What is Full Retirement Age For My Social Security Benefits?

What is Full Retirement Age?

For Social Security benefit calculations, full retirement age is the age at which you receive your full amount of Social Security benefits. It is determined by your year of birth as follows:

• If you were born in 1937 or earlier, full retirement age is 65.
• If you were born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67.
• If you were born between 1938 and 1959, your full retirement age will be somewhere between age 65 and 67. For example, if you were born in 1938, your full retirement age will be 65 and 2 months. You can see Social Security's full retirement age chart for details on every year between 1938 and 1959.

Knowing your full retirement age is important for two reasons.

First, if you take Social Security benefits before your full retirement age, you will receive a reduced benefit.

Second, if you take Social Security benefits before full retirement age, and you earn income in excess of the annual earnings limit, your Social Security benefit will be reduced. Once you reach full retirement age, you can earn as much as you like and your Social Security benefit will not be reduced.