Full Retirement Age for Social Security
Based on the 1983 Social Security amendments
- FRA if born 1960+
- 67
- earliest you can claim
- 62
- claiming at 62
- −30%
- delaying to 70
- +24%
Your full retirement age (FRA) is the age you qualify for 100% of your Social Security retirement benefit. For everyone born in 1960 or later it's 67. You can start as early as 62, but each month before FRA permanently lowers your check; waiting past FRA earns delayed credits up to age 70. The tables below show your exact FRA by birth year and how much claiming at each age changes your monthly amount.
Full retirement age by birth year
| Birth year | Full retirement age |
|---|---|
| 1955 | 66 years 2 months |
| 1956 | 66 years 4 months |
| 1957 | 66 years 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 years 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 years 10 months |
| 1960 | 67 years |
Born 1955-1959: FRA rises two months per year. Born 1960 or later: FRA is 67.
How your benefit changes by claiming age (FRA 67)
For someone with an FRA of 67 and a $2,000 full benefit:
| Claiming age | % of full benefit | On a $2,000 benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 62 (earliest) | 70.0% | $1,400 |
| 62 and 6 months | 72.5% | $1,450 |
| 63 | 75.0% | $1,500 |
| 63 and 6 months | 77.5% | $1,550 |
| 64 | 80.0% | $1,600 |
| 64 and 6 months | 83.3% | $1,667 |
| 65 | 86.7% | $1,733 |
| 65 and 6 months | 90.0% | $1,800 |
| 66 | 93.3% | $1,867 |
| 66 and 6 months | 96.7% | $1,933 |
| 67 (FRA) | 100.0% | $2,000 |
| 67 and 6 months | 104.0% | $2,080 |
| 68 | 108.0% | $2,160 |
| 68 and 6 months | 112.0% | $2,240 |
| 69 | 116.0% | $2,320 |
| 69 and 6 months | 120.0% | $2,400 |
| 70 (max) | 124.0% | $2,480 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is my full retirement age?
- If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. For people born 1955-1959 it rises by two months per birth year (66 and 2 months up to 66 and 10 months). Anyone born 1943-1954 has an FRA of exactly 66.
- What happens if I claim before full retirement age?
- Claiming early permanently reduces your monthly benefit, by 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months early and 5/12 of 1% per month beyond that. For someone with an FRA of 67, claiming at 62 means about a 30% smaller check for life.
- How much more do I get by waiting until 70?
- Delayed retirement credits add 2/3 of 1% per month (8% per year) for every month you wait past FRA, up to age 70. For an FRA of 67 that's about 24% more than your full benefit. Waiting past 70 adds nothing.
- Does full retirement age affect Medicare?
- No. Medicare eligibility is age 65 regardless of your Social Security full retirement age. You can enroll in Medicare at 65 even if you delay your retirement benefit.
Related: average check by age · maximum benefit · COLA