefit becomes $750 or $700.
What if I was born on January 1?
The SSA treats you as born in December of the previous year, so use the previous birth year for the chart.
Can I get benefits before full retirement age?
Yes, starting at 62, with a reduction for every month before full retirement age.
Is there an increase for waiting past full retirement age?
2/3 of 1% a month, or 8% a year, for people born in 1943 or later, until age 70.
Is Medicare tied to full retirement age?
No. The SSA says to apply for Medicare within 3 months of your 65th birthday even if you delay retirement benefits.
Not legal or tax advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal or tax advice, and it is not an eligibility decision. Programs and thresholds change and the figures here are estimates. Confirm with the agency that runs the program before you apply or file. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.