Social Security Full Retirement Age

What full retirement age means

Your full retirement age (FRA), also called normal retirement age, is the age at which you qualify for 100% of the Social Security retirement benefit you've earned based on your lifetime earnings — no reduction for claiming early, no bonus for waiting. It's not the same for everyone: Congress raised it gradually starting with people born in 1938, specifically because people are living longer and staying healthier later in life, and it now depends entirely on your birth year.

Find your full retirement age by birth year

If you were born in 1943 through 1954, your full retirement age is 66. It then rises in two-month increments for each birth year after that — 66 and 2 months for 1955, 66 and 4 months for 1956, 66 and 6 months for 1957, 66 and 8 months for 1958, and 66 and 10 months for 1959 — before leveling off at 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. If your birthday falls on January 1st, SSA calculates your full retirement age using the previous year.

Claiming early: how much your benefit is reduced

You can start collecting retirement benefits as early as age 62, but claiming before your full retirement age permanently reduces your monthly payment — it doesn't rise back to the full amount once you reach FRA. The reduction is 5/9 of 1% for each month early, up to 36 months, and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month beyond that. For someone with a full retirement age of 67 who claims at 62 — 60 months early — that works out to a 30% permanent reduction.

Delaying past full retirement age: how much it grows

Waiting past your full retirement age has the opposite effect: your benefit grows by a delayed retirement credit for every month you hold off, up to age 70. For anyone born in 1943 or later, that credit is 8% per year, or about 2/3 of 1% per month. For someone with a full retirement age of 67, waiting until 70 raises the monthly benefit to 124% of the full amount — the largest benefit SSA will pay. The increase stops entirely at age 70, so there's no added benefit to delaying further.

Why the "right" age depends on your situation

There's no single best age to claim — it depends on your health, other income, and whether a spouse or dependent might collect on your record. Someone who needs the income sooner, or has reason to expect a shorter-than-average retirement, often comes out ahead claiming earlier despite the reduction; someone in good health with other resources to draw on in the meantime often comes out ahead waiting. SSA's online calculators can estimate your benefit at different claiming ages side by side.

How to apply when you're ready

Once you've decided when to start, you can apply for retirement benefits online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or in person at a Social Security field office — SSA generally recommends applying up to four months before you want payments to begin. If you'd rather handle it in person, or you're turning 65 and need to also sign up for Medicare, find your nearest Social Security field office below.

Full retirement age by birth year

• 1943–1954: age 66
• 1955: 66 and 2 months
• 1956: 66 and 4 months
• 1957: 66 and 6 months
• 1958: 66 and 8 months
• 1959: 66 and 10 months
• 1960 or later: age 67