Financial Answer Center

Full retirement age If you were born in 1953 or earlier, you’re already eligible for your full Social Security benefit. The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960 until it reaches 67. For anyone born 1960 or later, full retirement benefits are payable at age 67. The following chart lists the full retirement age by year of birth.

Age for Full Social Security Benefits

NOTE: People born on January 1 of any year, refer to the previous year. Early retirement You can get Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, we’ll reduce your benefit if you retire before your full retirement age. For example, if you turn age 62 in 2020, your benefit would be about 28.3 percent lower than it would be at your full retirement age of 66 and 8 months.

Some people will stop working before age 62. But if they do, the years with no earnings will probably mean a lower Social Security benefit when they retire.

Sometimes health problems force people to retire early. If you can’t work because of health problems, consider applying for Social Security disability benefits. The disability benefit amount is the same as a full, unreduced retirement benefit. If you’re getting Social Security disability benefits when you reach full retirement age, we convert those benefits to retirement benefits.