Your full retirement age in 2026 depends on the year you were born
The year you turn 66 or 67 — or possibly 68 or 69 — determines when you can claim your full Social Security benefit without a reduction. This age is called your full retirement age (sometimes called normal retirement age). It is not the earliest age you can claim, and it is not the age you must claim. It is the age at which Social Security stops reducing your monthly payment for claiming early.
The full retirement age has been rising since 2000 and will continue to rise through 2027. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. If you were born between 1943 and 1954, it is 66. If you were born between 1955 and 1959, it falls somewhere in between — the exact month depends on your birth year.
In 2026 specifically, people born in 1960 will turn 66, and their full retirement age will be 67. People born in 1958 will turn 68, and their full retirement age will be 66 and 10 months. The full retirement age itself does not change in 2026 — only the people reaching each age do.
Key Takeaways
- Your full retirement age is determined by your birth year, not by the current year, and ranges from 66 to 67 for most people born after 1943.
- You can claim Social Security as early as 62, but your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced if you claim before your full retirement age.
- If you delay claiming past your full retirement age, your monthly benefit increases by roughly 8 percent per year until age 70.
- Your full retirement age affects how much you lose by claiming early or gain by claiming late, but it does not prevent you from claiming at any age between 62 and 70.
How the full retirement age affects your monthly payment
Social Security calculates your benefit based on your earnings record, but the age at which you claim changes the amount you receive each month. If you claim at your full retirement age, you receive 100 percent of your calculated benefit. If you claim earlier, the payment is reduced. If you claim later, the payment is increased.
The reduction for claiming early is permanent. If you were born in 1960 and your full retirement age is 67, claiming at 62 reduces your benefit by roughly 30 percent. Claiming at 65 reduces it by roughly 13 percent. These reductions stay in place for the rest of your life, even after you reach 67.
The increase for claiming late works the opposite way. For every year you delay past your full retirement age, your benefit grows by roughly 8 percent per year. If you wait until 70, your monthly payment will be roughly 24 percent higher than it would be at 67. This increase also stays in place for life.
Birth year and full retirement age table
| Birth Year | Full Retirement Age |
|---|---|
| 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 and later | 67 |
Why your full retirement age matters when you plan to claim
Your full retirement age is the anchor point for all other claiming decisions. It tells you how much you lose by claiming at 62, how much you gain by waiting until 70, and what your "break-even" age might be — the point at which the higher monthly payment from delaying catches up to the total amount you would have received by claiming earlier.
For someone with a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 instead means you receive a smaller check every month for the rest of your life. You would need to live into your early 80s for the total amount received by waiting until 67 to catch up. For someone with a full retirement age of 66, the break-even point is a few years earlier.
Your full retirement age also affects how much you can earn without triggering a benefit reduction in the years before you reach it. If you claim before your full retirement age and continue working, Social Security reduces your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn above a certain threshold. Once you reach your full retirement age, this earnings limit no longer applies.
The difference between full retirement age and earliest claiming age
You can claim Social Security as early as age 62, regardless of your full retirement age. This is true whether your full retirement age is 66, 67, or anywhere in between. The earliest age does not change based on birth year.
Claiming at 62 means you receive benefits for more years, but each monthly payment is smaller. The reduction is steeper the younger you are when you claim. Someone born in 1960 claiming at 62 receives roughly 30 percent less per month than they would at 67. Someone born in 1943 claiming at 62 receives roughly 20 percent less than they would at 66, because the gap between 62 and their full retirement age is smaller.
The difference between full retirement age and delayed claiming
You can delay claiming past your full retirement age and continue to earn delayed retirement credits until age 70. For each year you wait past your full retirement age, your benefit grows by roughly 8 percent. At age 70, the growth stops, so there is no financial advantage to waiting past 70 to claim.
Delaying means you receive fewer payments overall, but each payment is larger. Whether this results in more total money depends on how long you live. Someone who lives into their 80s or beyond typically receives more total benefits by waiting. Someone who expects to live a shorter life may receive more total benefits by claiming earlier.
How to find your full retirement age
The Social Security Administration publishes your full retirement age based on your birth year. You can find it in the table above, or you can use the calculator on the Social Security website at ssa.gov. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to confirm your full retirement age.
Your Social Security statement, which you can view online at ssa.gov/myaccount, also lists your full retirement age. If you have not created an account, you can set one up with your name, date of birth, email address, and Social Security number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim Social Security before my full retirement age?
Yes. You can claim as early as age 62. Your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced, but you will receive payments for more years. The reduction is larger the earlier you claim.
What happens if I claim after my full retirement age?
Your monthly benefit increases by roughly 8 percent for each year you delay, up until age 70. After 70, there is no additional increase, so most people do not claim after that age.
Does my full retirement age change every year?
No. Your full retirement age is fixed based on your birth year and does not change. The ages that reach each full retirement age change every year as people age, but your personal full retirement age stays the same.
Can I work after I claim Social Security?
Yes, but if you claim before your full retirement age and earn above a certain amount, your benefit will be reduced. Once you reach your full retirement age, you can earn any amount without a reduction. The earnings limit changes each year.
Is my full retirement age the same as my Medicare age?
No. You become may be able to access for Medicare at 65, regardless of your Social Security full retirement age. You can claim Social Security at 62 even if you are not yet may be able to access for Medicare, and you can delay Social Security past 65 while already on Medicare.