Retirement · Social Security
What Is Full Retirement Age for Social Security?
Full retirement age is 66 to 67, depending on your birth year. Born 1960 or later, it is 67. Here is the SSA chart, the 1st-of-the-month rule, and what claiming early costs.
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What is full retirement age for Social Security?
Your full retirement age (FRA) is the age when you can claim your full Social Security retirement benefit. Your birth year decides it on the year you were born: 66 for 1943 to 1954, rising in 2-month steps to 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, per the Social Security Administration (SSA).
What is my full retirement age by birth year?
First, find your row. This is the SSA schedule, with SSA’s own example of a $1,000 full benefit claimed at age 62.
| Year of birth | Full retirement age | Months from 62 to full retirement age | Benefit at 62 if full benefit is $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 to 1954 | 66 | 48 | $750 |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months | 50 | $741 |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months | 52 | $733 |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months | 54 | $725 |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months | 56 | $716 |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months | 58 | $708 |
| 1960 or later | 67 | 60 | $700 |
Your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) is the monthly benefit you receive if you claim at full retirement age. So if you claim before it, you get less than your PIA. If you claim after it, you get more, up to age 70.
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What happens if I claim Social Security before full retirement age?
For each month you claim before full retirement age, SSA cuts your monthly benefit. For example, in SSA’s illustration: a $1,000 full benefit becomes $750 at age 62 if you were born 1943 to 1954, and $700 at age 62 if you were born in 1960 or later. Note that SSA calls the percentages approximate because of rounding.
Does a birthday on the 1st change my full retirement age?
It can, because SSA figures your benefit and your full retirement age as if your birthday was in the previous month. Born on January 1, 1955, SSA treats you as born in December 1954, so your full retirement age is 66 instead of 66 and 2 months.
How to find your full retirement age
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Find your year of birth
Full retirement age depends only on the year you were born, not on your work history.
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Check for a birthday on the 1st
If you were born on the 1st of a month, SSA figures your full retirement age as if your birthday was in the previous month. A January 1 birthday counts as December of the previous year.
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Read your full retirement age from the table
Match your birth year to the row. Born 1960 or later means 67.
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Count the months from 62
The table shows how many months sit between age 62 and your full retirement age. Each month you claim early lowers your monthly benefit.
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Keep reading
- Delaying Social Security retirement benefits.
- Costly Social Security mistakes.
- Social Security benefits by age.
Sources
- SSA, Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early (full retirement age by year of birth), captured 2026-10-27.
Frequently asked questions about full retirement age
The basics
What is full retirement age?
It is the age when you can claim your full Social Security retirement benefit. It is 66 if you were born 1943 to 1954 and 67 if you were born in 1960 or later.
What is the full retirement age if I was born in 1958?
It is 66 and 8 months, per the SSA schedule.
What is the full retirement age if I was born in 1960 or later?
It is 67.
Claiming rules
What is the earliest age I can start Social Security retirement benefits?
Age 62, and you must be 62 for the entire month to receive benefits. If you claim before full retirement age, SSA lowers your monthly benefit.
Does a birthday on the 1st change my full retirement age?
Yes. SSA figures your benefit and full retirement age as if your birthday was in the previous month. A January 1 birthday counts as December of the previous year.
Your full retirement age is set. Your records can be too.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is full retirement age for Social Security?
Full Retirement Age, often shortened to FRA, is the age at which you can receive the full retirement benefits owed to you by Social Security. If you take your retirement benefit at that age, you receive your full Primary Insurance Amount, which is the amount Social Security owes you when you claim at your full retirement age. Claiming after your full retirement age gets you more than that amount, and claiming before it gets you less.
Is full retirement age the same for everyone?
No. Full retirement age is not a universal thing; it is calculated based on the year that you were born. There is also a quirk for people born on the first of a month, because the Social Security Administration determines your benefit as if you were born in the previous month. Someone born on January 1, 1955 is treated as having been born in December 1954, which makes their full retirement age 66 instead of 66 and 2 months.
What is the earliest age you can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits?
The earliest you can start receiving retirement benefits is age 62. Because of a Social Security Administration technicality, you must be 62 for a full month before benefits can begin. Claiming at that point means receiving less than your Primary Insurance Amount, since any claim before your full retirement age permanently lowers the monthly figure.