Full retirement age by birth year: the complete table
Full retirement age is the age at which you receive 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount. It rose from 65 to 67 over four decades, and the phase-in finished in 2026: everyone born in 1960 or later has a full retirement age of 67.
The complete table
Born 1943–1954: full retirement age 66. Born 1955: 66 and 2 months. Born 1956: 66 and 4 months. Born 1957: 66 and 6 months. Born 1958: 66 and 8 months. Born 1959: 66 and 10 months. Born 1960 or later: 67.
The 1983 amendments set this schedule in motion, raising the age by two months a year in two waves. The second wave finished with the 1960 cohort, so 2026 is the first year in which everyone reaching retirement age faces the same full retirement age of 67. If you were born in 1960, you reach 67 in 2027; if you were born in 1965, you reach it in 2032.
Why the table matters beyond the headline age
Every adjustment in the system is measured from your full retirement age, not from 65 or 62. The 30% early-claim reduction, the 8%-a-year delayed credits, the earnings-test limits, and the spousal and survivor percentages all key off your own FRA from this table. Two people claiming at the same age can face different reductions simply because they were born in different years.
One common confusion: your FRA is not the age you must claim, and it is not the earliest age you can claim. You can claim as early as 62 (with a permanent reduction) or as late as 70 (with delayed credits). FRA is simply the age at which you get exactly 100% of your PIA.
A note on survivor benefits
Survivor benefits use a slightly different FRA schedule: full retirement age for survivors is 66 for those born before 1957 and rises two months a year to 67 for those born in 1962 or later. If you are planning around a survivor benefit, use the survivor schedule in the survivor guide, not this one.
What changed in 2026
Nothing changed in the law in 2026 — the schedule simply completed. But the completion has a practical consequence worth stating plainly: every new retiree from now on faces the full 30% reduction for claiming at 62. Older guides that describe a 25% reduction at 62 were written for people with a full retirement age of 66. If you read an old article quoting 25%, it does not apply to you unless you were born before 1955.
Frequently asked questions
I was born in 1959. What is my full retirement age?
66 and 10 months. You reach it in the month you turn 66 and 10 months old, and that is the age at which you receive 100% of your PIA.
Is full retirement age the same as Medicare eligibility?
No. Medicare eligibility generally begins at 65 regardless of your Social Security full retirement age. The two systems have different ages — see our companion Medicare site for enrollment windows.
Can Congress change full retirement age again?
Congress can change the law, and proposals to raise the age further are regularly debated. Any change would need new legislation; this table reflects the law as it stands.