Full Retirement Age Calculator: Social Security Age Benchmark
Follow on GoogleChoose your birth month and year to see your Social Security full retirement age, the permanent reduction for claiming at 62, and the bonus for waiting until 70.
Enter your birth month and year to see your full retirement age.
Benefit Percentages
Your Key Claiming Dates
Estimated Monthly Benefit
Explore More Age & Milestone Utilities
| Calculator | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Age Calculator | Your exact age in years, months and days |
| How Old Was I in Year Calculator | Your age in any past or future year |
| Chronological Age Calculator | Exact age in days, hours and seconds |
| Next Birthday & Half-Birthday Calculator | Countdowns to both birthdays |
| Age Difference Calculator | The gap between two people's ages |
| US Full Retirement Age Calculator (this page) | Your FRA and claiming percentages |
| Age on a Specific Date Calculator | Your age on an exact calendar date |
| Age in Days, Weeks and Months Calculator | Your age in smaller time units |
What Is Full Retirement Age?
Full retirement age (FRA) is the age at which the US Social Security Administration pays your complete retirement benefit, called your primary insurance amount. It depends on the year you were born: 66 for people born 1943 to 1954, rising by two months a year to 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
You can start benefits as early as 62, but the monthly amount is permanently reduced. You can also wait past FRA, up to age 70, to earn delayed retirement credits. This calculator shows your exact FRA, both percentages, and the months when you reach each age, so you can compare claiming ages before you decide.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select your birth month and type your birth year.
- Optionally enter the monthly benefit shown on your SSA statement for full retirement age, to see dollar estimates.
- Tick the box if you were born on the 1st of a month, because SSA treats those birthdays a day earlier.
- Press Calculate Milestone, or change any field and the results refresh on their own.
- Read your FRA, the percentages at 62 and 70, and your key dates, then copy the link or summary to save it.
Mathematical Formula & Calculation Mechanics
Full retirement age: 65 for 1937 or earlier; 65 plus 2 months for each year after 1937 up to 1942 (65 and 10 months); 66 for 1943 to 1954; 66 plus 2 months for each year after 1954 up to 1959 (66 and 10 months); 67 for 1960 or later.
Early claiming at 62: let M be the months between 62 and FRA. If M is 36 or less, the reduction is M × 5/9 of 1%. For every month beyond 36, add 5/12 of 1%. Benefit at 62 = 100% minus the reduction. For FRA 67, M = 60, so 20% + 24 × 5/12% = 30%, leaving 70%.
Delayed credits: bonus = months from FRA to 70 × yearly rate ÷ 12. The yearly rate is 8% for people born in 1943 or later, 7.5% for 1941 and 1942, 7% for 1939 and 1940, and 6.5% for 1937 and 1938. Credits stop at age 70.
Dates: add the age in months to your birth month. A person born on the 1st counts as reaching each age in the previous month, and a 1 January birth uses the prior year. Medicare at 65 and the earnings test are separate rules.
Step-by-Step Worked Example
Question: Someone was born in June 1958 and expects $2,000 a month at full retirement age.
Step 1: For 1958, FRA is 66 years and 8 months, reached in February 2025.
Step 2: Months between 62 and FRA = 4 years and 8 months = 56. Reduction = 36 × 5/9% = 20%, plus 20 × 5/12% = 8.33%, which is 28.33%. Benefit at 62 = 71.67%, or about $1,433 a month.
Step 3: Months from FRA to 70 = 40. Bonus = 40 × 8% ÷ 12 = 26.67%. Benefit at 70 = 126.67%, or about $2,533 a month.
Step 4: They reach 62 in June 2020, FRA in February 2025 and 70 in June 2028.
Comprehensive Reference Table: Full Retirement Age by Birth Year
Percentages are shares of your full-retirement-age benefit before cost-of-living adjustments. Anyone born on 1 January should use the previous year.
| Year of Birth | Full Retirement Age (Years + Months) | % Benefit at Age 62 | % Benefit at Age 70 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 or earlier | 65 years | 80% | 132.5% |
| 1938 | 65 years, 2 months | 79.17% | 131.42% |
| 1939 | 65 years, 4 months | 78.33% | 132.67% |
| 1940 | 65 years, 6 months | 77.5% | 131.5% |
| 1941 | 65 years, 8 months | 76.67% | 132.5% |
| 1942 | 65 years, 10 months | 75.83% | 131.25% |
| 1943 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1944 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1945 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1946 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1947 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1948 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1949 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1950 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1951 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1952 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1953 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1954 | 66 years | 75% | 132% |
| 1955 | 66 years, 2 months | 74.17% | 130.67% |
| 1956 | 66 years, 4 months | 73.33% | 129.33% |
| 1957 | 66 years, 6 months | 72.5% | 128% |
| 1958 | 66 years, 8 months | 71.67% | 126.67% |
| 1959 | 66 years, 10 months | 70.83% | 125.33% |
| 1960 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1961 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1962 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1963 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1964 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1965 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1966 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1967 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1968 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1969 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1970 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1971 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1972 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1973 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1974 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1975 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1976 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1977 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1978 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1979 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1980 | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
| 1981 and later (incl. 1982+) | 67 years | 70% | 124% |
Official Legal & Milestone Eligibility Table
| Milestone | United States | United Kingdom | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest reduced retirement benefit | 62 | None for the State Pension | 60 (CPP, reduced) | Preservation age 60 for super |
| Full pension age | 66 and 2 months to 67 (born 1955 or later); 67 if born 1960 or later | 66, rising to 67 from 2026-2028 | 65 (OAS and standard CPP) | 67 (Age Pension) |
| Reward for delaying | 8% per year up to age 70 | About 5.8% per year (deferral) | OAS 7.2% per year, CPP 8.4% per year, up to age 70 | No increase from deferring the Age Pension |
| Earliest penalty-free private savings | 59 and a half | 55, rising to 57 from April 2028 | No set minimum age for RRSP withdrawals (taxable) | Preservation age 60 for super |
| Senior health coverage | Medicare at 65 | NHS cover at any age | Provincial plans cover all ages | Medicare cover at any age |
The US rules above come from the Social Security Administration. The other countries are shown for general comparison only and change often, so confirm them with each official government source.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is full retirement age? | Full retirement age (FRA) is the age at which you can claim your full Social Security retirement benefit with no reduction. It is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. |
| How much is my benefit reduced at age 62? | The reduction is 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months before FRA and 5/12 of 1% for each extra month. For FRA 67 that is 30%, so you receive 70% of your full benefit. |
| How much do delayed credits add? | For people born in 1943 or later, each month you wait after FRA adds two-thirds of 1% (8% per year). Credits stop at age 70, so there is no gain from waiting longer. |
| Does Medicare start at full retirement age? | No. Medicare eligibility generally begins at 65, regardless of your full retirement age, and the two rules are separate. |
| Does the birth month or day matter? | Yes. Your birth month sets the month you reach each age. SSA treats a person born on the 1st as reaching an age on the previous day, so a 1 January birth uses the prior birth year. |