2017 Brings New Changes to Full Retirement Age
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: August 19, 2021
Every worker’s dream is to enjoy a secure retirement. Social Security is here to secure today and tomorrow. Part of that commitment is ensuring you have the most up-to-date information when you make your retirement decisions.
As the bells ring in the New Year, they also bring changes for new Social Security retirement beneficiaries. Full retirement age is 66 and two months for people born 01/02/1955 through 01/01/1956. They are eligible to receive permanently reduced retirement benefits when they turn 62 in 2017.
Full retirement age is the age at which a person first becomes entitled to full (unreduced) retirement benefits. It had been 65 for many years. However, beginning with people born in 1938 that age has been gradually increasing until it reaches 67 for people born in 1960 and later.
As the full retirement age continues to increase, there are greater reductions in benefits if you claim them before you reach full retirement age. For example, if you apply for benefits in 2017 at age 62, your monthly benefit amount will be reduced nearly 26 percent.
You can find your full retirement age, along with other important information, on our website.
Some things you must remember when you’re thinking about retirement:
- You may start receiving Social Security benefits as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. The longer you wait, the higher your monthly benefit will be.
- Your monthly benefits are reduced permanently if you start them any time before full retirement age.
- If you die, your retirement date can affect the payment to your surviving widow or widower. If you started receiving retirement benefits before full retirement age, we cannot pay your surviving spouse their full retirement age benefit amount. We base their benefit on the amount of your reduced benefits.
- If you elect to receive benefits before you reach full retirement age, you should understand how continuing to work affects your benefits.
You can learn more by reading our publication, When to Start Receiving Benefits or visiting our Retirement Planner.
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Tags: full retirement age, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits
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Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
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Judy
I took early social security at age 62, when my FRA WAS 66. . I am now about to turn 71. I know that my benefits are permanently reduced.
My ex husband, alive and working, is turning 66 in two months, July 2017, which is his FRA. I do not know if he will decide to start receiving benefits then, but I can I now, switch to receiving benefits based on my ex’s FRA, assuming that they are higher than my own benefits??. When I started receiving benefits at 62, we were already divorced, but he was 57. Is it too late for me to request ex-spousal benefits??? ?? I understand that the amount also would be reduced due to my opting to receive early benefits at 62. Also, if it is not too late to switch, would his 50% benefits be reduced by the same percentage as my payments on my own record??
But can I switch now, or is it too late to request that option????
R.F.
Hi Judy. If your ex-spouse does not apply for retirement benefits, but can qualify for them (at his age 62 or later), you can receive benefits on his record, if you have been divorced for at least two years. You’re right, if a person begins to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to their full retirement age, their benefits are reduced. These reduction factors are permanently applied to all benefits in which an individual may qualify for. This would include benefits you may receive as a divorced spouse. To see if you’re eligible for a higher benefit amount, you will have to speak to one of our representatives. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for further assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Or contact your local Social Security office directly.
Mary H.
I took early retirement at 62 and I am now 70 and I was wondering if I can change to full retirement status. If so would my benefits change
R.F.
Thank you for your question Mary. When a person begins to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to their full retirement age, their benefits are reduced. Unfortunately, these reduction factors are permanently applied to all benefits an individual may qualify for.
paula
I live in a household with an adult dtr receiving SSD plus a husband who starting collecting at age 63…is it true that there is a household limit on SS benefits?
R.F.
Hi Paula, you may be getting our programs confused. Retirement benefits and disability benefits paid under the Social Security Disability Insurance program or SSDI, are based on your prior earnings and are not subject to income and resource limits. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, in the other hand, pays benefits to people with limited income and resources who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older. There are times when SSI benefit determinations are affected by a person’s living arrangement and the total household income. We hope this helps!
paula
do I have to wait EXACTLY til my 66 birthday to start receiving full retirement benefits?…
R.F.
Hi Paula. Full retirement age is the age at which a person may first become entitled to full or unreduced retirement benefits. See Benefits By Year Of Birth for more information.
Kyle
My wife is sadly terminally ill and receiving SSDI payments at age 59. I am currently 62. Can I delay spousal benefits until I reach full retirement age at 66 and 2 months and then take spousal benefits until I reach 70 then take my own which would be significantly higher?
Kyle
I meant survivor benefits not spousal.
R.F.
We are sorry to hear about your wife’s medical condition Kyle. Survivor’s benefits for a widow or a widower of persons who worked long enough under Social Security can begin at age 60 (age 50 if disabled). If a person receives widow’s or widower’s benefits, and qualifies for a retirement benefit that is more than their survivors benefit, he or she can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. Please see the “Social Security Benefit Amounts For The Surviving Spouse By Year Of Birth” web page to find out how much the benefit will be reduced if someone begins receiving survivors benefits between age 60 and full retirement age. We hope this information helps.
Linda
Don’t you think that is cruel or worse then cruelity to make people work untill they are 66 or 67 before they can get full retirement checks? I believe it is very cruel. After all when a person is 66 or 67 they only have a few years untill they are 70. And 70 is old. So people are supposed to work untill they are that old have little good life time left? Also my father worked hard, too hard, all his adult life in warehouses. In 1986 at about age 56 or 57 he had two heart attacks I believe from working too hard. He told me when he applied, I don’t if for social security disability or which that he was turned down and had to take it to court to get it, checks. This makes me angry at Social Security to this day. Some years ago one of my brothers about age 50 or 52 or so back then who had hardly ever got a thing from the government , he came down with a serious life threatening illness, bloodclots in his legs, around his lungs, even a bloodclot in his eye, and I dont know where all else. He was in and out of hospitals, untill I think reason he is still alive I prayed him alive and to live years. If you dont know this is a serious life threatening illness. In 2002 my boyfriend 41, allmost 42 , died from bloodclots. I couldnt believe it when my brother applied for social security disability or whatever my mother said he got turned down. He had to wait for some time to get disability. I’m not sure if a year or two years. This is just unbevelievable government would do this to Americans and get away with it. So explain this to me. Let’s hear government lame excuses for it.
J C.
I’ve read this post several times. Linda, this site is for questions about Social Security, not a site for endless complaints. I suggest you write to your congress man or woman. Better yet, take better care of your health, get a better education for a better job, and put your own money away for retirement. SS was never meant to support you when you stopped working. The Social in Social Security does not mean Socialism where the government takes care of you cradle to grave.
Bryan
My wife is about to turn 62 years old. Can she start receiving her reduced benefit that “she” earned and then… when I retire at age 66 plus (in a few years) start receiving the spousal benefit based on my earnings which will be higher than her earned benefit in lieu of her earned benefit.
R.F.
Hi Bryan. If a person begins to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to their full retirement age, their benefits are reduced. The reduction factors are permanently applied to all of the benefits the person may qualify for. Your wife may still be eligible to collect reduced benefits on your record when you apply. Remember, if someone is eligible for both, his or her own benefit and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay their own first. If their spousal benefits are higher than their own retirement benefits, he or she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. Please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For Your Spouse for more information. Thanks!
Renee
You didn’t mention that SS benefits are predicated on how much you paid in over your working years. It has to be a certain percent or you do not get a dime no matter how old you get unless you are single and disabled. I’m 63 and do not qualify for SS because I remarried a man 4 years younger than myself 2 years after my husband died. I cannot even get my late husbands SS because I remarried. He died at age 48 when I was 47 and did not qualify then because I was too young. I would have had to remain single until I’m 60! My late husband, whom Ive loved since I was 11 years old, always thought his SS would help me when he got terminal cancer. He had been paying in since he was a teen, always worked full time and was a Military Veteran. he had no children of his own and I was his only family. I being only a housewife couldn’t even rate what he paid in because of all the catch 22’s ..
peter
I am currently 62, I plan to continue work until 70+. My question is if I start to take my full SS benefit at 66 plus 2 months old (FRA) and continue work at the same time, will the amount of benefit be adjusted +/- based on the average salary of last 3 years prior to my age at 70?
R.F.
Hi Peter, your Retirement Benefits are based on the amount of your average lifetime earnings and your age at the time you applied. Generally, we use the highest years of earnings to calculate your monthly benefit amount. Generally, if you continue to work while receiving retirement benefits, your monthly benefit amount could increase. Each year, we review the records for all working Social Security recipients to see if additional earnings may increase monthly benefits. We recommend that you create a My Social Security account to review your earnings record and get an estimate of your future benefits. Thanks!
Ryan
To earn delayed credit, do I have to officially file n suspend at FRA? Or don’t do anything, just file later?
R.F.
Hi Ryan. You will only have to contact us when you are ready to apply for your benefits. Keep in mind that the benefit increase no longer applies when you reach age 70, even if you continue to delay taking benefits. See our Retirement Planner: Delayed Retirement Credits for complete information.