What is the earliest age for social security retirement

The earliest you can start collecting retirement benefits is age 62. You can apply once you reach 61 years and 9 months of age. 

However, Social Security reduces your payment if you start collecting before your full retirement age, or FRA. (FRA is 66 and 4 months for people born in 1956 and is gradually rising to 67 for those born in 1960 or later.) Only then do you qualify for 100 percent of your basic monthly benefit, which is calculated from your 35 highest-earning years.

Your payment will increase even more if you wait until age 70 to apply, as you’ll be accruing delayed retirement credits. (You can apply later than 70, but it doesn’t change your benefit.)

The starting age can differ for other types of Social Security benefits.

Spousal benefits: These can begin at 62, as long as the spouse on whose work record you are claiming them is already receiving retirement benefits. Spousal benefits are reduced if taken before FRA.

Survivor benefits: You can apply for benefits on the record of a deceased spouse or ex-spouse at 60; 50 if you are disabled; or any age if you are caring for the deceased’s under-16 or disabled child. These are also reduced if claimed prior to full retirement age, which is currently 66 for survivors.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): No age requirement, but you must have spent some time in work in which you paid Social Security taxes. The amount of time increases with age, but you may qualify for SSDI with less time in the workforce than you need to collect retirement benefits. You must also demonstrate that your medical condition meets Social Security’s strict definition of disability and show evidence that it prevents you from working.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is facing a large backlog of disability claims that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency had about 833,000 applications for SSDI pending in March 2021, an 11.5 percent increase from one year earlier, according to a July 2022 report from the SSA's Office of the Inspector General.

Keep in mind

  • The question of when you can receive benefits is separate from a more important question: When should you claim benefits? The answer is complicated and depends on your job situation, family circumstances, and financial and physical health.
  • There is no minimum age for dependent children to receive benefits on the earnings record of a retired or deceased parent. These can begin at any time but in most circumstances end at age 18.
  • Parents who were financially dependent on a son or daughter who dies can collect survivor benefits from age 62.

You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the benefit amount will be lower than your full retirement benefit amount.

If you start receiving your benefits before your full retirement age, we will reduce your benefits based on the number of months you receive benefits before you reach your full retirement age.

If you wait until age 70 to start your benefits, your benefit amount will be higher because you will receive delayed retirement credits for each month you delay filing for benefits. There is no additional benefit increase after you reach age 70, even if you continue to delay starting benefits.

Working While Receiving Benefits

You may work after you start receiving benefits, which could mean a higher benefit for you in the future. We may withhold some of your benefits if you earn more than the yearly earnings limit. Sometimes people who retire in mid-year already have earned more than the annual earnings limit. However:

  • We have a special rule that applies to earnings for one year, usually the first year you begin receiving benefits. This means we cannot withhold benefits for any month we consider you retired, regardless of your yearly earnings.
  • After you reach full retirement age, we will recalculate your benefit amount to take into account any months you did not receive benefits because your earnings were too high.

Social Security benefits are paid the month after they are due.

If you tell us you want your benefits to start in May, you will receive your first benefit check in June. (If you want to receive your first benefit check in May, you need to be eligible for benefits in April AND tell us you want your benefits to start that month.)

Do you plan to keep working beyond full retirement age?

  • Yes
  • No
  • Not Sure

When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits

Benefit calculators

How we calculate benefits

Workers planning for their retirement should be aware that retirement benefits depend on age at retirement. If a worker begins receiving benefits before his/her normal (or full) retirement age, the worker will receive a reduced benefit. A worker can choose to retire as early as age 62, but doing so may result in a reduction of as much as 30 percent.

Starting to receive benefits after normal retirement age may result in larger benefits. With delayed retirement credits, a person can receive his or her largest benefit by retiring at age 70.

Early retirement reduces benefits

In the case of early retirement, a benefit is reduced 5/9 of one percent for each month before normal retirement age, up to 36 months. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of one percent per month.

For example, if the number of reduction months is 60 (the maximum number for retirement at 62 when normal retirement age is 67), then the benefit is reduced by 30 percent. This maximum reduction is calculated as 36 months times 5/9 of 1 percent plus 24 months times 5/12 of 1 percent.

Delayed retirement increases benefits

Delayed retirement credit is generally given for retirement after the normal retirement age. To receive full credit, you must be insured at your normal retirement age. No credit is given after age 69.

If you retire before age 70, some of your delayed retirement credits will not be applied until the January after you start benefits. The calculator below gives you the amount with all credits applied for comparison purposes.

Delayed retirement credits increase a retiree's benefits. The table below shows the delayed retirement credit by year of birth.

Compute the effect of early or delayed retirement

If you enter your date of birth and the effective month for beginning your benefits, we will tell you the effect of early or delayed retirement as a percentage of your primary insurance amount. Please note that benefits are generally paid in the month following the effective month.

Annual delayed retirement credit percentage varies from 3% to 8% by year of birth

Delayed retirement credit
Year of birthCredit per year
1917-24 3.0%
1925-26 3.5%
1927-28 4.0%
1929-30 4.5%
1931-32 5.0%
1933-34 5.5%
1935-36 6.0%
1937-38 6.5%
1939-40 7.0%
1941-42 7.5%
1943 and later 8.0%
Note: Persons born on January 1 of any year should refer to the credit percentage for the previous year.
More information A table illustrates the complex interaction among normal retirement age, actuarial reduction, and delayed retirement credit.

What is the earliest possible retirement age?

A worker can choose to retire as early as age 62, but doing so may result in a reduction of as much as 30 percent. Starting to receive benefits after normal retirement age may result in larger benefits. With delayed retirement credits, a person can receive his or her largest benefit by retiring at age 70.

How much is Social Security at 62?

How Your Social Security Benefit Is Reduced.

Can I retire at 55?

Can I Legally Retire at 55? There's nothing in the retirement rulebook that says you can't retire at 55 years old. In fact, some members of the FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement aim to retire as early as 40. So it's perfectly legal to retire in your mid-50s if that's your goal.

What is my retirement age for Social Security?

The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960, until it reaches 67. For anyone born 1960 or later, full retirement benefits are payable at age 67.