Your full retirement age for U.S. Social Security depends on your year of birth: it is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, 66 for those born from 1943 to 1954, and between 66 and 67, rising two months a year, for 1955 to 1959. Someone born on September 10, 1962 reaches full retirement age — 67 — in September 2029.
Enter your date of birth to see the month you reach it, the earliest month you can claim at 62, when Medicare starts, and how much of your full benefit you would get claiming at each age from 62 to 70.
Worked example
Date of birth: September 10, 1962Plan to claim: At 67Count from: October 30, 2026
Full retirement age: 67
Born in 1962, the full retirement age is 67, reached in September 2029. Claiming at 62 would have paid 70% of the full benefit; waiting until 70 pays 124%.
Open this example in the calculator →How to use the Retirement Age Calculator
- Enter your date of birth.
- Choose the age you plan to claim at, to see that benefit highlighted.
- Read your full retirement age and the month you reach it.
- Check the table for the benefit at each claiming age from 62 to 70.
Full retirement age by year of birth
The Social Security Administration sets the age at which you get your full, unreduced benefit:
| Year of birth | Full retirement age |
|---|---|
| 1937 or earlier | 65 |
| 1938 – 1942 | 65 and 2 to 10 months |
| 1943 – 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 year before: Social Security considers you to reach an age on the day before your birthday, so a January 1, 1960 birthday is treated as December 31, 1959, with a full retirement age of 66 and 10 months.
Claiming early or late
You can start retirement benefits from 62, but they are permanently reduced: by 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months before your full retirement age, and 5/12 of 1% for each month beyond that. With a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 — 60 months early — cuts the benefit by 30%, to 70%.
Waiting past full retirement age earns delayed retirement credits of 2/3 of 1% a month — 8% a year — until 70, when they stop. With a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 70 pays 124% of the full benefit. There is no gain in waiting beyond 70.
The month that counts
Benefits are paid by the month. To get benefits at 62 you must be 62 for the whole month, so most people's first month is the month after their 62nd birthday — unless the birthday is on the 1st or 2nd of the month. Medicare is separate: it starts on the 1st of the month you turn 65, whatever your full retirement age, and the initial sign-up window opens three months before.
Is the retirement age going up?
Under current law, 67 is the highest full retirement age, for everyone born in 1960 or later. Raising it further has been proposed in Congress several times but has not become law. This page follows the law as it stands, and is updated if it changes.
This is general information from the Social Security Administration's published rules, not financial advice. Your personal statement at ssa.gov/myaccount shows your own figures.
Frequently asked questions
What is my full retirement age?
67 if you were born in 1960 or later; 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954; and 66 plus 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 months if you were born from 1955 to 1959. Enter your date of birth for the exact month.
What is the full retirement age for someone born in 1960?
67, reached in the month of your 67th birthday — unless your birthday is January 1, 1960, in which case it is 66 and 10 months.
How much less do I get if I claim at 62?
With a full retirement age of 67, 30% less — 70% of the full benefit, for life. With a full retirement age of 66, 25% less.
How much more do I get if I wait until 70?
8% for each year after full retirement age — 124% of the full benefit if your full retirement age is 67, 132% if it is 66.
When does Medicare start?
On the 1st of the month you turn 65 (the month before, if your birthday is on the 1st). It does not depend on your Social Security retirement age.