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Benefit Topics

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Full Retirement Age

Early Retirements

Delayed Retirement

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SSI Topics

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Medicare Topics

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Retirement Benefits

Retirement Benefits

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Full retirement age

If you were born in 1942 or earlier, you are already eligible for your full Social Security benefit. If you were born from 1943 to 1960, the age at which full retirement benefits are payable increases gradually to age 67. The following chart will guide you in determining your full retirement age.

Age to receive full Social Security benefits
Year of birth	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
NOTE: People who were born on January 1 of any year should refer to the previous year.

Early retirement

You can get Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but if you retire before your full retirement age, your benefits will be reduced, based on your age. For example, if you retire at age 62, your benefit would be about 25 percent lower than what it would be if you waited until you reach full retirement age.

Some people 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.

Note: Sometimes health problems force people to retire early. If you cannot work because of health problems, you should consider applying for Social Security disability benefits. The amount of the disability benefit is the same as a full, unreduced retirement benefit. If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits when you reach full retirement age, those benefits will be converted to retirement benefits.

Delayed retirement

You may choose to keep working even beyond your full retirement age. If you do, you can increase your future Social Security benefits in two ways.
Each additional year you work adds another year of earnings to your Social Security record. Higher lifetime earnings may mean higher benefits when you retire.

Also, your benefit will increase automatically by a certain percentage from the time you reach your full retirement age until you start receiving your benefits or until you reach age 70. The percentage varies depending on your year of birth. For example, if you were born in 1943 or later, they will add 8 percent per year to your benefit for each year that you delay signing up for Social Security beyond your full retirement age.

NOTE: If you decide to delay your retirement, be sure to sign up for Medicare at age 65. In some circumstances, medical insurance costs more if you delay applying for it.

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Disability

If you are a filing for Social Security Disability for the first time, then fill in the form below to get a FREE, NO OBLIGATION Evaluation from an advocate in your area.

The form below will put you in touch with the people you need to file for Disability as well as assist those who are reapplying or appealing a decision. If you have already applied on your own and have been denied, don't worry, usually more than 60% of the time people are denied on their first attempt. Put your mind at ease, just fill out the form and have a disability advocate help you get the benefits you deserve.