Full retirement age is the age when you can collect 100% of your Social Security benefit. It is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, and between 66 and 67 for people born from 1955 through 1959. In 2026, people born in 1959 reach their full retirement age of 66 and 10 months, and in 2027 the first people born in 1960 reach 67, completing the change Congress set in motion in 1983. Use the full retirement age chart below to find yours, then see how claiming earlier or later changes your check.
Full Retirement Age Chart by Birth Year
| Year of birth | Full retirement age | Reduction if you claim at 62 |
|---|---|---|
| 1943-1954 | 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% |
If you were born on January 1, use the previous year’s row. The SSA publishes the same full retirement age chart on its retirement age page.
What Changes in 2026 and 2027
- 2026: Most people born in 1959 reach full retirement age at 66 and 10 months during 2026.
- 2027: People born in 1960 turn 67 and become the first group to reach the new full retirement age.
- Going forward: 67 is the full retirement age for everyone born in 1960 or later. No further increase is scheduled under current law, although proposals to raise it are debated from time to time.
The change was not a sudden increase “starting January 1, 2026” as some reports suggested. It has been phased in two months at a time since the 1983 Social Security Amendments.
How Claiming Age Changes Your Benefit
With a full retirement age of 67, your benefit is reduced by 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months you claim early and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month. If you wait past 67, you earn delayed retirement credits of 8% a year until 70.
| Claiming age (full retirement age 67) | Share of full benefit | Monthly benefit if full benefit is $2,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | 70% | $1,400 |
| 63 | 75% | $1,500 |
| 64 | 80% | $1,600 |
| 65 | 86.7% | $1,733 |
| 66 | 93.3% | $1,867 |
| 67 | 100% | $2,000 |
| 68 | 108% | $2,160 |
| 69 | 116% | $2,320 |
| 70 | 124% | $2,480 |
Compare the trade-offs in our guides to claiming Social Security at 62 and claiming Social Security at 70.
Using the Full Retirement Age Chart: Examples
Born March 1959: The full retirement age chart shows 66 and 10 months, so full retirement age arrives in January 2026. Claiming at 62 in March 2021 would have meant a 29.17% reduction. Waiting until 70 in March 2029 earns about 25.3% in delayed credits (38 months at 2/3 of 1% per month).
Born July 1961: Full retirement age is 67, reached in July 2028. Claiming at 62 in July 2023 meant a 30% reduction. Waiting until July 2031 earns the full 24% increase.
Born January 1, 1960: The SSA treats you as born in the prior year, so your full retirement age is 66 and 10 months, not 67.
Remember that Social Security pays each month’s benefit in the following month, so your first deposit arrives the month after the month you choose as your start date.
Why Full Retirement Age Matters Beyond the Monthly Check
- Earnings test: Before full retirement age, benefits can be withheld if you earn more than $24,480 in 2026 or $25,560 in 2027. After full retirement age, there is no limit. See working while receiving Social Security.
- Spousal benefits: A spouse gets the full 50% of the worker’s benefit only if the spouse claims at their own full retirement age.
- Survivor benefits: A survivor gets 100% of the deceased worker’s benefit at the survivor’s full retirement age, which follows a slightly different schedule: 67 for survivors born in 1962 or later.
- Voluntary suspension: Once you reach full retirement age, you can suspend benefits to earn delayed credits until 70.
Full Retirement Age vs. Medicare Age
Medicare eligibility is still 65, regardless of your Social Security full retirement age. If you are not yet collecting Social Security when you turn 65, you need to enroll in Medicare yourself during your initial enrollment period, which begins three months before the month you turn 65. Missing it can mean lifetime late-enrollment penalties unless you have qualifying employer coverage.
Why the Age Was Raised
The 1983 amendments raised the full retirement age to help keep the Social Security system solvent as Americans lived longer. A later full retirement age means a lower monthly benefit at any given claiming age, which reduces lifetime costs. The trust fund’s long-term financing remains a topic in Congress; see whether Social Security will be reduced.
Planning Steps
- Find your full retirement age on the chart above.
- Check your benefit estimates at 62, full retirement age and 70 in your my Social Security account.
- Decide how you will cover expenses until your chosen claiming age.
- If married, plan both spouses’ claiming ages together.
- Sign up for Medicare at 65 even if you delay Social Security.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my full retirement age if I was born in 1960?
67. You will reach it in 2027.
What is the full retirement age for someone born in 1959?
66 and 10 months, which most people born in 1959 reach in 2026.
Is the full retirement age going to 69 or 70?
Not under current law. Proposals to raise it have been discussed, but full retirement age remains 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
Can I collect Social Security before full retirement age?
Yes, as early as 62, but your benefit is permanently reduced, up to 30% if your full retirement age is 67.
Final Thoughts
Use the full retirement age chart to anchor your Social Security planning. Knowing your full retirement age helps you decide when to claim, whether to keep working, and how to coordinate benefits with a spouse.
Have questions about how this applies to your situation? Book a free consultation with Aric and get answers from a CPA.
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
