Retirement Age Calculator (Social Security)
Find your Social Security full retirement age from your birth date and see how claiming between 62 and 70 changes your monthly benefit.
Your full retirement age is when Social Security pays 100% of your earned benefit. It depends only on the year you were born: 66 for people born 1943–1954, rising two months a year to 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. This retirement age calculator finds yours, the month you reach it, and how much claiming early (from 62) or late (up to 70) changes your monthly check.
How to use this tool
- Enter your date of birth.
- Choose the age, and extra months, at which you plan to start benefits.
- Optionally enter the full-retirement-age benefit from your Social Security statement to see dollar amounts.
- Compare claiming ages in the table.
Formula
Early: reduction = 5/9% × first 36 months early + 5/12% × each further month
Late: increase = 2/3% × each month after full retirement age, up to 70
The 2/3% monthly credit (8% a year) applies to anyone born in 1943 or later. SSA counts you as reaching an age the day before your birthday, which is why people born on January 1 use the previous year's rules.
Example
Someone born on June 15, 1965 reaches full retirement age 67 in June 2032. Their earliest benefit month is July 2027, 59 months before full retirement age: 36 × 5/9% + 23 × 5/12% = 29.5833% reduction. A $2,000 full benefit becomes about $1,408.33 before SSA rounding. Waiting until 70 adds 36 × 2/3% = 24%, for $2,480 a month.
Frequently asked questions
What is my full retirement age if I was born in 1960 or later?
67. The maximum reduction at 62 is 30%; the exact earliest-month reduction depends on your birth date. Waiting until 70 raises it to 124% of the full amount.
When can I first get Social Security?
At 62, but you must be 62 for the whole month, so the first benefit month is usually the month after your 62nd birthday. If you were born on the 1st or 2nd, it is your birthday month.
Is there any reason to wait past 70?
No. Delayed retirement credits stop at 70, so the benefit no longer grows and waiting longer only means missed payments. Apply a few months before the month you want benefits to start.
Sources
This tool gives an estimate for general information only. It is not financial, tax, legal or medical advice — check with a qualified professional before you rely on the result.
Last updated: 2026