What is full retirement age?

Full retirement age is the age at which you may receive unreduced old-age, wife's, husband's, widow's, or widower's benefits. Full retirement age has been 65 but is being gradually raised to age 67 beginning with people born after January 1, 1938. See § 404.102 regarding determination of age. (a) What is my full retirement age for old-age benefits or wife's or husband's benefits? You may receive unreduced old-age, wife's, or husband's benefits beginning with the month you attain the age shown. If your birth date is: Full retirement age is: Before 1/2/1938 65 years. 1/2/1938—1/1/1939 65 years and 2 months. 1/2/1939—1/1/1940 65 years and 4 months. 1/2/1940—1/1/1941 65 years and 6 months. 1/2/1941—1/1/1942 65 years and 8 months. 1/2/1942—1/1/1943 65 years and 10 months. 1/2/1943—1/1/1955 66 years. 1/2/1955—1/1/1956 66 years and 2 months. 1/2/1956—1/1/1957 66 years and 4 months. 1/2/1957—1/1/1958 66 years and 6 months. 1/2/1958—1/1/1959 66 years and 8 months. 1/2/1959—1/1/1960 66 years and 10 months. 1/2/1960 and later 67 years. (b) What is my full retirement age for widow's or widower's benefits? You may receive unreduced widow's or widower's benefits beginning with the month you attain the age shown. If your birth date is: Full retirement age is: Before 1/2/1912 62 years. 1/2/1912—1/1/1940 65 years. 1/2/1940—1/1/1941 65 years and 2 months. 1/2/1941—1/1/1942 65 years and 4 months. 1/2/1942—1/1/1943 65 years and 6 months. 1/2/1943—1/1/1944 65 years and 8 months. 1/2/1944—1/1/1945 65 years and 10 months. 1/2/1945—1/1/1957 66 years. 1/2/1957—1/1/1958 66 years and 2 months. 1/2/1958—1/1/1959 66 years and 4 months. 1/2/1959—1/1/1960 66 years and 6 months. 1/2/1960—1/1/1961 66 years and 8 months. 1/2/1961—1/1/1962 66 years and 10 months. 1/2/1962 and later 67 years. (c) Can I still retire before full retirement age? You may still elect early retirement. You may receive old-age, wife's or husband's benefits at age 62. You may receive widow's or widower's benefits at age 60. Those benefits will be reduced as explained in § 404.410. [68 FR 4707, Jan. 30, 2003]