What Is Full Retirement Age?
This calculator applies to the United States Social Security system. Your full retirement age (FRA), sometimes called normal retirement age, is the age at which you become entitled to 100% of your monthly Social Security retirement benefit. Claiming earlier (as early as 62) permanently reduces your benefit, while delaying past FRA (up to age 70) increases it through delayed retirement credits.
How to Use It
Enter the four-digit year you were born and the calculator returns your FRA in years and months, plus the figure expressed as a decimal age. The rules used here reflect the Social Security Administration's published schedule.
The Formula Explained
FRA was 65 for those born in 1937 or earlier, then phased upward. For birth years 1943-1954 it is a flat 66 years. From 1955 to 1959 it increases by two months per year (66 and 2 months, 66 and 4 months, and so on). For anyone born in 1960 or later, the FRA is a fixed 67 years.
$$\text{FRA} = f\!\left(\text{Year of Birth}\right) = \begin{cases} 65\text{ yr} & \text{Year} \le 1937 \\ 65\text{ yr} + 2(\text{Year}-1937)\text{ mo} & 1938 \le \text{Year} \le 1942 \\ 66\text{ yr} & 1943 \le \text{Year} \le 1954 \\ 66\text{ yr} + 2(\text{Year}-1954)\text{ mo} & 1955 \le \text{Year} \le 1959 \\ 67\text{ yr} & \text{Year} \ge 1960 \end{cases}$$
Worked Example
Suppose you were born in 1957. Because 1957 falls in the 1955-1959 band, FRA = 66 years + 2 months × (1957 − 1954) = 66 years + 6 months. That is 66 years and 6 months, or 798 total months.
$$\text{FRA} = 66\text{ yr} + 2\text{ mo} \times (1957 - 1954) = 66\text{ yr} + 6\text{ mo}$$FAQ
Can I claim before my FRA? Yes, as early as age 62, but your monthly benefit is permanently reduced.
Should I wait past FRA? Delaying earns roughly 8% more per year up to age 70, after which there is no further increase.
Does my birthday on January 1 matter? Social Security treats people born on January 1 as if they were born in the previous year; this tool uses the calendar birth year, so adjust if you were born on New Year's Day.
