Full Retirement Age Explained
Your full retirement age determines when you can receive your full Social Security benefit. Learn what your FRA is, why it matters and how it affects early and delayed claiming.
The short version
- Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
- Claiming before FRA reduces your benefit; waiting increases it until age 70.
- FRA also affects the earnings test, spousal benefits and survivor benefits.
In this guide
"Full retirement age" is one of the most important terms in Social Security. It is the age at which you can receive 100 percent of your retirement benefit, sometimes called your primary insurance amount. Understanding your full retirement age (FRA) helps you plan when to claim benefits and how working or marriage may affect them.
What is your full retirement age?
Full retirement age depends on the year you were born:
- 1943 to 1954: 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: 67
If you were born on January 1, use the previous year to determine your FRA.
People born in 1959 reach full retirement age in 2025 and 2026, and people born in 1960 begin reaching age 67 in 2027. From then on, FRA for retirement benefits is 67 for everyone.
Why full retirement age matters
It sets your benchmark benefit. Your estimated benefit at FRA is the baseline for calculating reductions or increases.
Claiming before FRA reduces your benefit permanently. For someone with an FRA of 67, claiming at 62 results in about a 30 percent reduction.
Waiting past FRA increases your benefit. Delayed retirement credits add 8 percent per year until age 70.
It affects the earnings test. If you claim benefits before FRA and continue working, Social Security may withhold some benefits if your earnings exceed annual limits. Once you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies.
It affects spousal and survivor benefits. Spousal benefits can be up to 50 percent of the worker's full benefit if claimed at the spouse's own FRA. Survivor benefits can be up to 100 percent of the deceased worker's benefit if claimed at the survivor's FRA. Note that FRA for survivor benefits follows a slightly different schedule.
Full retirement age and Medicare are separate
Medicare eligibility begins at age 65, which is earlier than full retirement age for most people today. If you are not receiving Social Security benefits when you turn 65, you generally need to sign up for Medicare yourself. Missing Medicare enrollment can result in penalties.
A quick example
Imagine a person born in 1961 with an estimated benefit of $2,000 per month at their full retirement age of 67:
- Claiming at 62: about $1,400 per month (70 percent)
- Claiming at 67: $2,000 per month (100 percent)
- Claiming at 70: about $2,480 per month (124 percent)
These figures are illustrative only and do not include cost-of-living adjustments. Your actual amounts will depend on your earnings record.
Find your numbers
Your my Social Security account at ssa.gov shows your personalized benefit estimates at different ages. Review your earnings record while you are there, since benefits are based on your reported earnings.
Terrameritavi is an independent publication and is not affiliated with the Social Security Administration. This article is general information, not financial advice.
