Social Security · Eligibility
What Is the Full Retirement Age in 2026?
The Short Answer
Your full retirement age (FRA) is the age at which you receive 100% of the Social Security benefit you earned. For anyone born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. For those born in 1959, it is 66 and 10 months. Claiming before FRA permanently reduces your benefit; waiting past it increases your benefit until age 70.
Full retirement age is the single most important number in Social Security, and most people do not know theirs. It determines how much your monthly check is reduced if you claim early, how much it grows if you wait, and when the earnings limit stops applying to you.
What is full retirement age based on?
Full retirement age is set entirely by your birth year. It is not affected by when you stop working, when you enroll in Medicare, or when you actually claim. Congress gradually raised FRA from 65 to 67 over several decades, and that increase is now complete.1
For everyone born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. People born in 1959 reach FRA at 66 and 10 months. Anyone born in 1958 or earlier has already passed their FRA.
| Birth year | Full retirement age |
|---|---|
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1960 or later | 67 |
Why does full retirement age matter so much?
FRA is the anchor for three separate rules. First, it sets your 100% benefit: claim before it and your benefit is permanently reduced (about 30% if you claim at 62), claim after it and your benefit grows 8% per year up to age 70.2
Second, the Social Security earnings test stops applying the month you reach FRA. Before that, working can temporarily withhold part of your benefit; after it, you can earn any amount with no reduction.3 Third, FRA is the age used to calculate spousal and survivor benefits.
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Is full retirement age the same as Medicare eligibility?
No, and this is a common and costly confusion. Medicare eligibility begins at 65 for nearly everyone, regardless of your Social Security full retirement age.4 Because FRA is now 67, there is a two-year gap where you are eligible for Medicare but have not yet reached full retirement age.
If you delay Social Security past 65, you still need to enroll in Medicare during your enrollment window or risk permanent late penalties. The two programs run on separate clocks.
Scope condition
Full retirement age applies to Social Security retirement and spousal benefits. Medicare, the earnings test in the year you reach FRA, and survivor benefits each use slightly different age rules. If your situation involves survivor benefits, your FRA for those may differ from your retirement FRA.
Frequently asked questions
Is full retirement age 67 for everyone?
No. It is 67 only for people born in 1960 or later. Those born in 1959 reach full retirement age at 66 and 10 months, and earlier birth years have lower FRAs that have already passed.
Can I still claim Social Security before full retirement age?
Yes. You can claim as early as 62, but your benefit is permanently reduced, by about 30% if your FRA is 67. The reduction is locked in for life.
Does my benefit increase if I wait past full retirement age?
Yes. Delayed retirement credits add about 8% per year between your FRA and age 70. After 70 there is no further increase, so there is no reason to wait beyond 70.
Keep reading
Tool
Social Security Break-Even Calculator
Model how claiming before, at, or after FRA changes your lifetime income.
Article
Should I claim Social Security at 62, 67, or 70?
Break-even math and the four questions that decide your right age.
Article
When do I have to enroll in Medicare?
Medicare's clock runs separately from Social Security's. Here is what to know.
Sources
- Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early U.S. Social Security Administration. Full retirement age by birth year and early-claiming reduction percentages.
- Delayed Retirement Credits U.S. Social Security Administration. 8% annual increase for delaying past FRA to age 70.
- Receiving Benefits While Working U.S. Social Security Administration. Earnings test ends at full retirement age.
- Medicare Eligibility Medicare.gov. Medicare eligibility begins at age 65.