Full Retirement Age (FRA) by Birth Year: Definitive Table, Reductions & Delayed Credits

Understanding Full Retirement Age (FRA)

Full Retirement Age (FRA) is the age at which a worker first qualifies for an unreduced Social Security retirement benefit. FRA is not one single number for everyone; instead, it depends on your year of birth. For earlier cohorts, FRA was 65, then it phased up to 66, and for people born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a clear retirement age chart and calculator showing the FRA for each birth cohort. 0

FRA by Birth Year — Definitive Table

Find your birth year below to identify the age at which you can receive 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — your baseline monthly benefit before any early-reduction or delayed-credit adjustments. If your birthday is January 1, SSA treats you as if you were born in the previous year for retirement age purposes, which can shift you to the earlier line. 5

How FRA Shapes Your Monthly Benefit

Claiming before FRA — permanent reductions

Starting retirement benefits before FRA triggers a permanent reduction because you will receive checks for a longer expected period. SSA’s reduction uses monthly factors: the first 36 months early are reduced at 5/9 of 1% per month (~0.5556% each month), and any additional months before that are reduced at 5/12 of 1% per month (~0.4167% each month). For someone with FRA 67 who files at 62, the cumulative early-claim reduction is about 30%; for FRA 66 filing at 62, it’s about 25%. 7

Claiming after FRA — Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs)

If you postpone benefits beyond FRA, you earn DRCs that increase your monthly amount for life. For birth years 1943 and later, credits accrue at about two-thirds of 1% per month (≈ 8% per year), and they stop once you reach age 70. The governing regulation (20 CFR 404.313) confirms credits are available for each month from FRA through the month you attain age 70. 8

Reductions and Credits — quick comparison

Working While Receiving Benefits: the Earnings Test

If you work and receive benefits before reaching FRA, the retirement earnings test can cause SSA to withhold some or all of your checks when your earnings exceed annual limits. In 2025, the limits are: $23,400 if you’re under FRA all year, and $62,160 in the year you reach FRA (applies only to the months before FRA). Beginning with the month you reach FRA, there is no limit on earnings. 12

SSA also uses a monthly limit for first-year retirement cases (under FRA), which is $1,950 per month in 2025; this is useful if your work ends mid-year. Withheld benefits are not lost: SSA recalculates at FRA to credit back the months they withheld because of the test. 13

Coordination with Spousal and Survivor Benefits

Spousal benefits. A spouse’s maximum benefit at their own FRA is generally 50% of the worker’s PIA. Claiming spousal benefits earlier reduces the amount permanently, similar in structure to worker benefits. For example, with FRA 67 (born 1960+), a spouse claiming at 62 typically receives about 32.5% of the worker’s PIA; percentages step up each month toward the 50% maximum at the spouse’s FRA. 15

Survivor benefits. Widows and widowers have a related, but distinct, schedule of reductions and eligibility ages, with the potential to claim as early as age 60 (or earlier in disability cases). The survivor rules also interact with the deceased worker’s claiming history. Check SSA’s survivor resources for exact amounts and age-based reductions; the framework mirrors the FRA concept but differs in details.

Planning Examples

Example A — FRA 67 (born 1960+): early vs. on-time vs. late

Assume a worker’s PIA is $2,000 (the monthly benefit payable at FRA 67). If they claim at 62, the reduction is about 30%, so the monthly check is roughly $1,400. If they claim exactly at 67, the check is $2,000. If they delay to 70, the benefit increases about 8% per year for ~3 years (≈ 24%), yielding roughly $2,480. This trade-off is at the core of FRA planning: earlier income versus a larger, lifelong amount. 16

Example B — FRA 66 (born 1943–1954): early vs. late

Suppose a worker in this cohort has PIA $2,000 and files at 62. The early filing reduction is about 25%, giving ≈ $1,500. If they wait to 70, the DRCs (≈ 8%/yr for 4 years) raise the benefit to ≈ $2,640. Breakeven timing depends on expected longevity, health, spousal/survivor dynamics, and taxes. 17

Example C — Working before FRA with fluctuating earnings

Imagine you claim at 64 and plan to work part of 2025. If your wage income exceeds the annual limit of $23,400 (under-FRA all year), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 over the limit. If you will reach FRA during 2025, then only the months before FRA are subject to the higher limit of $62,160, with a $1 for $3 withholding rate; the month you reach FRA, the test ends. For people retiring mid-year, the $1,950 monthly limit can protect benefits if you stop work and stay under that monthly cap for the rest of the year. 18

Quick Guide (FRA by Birth Year)

• • Look up your FRA in the table above or with SSA’s calculator. 20
• • 62 is the earliest claiming age; reductions are permanent (≈ 25%–30% depending on FRA). 21
• • Delaying after FRA earns about 8% per year until age 70 (monthly accrual). 22
• • If working before FRA, check the 2025 earnings limits: $23,400 (under FRA all year) or $62,160 (year you reach FRA, pre-FRA months). Monthly limit: $1,950. 23
• • Spousal maximum at the spouse’s FRA is typically 50% of the worker’s PIA; reductions apply if claimed earlier. 24

FAQ

How do I find my exact FRA?

Use SSA’s chart/calculator and locate your birth year; most people today have FRA between 66 and 67. 25

Is the early-claim reduction temporary?

No. It is permanent. You’ll still receive cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) each year, but they apply to the reduced base amount. 26

Do delayed credits continue past age 70?

No. DRCs stop at 70; there’s no benefit increase for waiting beyond that point. 27

What happens if I work while receiving benefits before FRA?

The earnings test may cause SSA to withhold benefits above annual/monthly limits; beginning with the month you reach FRA, the earnings test ends. Withheld months are credited back at FRA via a recomputation. 28

What’s the earliest I can start and how big is the cut?

You can start at 62. If your FRA is 67, claiming at 62 yields about 70% of your PIA (≈ 30% cut). If your FRA is 66, it’s ≈ 75% (≈ 25% cut). 29

Do spousal or survivor benefits follow the same FRA?

Spousal benefits use the same birth-year framework for FRA; the maximum at the spouse’s FRA is typically 50% of the worker’s PIA. Survivor benefits have a related but distinct schedule and may start earlier (e.g., 60). 30

How do COLAs affect my benefit?

COLAs apply regardless of when you claim; they adjust your current monthly benefit amount each year. 31

Can I undo an early claim?

Possibly. Within 12 months of first entitlement, some people can withdraw their application (repaying benefits) and re-file later, or suspend payments at FRA to earn DRCs up to 70. 32

Does my birth date within the month matter?

SSA calculates months precisely. Also, if you were born on January 1, SSA treats you as born in the previous year for FRA rules. 33

What percentage increase do DRCs add monthly?

For those born in 1943 or later, DRCs add roughly 2/3 of 1% per month (≈ 8% annually), up to age 70. 34

Technical Basis & Legal References

• SSA retirement age chart/calculator showing FRA by birth year; normal retirement age background. 35
• Early retirement reduction rules and examples (5/9 of 1% for the first 36 months; 5/12 of 1% beyond; ~30% cut at 62 if FRA=67). 36
• Delayed Retirement Credits (~8% per year; monthly accrual; stop at 70); regulatory basis at 20 CFR §404.313. 37
• Earnings test 2025 exempt amounts (annual and monthly), withholding rules, and first-year monthly test. 38
• Spousal percentages and month-by-month reduction tables for 1960+ and 1943–1954 cohorts. 39
• Additional references: SSA “How Work Affects Your Benefits” and policy chartbooks (credits & taxable maximum) for context. 40

Conclusion

Your Full Retirement Age is the central hinge of Social Security planning. It sets the benchmark for the unreduced benefit, governs the earnings test, and frames the trade-off between taking an earlier, smaller check or a later, larger one via DRCs. Use the FRA table and SSA’s calculators, consider your health and household coordination (spousal/survivor), watch the annual earnings limits if working before FRA, and target a claiming age that fits both cash-flow and longevity goals. 41