What Is the Full Retirement Age for Social Security?
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- Your full retirement age depends on the year you were born.
- You can start collecting Social Security at 62 but will receive reduced benefits.
- If you wait until 70, your monthly check will be more than if you’d retired at your full retirement age.
How to find your full retirement age
Full retirement age for Social Security
| Year you were born | Full retirement age | If you start receiving benefits at 62, your retirement benefit is reduced by... |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 through 1954 | 66. | 25%. |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months. | 25.83%. |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months. | 26.67%. |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months. | 27.5%. |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months. | 28.33%. |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months. | 29.17%. |
| 1960 and later | 67. | 30%. |
Why your full retirement age matters
- For example, if a person is eligible for $1,000 per month at full retirement age, their monthly benefit could shrink to $700 if they retire at 62.
- However, if that person waits two more years to claim benefits at 64, their benefits could shrink by 20% instead of 30%, giving them an extra $100 a month.
Waiting until after full retirement age to claim benefits
Your actual benefit may be lower or higher than estimate made with this calculator, because it does not take into account your actual earnings history.
We assume you have earnings every year until you begin receiving Social Security benefits. If you had several years of noncovered employment or your earnings changed significantly from year to year, this calculator will overestimate or underestimate your benefit.
This is your estimated benefit
if you begin taking Social Security at age 62
This is your estimated benefit
if you begin taking Social Security at age 67
Estimated benefits from age 62 to 70
Social Security break-even age
Your break-even point is the age at which the cumulative amount you may receive if you file later equals the cumulative amount you may receive if you file early. It signifies the point at which it may "pay off" to wait.
Age 77.5 is the age at which the total number of dollars you receive if you retire at age 70 exceeds the total number of dollars you'll receive if you retire at 67.
About these results
We estimated and then indexed your past earnings by using your current annual salary, the national average wage indexing series and the Social Security Administration's annual wage base.
We assume that people age 18 to 22 are less likely to have full-time earnings.
Future earnings are based on correct annual salary and expected annual salary increase.
With the exception of the indexing factor applied to past earnings, the calculations do not include an inflation rate. The results are presented in today's dollars.
- How long you’re likely to live.
- If you’ll continue to work during retirement.
- If you’ll invest the money or use it for living expenses.
Other retirement ages to know
| Benefit | Age | Event |
| 401(k) and IRA catch-up contributions | 59 1/2. | May qualify to contribute more money than the annual limit to eligible plans. |
| Roth IRA | 59 1/2. | Nonqualified distributions of earnings allowed without taxes or early withdrawal penalty. |
| Traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA | 59 1/2. | Nonqualified distributions of earnings allowed without an early withdrawal penalty. |
| Medicare | 7 months surrounding your 65th birthday. | Enroll for Medicare Part B to avoid a late penalty of a 10% monthly premium increase for every 12-month period of delayed enrollment; there are exceptions that allow a delayed enrollment. |
What's your financial need?
Think it through and get a second opinion
- You get one do-over in your lifetime: If you start receiving Social Security benefits and decide you can hold out longer to get a higher payout, you have a 12-month window to reverse course and repay the money you've received .
Article sources
- 1. Social Security Administration. Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early. Accessed Oct 26, 2025.
- 2. SSA.gov. If you were born between 1960 your full retirement age is 67. Accessed Oct 26, 2025.
- 3. Social Security Administration. Delayed Retirement Credits. Accessed Oct 26, 2025.
- 4. SSA.gov. What Important Things to Consider When Planning for Retirement. Accessed Oct 26, 2025.
- 5. Social Security Administration. Can I withdraw my Social Security retirement claim and reapply later to increase my benefit amount?. Accessed Oct 26, 2025.
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