Full Retirement Age Chart: When You Get Your Full Social Security Benefit
Short answer: Your full retirement age (FRA) for Social Security is 67 if you were born in 1960 or later, and 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. Birth years 1955 to 1959 step up by 2 months a year (SSA, checked October 14, 2026). With an FRA of 67, claiming at 62 pays 70% of your full benefit for life, and waiting to 70 pays 124% (SSA actuaries).
Full retirement age chart by birth year
Find your birth year. The last two columns show what share of your full benefit you would get if you start at 62 or at 70. Figures are from the Social Security Administration (SSA) (SSA and SSA actuaries, checked October 14, 2026), rounded to one decimal.
| Year of birth | Full retirement age | Benefit at 62 | Benefit at 70 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 to 1954 | 66 | 75% | 132% |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months | 74.2% | 130.7% |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months | 73.3% | 129.3% |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months | 72.5% | 128% |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months | 71.7% | 126.7% |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months | 70.8% | 125.3% |
| 1960 or later | 67 | 70% | 124% |
Born on January 1? Use the row for the year before. SSA says people born on January 1 should refer to the previous year (SSA).
What full retirement age means
Full retirement age is the age when you get 100% of the benefit SSA figures from your work record. You can start as early as 62, but each month before FRA cuts your check a little, and the cut is permanent (SSA).
If you wait past FRA, you earn delayed retirement credits. For anyone born in 1943 or later, the credit is 8% a year, or 2/3 of 1% a month. The credits stop at 70, so there is no gain from waiting longer (SSA, checked October 14, 2026).
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The tortoise and the hare: triplets claim at 62, 67 and 70
In our workshop we tell a story about triplets. Triplets usually fight over cake. These three fight over who gets the most from Social Security. To keep it simple, give all three the same work record. This is a hypothetical example, not a real person.
Each sibling was born in 1964, so each has an FRA of 67. Each has a full benefit of $2,000 a month at 67. Using SSA's percentages for that birth year, the hare claims at 62 and gets 70%, or $1,400. The middle sibling claims at 67 and gets $2,000. The tortoise waits to 70 and gets 124%, or $2,480. We leave out cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and taxes to keep the math clear, so real totals would be higher.
| Total collected by age | Hare: claims at 62 ($1,400) | Middle: claims at 67 ($2,000) | Tortoise: claims at 70 ($2,480) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | $134,400 | $72,000 | $0 |
| 75 | $218,400 | $192,000 | $148,800 |
| 78 | $268,800 | $264,000 | $238,080 |
| 80 | $302,400 | $312,000 | $297,600 |
| 83 | $352,800 | $384,000 | $386,880 |
| 85 | $386,400 | $432,000 | $446,400 |
| 90 | $470,400 | $552,000 | $595,200 |
Here is the arithmetic. The hare collects $1,400 a month for 60 months before the middle sibling starts, a $84,000 head start. The middle sibling then gains $600 a month. $84,000 divided by $600 is 140 months, so the middle sibling catches up at about age 78 and 8 months. The tortoise trails the middle sibling by $72,000 at 70 and gains $480 a month, which takes 150 months, so the tortoise catches up at age 82 and a half. Against the hare, the tortoise catches up at about 80 and 4 months.
The workshop slide shows break-even ages of 78 and 82.5. Those figures fit someone whose FRA is 66 (62 versus 66, and 66 versus 70). With an FRA of 67, the first break-even moves out to about 78 and 8 months, and the second stays at 82.5.
The lesson is not that one sibling wins. The hare wins if life is short. The tortoise wins if life is long. Nobody knows which story they are in, so it is a question of longevity, health, other income, and who else depends on your check.
The born-on-the-1st rule
SSA treats you as reaching an age on the day before your birthday. Its manual says a person attains an age on the first moment of the day before the anniversary of their birth (SSA POMS RS 00207.003, checked October 14, 2026).
This matters if you were born on the 1st of a month. SSA figures your benefit and your FRA as if your birthday were in the previous month. If you were born on January 1, SSA uses December of the previous year, which is why you use the row above yours in the chart (SSA).
There is one more timing rule. You must be 62 for the entire month to be paid for that month, so most early claimers start at 62 and 1 month (SSA).
Medicare age stays 65
Raising FRA did not move Medicare. SSA says that even if you delay Social Security past 65, you should still apply for Medicare within 3 months of your 65th birthday. Waiting longer can make Part B and drug coverage cost more (SSA). See our guide on when to enroll in Medicare.
Survivor full retirement age is a little different
Widows and widowers have their own FRA table, which runs about two years behind the retirement table. SSA's manual lists it this way (SSA POMS RS 00615.301, checked October 14, 2026):
- Born January 2, 1945 to January 1, 1957: survivor FRA 66
- Born in 1957: 66 and 2 months; 1958: 66 and 4 months; 1959: 66 and 6 months
- Born in 1960: 66 and 8 months; 1961: 66 and 10 months
- Born January 2, 1962 or later: survivor FRA 67
One catch: when SSA applies the earnings limit to a survivor who is still working, it uses the retirement FRA, not the survivor FRA (SSA). Our widow's benefit guide covers survivor amounts.
How to think through your claiming age
- Find your FRA in the chart above.
- Get your own estimate at 62, at FRA and at 70 from your my Social Security account at ssa.gov.
- Run the break-even ages with your own numbers in our break-even calculator.
- Weigh your health and family history, other income, and how long your savings must last.
- If you are married, look at the survivor side. The higher earner's claiming age sets the check the survivor keeps.
- If you plan to work before FRA, read the earnings limit guide first.
- Mark your 65th birthday for Medicare, whatever you decide about Social Security.
A tax professional can model how each claiming age fits with withdrawals and taxes in your situation.
Common mistakes
- Thinking FRA is 65. That was true only for people born in 1937 or earlier.
- Waiting past 70. Delayed credits stop at 70, so waiting longer adds nothing.
- Treating break-even as the whole answer. It ignores taxes, COLAs, the survivor benefit and how secure you would feel with a larger check.
- Forgetting the January 1 and 1st-of-month rules. They can shift your FRA by a month.
These numbers change every year
The IRMAA brackets, the standard deduction and the senior deduction are all adjusted annually, and the 2027 figures are published late in 2026. The one exception is the Social Security taxation thresholds, which have not moved since 1983 and are not expected to.
We send one short email when the new numbers are announced. No campaign and no sequence, just one email when there is something worth knowing.
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Compare claiming at 62, 67 and 70
Enter your own benefit estimate and see how the totals add up by age. Nothing is sold and no login is needed.
Open the claiming calculator →Sources
- SSA: Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early (checked October 14, 2026)
- SSA Office of the Chief Actuary: Effect of Early or Delayed Retirement on Retirement Benefits (checked October 14, 2026)
- SSA: Delayed Retirement Credits (checked October 14, 2026)
- SSA Office of the Chief Actuary: Normal Retirement Age (checked October 14, 2026)
- SSA POMS RS 00207.003: How Remarriage Affects Widow(er)'s Benefits, attainment of age (checked October 14, 2026)
- SSA POMS RS 00615.301: Reduced Widow(er)'s Benefits (checked October 14, 2026)
- SSA: Receiving Benefits While Working (checked October 14, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is my full retirement age if I was born in 1960?
It is 67. Anyone born in 1960 or later has a full retirement age of 67, unless born on January 1, 1960, in which case SSA uses the 1959 rule of 66 and 10 months.
Is full retirement age going up to 70?
No. Under current law the full retirement age tops out at 67 for people born in 1960 or later. Age 70 is simply the point where delayed retirement credits stop.
How much do I lose by claiming Social Security at 62?
With a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 pays 70% of your full benefit, a 30% cut that lasts for life. With a full retirement age of 66, the cut is 25%.
What is the break-even age for Social Security?
In our hypothetical example with a full retirement age of 67, waiting from 62 to 67 pays off at about age 78 and 8 months, and waiting from 67 to 70 pays off at age 82 and a half, ignoring COLAs and taxes.
Does my full retirement age change Medicare?
No. Medicare eligibility is still age 65, and SSA advises applying within 3 months of your 65th birthday even if you delay Social Security.
Is the survivor full retirement age the same as mine?
Not always. The survivor table runs about two years behind, so a widow born in 1960 reaches survivor full retirement age at 66 and 8 months.
Want to run these numbers for your own situation?
The Retirement Literacy Foundation runs free retirement classes on Social Security timing, taxes in retirement, and how to turn savings into income. No products are sold at our classes.
The Retirement Literacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This guide is general education, not individualized tax, legal or investment advice. Rules change with legislation and IRS and SSA guidance, and the right move depends on your situation. Check anything you plan to act on with SSA, the IRS or a qualified tax professional.
Hans Goldstein, EA
Founder & Executive Director · Retirement Literacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
Admitted to practice before the IRS
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