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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Joan
My ex-husband and I divorced after 15 years of marriage. He’s currently 59, and I’m 65. If I start to receive social-security benefits based on my own earnings record before I reach full-retirement age (66), will that reduce the amount I can later receive based on my ex-husband’s higher earnings? In other words, will I still qualify for the full 50% of my ex-husband’s full-retirement-age benefits, even though I started receiving benefits based on my own earnings record before I reached full-retirement age?
Peggy M.
I was married 10 yrs or more and divorced. His income has always been higher than mine. If I retire at 63 and take a portion of his benefits while he is still alive, if he passes away, would I be able to reapply for a higher percentage of his benefits, or would I be locked into the amount I would be entitled to at the time of my retirement at 63?
Matt
Hi, I am 64, birthday 01/04/1953. I have been on SSDI since 2006 and receive ss plus benefits from MetLife monthly making 60% of yearly income. MetLife rep tells me my benefits from MetLife ends 01/03/2018 as I turn 65. But since my full retirement is thru SSDI goes until I am 66, another year. Why does my MetLife benefits not continue for another full year too? I have been bouncing this back an forth with MetLife. They first told me I signed paperwork saying my MetLife benefits ended at 65, but they don’t have the paper, but it is in my benefits booklet saying 65. I am asking for copies of each. It seems like it should cover another year since this change was decided in like 2000, right? What do you think? Thanks, Matt
Glenda K.
my husband will be 66 on October 2, 2018. at that time he plans to take his social security benefits, but continue to work. are we taxed on the social security and can I draw from his social security and mine? I will be 62 this December 2017 and would like to draw my benefits. Can I also draw off of my husband at 62?
A.C.
Hi, Glenda. First, under current law, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers Social Security benefits taxable income for beneficiaries whose countable income exceeds certain limits. Second, if you are eligible for benefits as a spouse and qualify on your own record, we will pay that amount first. But if you also qualify for a higher amount as a spouse, you’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Also keep in mind, your spouse must be receiving Retirement or Disability benefits as well. Find more information at our webpage, “Retirement Planner: Benefits For You as A Spouse.” For more information, contact us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and ask a representative to assist you. Generally, you’ll have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local office. We hope this helps!
Linda B.
Just turned 62. If I claim ss benefits now on my husband’s account , will the amount change upon his death? He has been retired since 2009?
A.C.
Hi, Linda. If you are under full retirement age and qualify on your own record, we will pay that amount first. But if you also qualify for a higher amount as a spouse, you’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Also keep in mind, your spouse must be receiving Retirement or Disability benefits as well. Find more information at our webpage, “Benefits For You As A Spouse”. Generally survivors benefits are paid at a higher rate. The amount of a widow’s or widower’s benefit is based on several factors, including: the spouse’s earnings, when the spouse started receiving their benefits, the age at the time of the spouse’s death, and the amount of the individual’s own retirement benefit. We compare their own benefit with the spouse’s benefit. If the survivor’s benefit would be higher than the individual’s own current retirement benefit at the time of the spouse’s passing, the individual would be eligible for widow’s or widower’s benefits. Please visit our “Survivors Planner: If You Are The Worker’s Widow Or Widower” page for more information. We hope this helps!
dennis
My retirement age is 66, but if i work until i am 65 and 3 months, but do not take social security until i am 66 is there a reduction in my social security?
A.C.
Great question, Dennis! Your retirement age is the age at which you begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits. Your stop work age is the age at which you leave the labor force and no longer work. It can affect the amount of your Social Security retirement benefits. Your retirement benefit is based on your highest 35 years of earnings and your age when you start receiving benefits. For more information, visit our Retirement Planner: The Difference Between Retirement Age & Stop Work Age webpage. We have an online calculator called the Retirement Estimator where you can test various scenarios and retirement ages to estimate your benefits.
You can also create a mySocialSecurity account to review estimates of your retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, your earnings record, and the estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid. We hope this helps!
isa
My husband is now 54 and is not expected to live more then 5 years. He has a rare dementia called Posterior Cortical atrophy. I am 51 and his full time caregiver.
As I understand it, I will not get his SSDI until I am 60 unless I am disabled and the disability began 7 months prior to his disability. But do I also get a reduced benefit SSDI at 60, so 26percent less? We have no savings left.
R.F.
We are sorry to hear about your husband’s medical situation. You may be eligible for widow’s –reduced– benefits as early as age 60 (age 50 if disabled). To learn more about the benefits that survivors may receive, please visit our Survivors Planner for more information.
Rosanne
Hello, I wondered about retirement benefits and survivor benefits. I am 64 and my husband is 62 and his work record, as it relates to Social Security, is much better than mine. He plans to take his Social Security at age 70 and I plan to take mine at FRA of 66. If, heaven forbid, my husband died before either of us reached retirement age, would I be able to take my own retirement benefit early and then take my survivor benefit when I reach my full retirement age at 66. I just want to make sure that if I had to take my retirement benefit early, that does not affect my survivor benefit.
R.F.
Thank you for contacting us, Rosanne. A widow can start receiving reduced benefits as early as age 60. In many cases, a widow can begin receiving one benefit at a reduced rate and then, at full retirement age, switch to the other benefit at an unreduced rate. The rules are complicated and vary depending on the situation. You cannot apply for survivor’s benefits online. You will need to contact your local office, or call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for assistance. Please visit our Retirement Planner for more information.
Rachel
Hi, my name is Rachel; I am 62 now and on January 11th I will be 63…if I want to begin my application now to have my benefits begin after my birthday in 2018 when would be the best time to apply?
Also I have a fabulous Pension Plan will what I get from my Pension affect my Social Security Benefits?
Vernon
I did not receive a reply to question above. I will try and ask the same question with more specific information. I was born in January 1953. My full retirement age is in January 2019. I would like to begin drawing social security less than 12 months before reaching my full retirement age, but continue working until I earn the $40,000 plus that is allowed for retiring the year before full retirement age. When does my year before full retirement age begin? Does it begin on the first month of full retirement age, i.e., January 2019 or does it begin in February 2018? It does not seem fair if it based upon calendar year since drawing social security in February 2018 means I have only one month to made the $40,000 that results in keeping all my social security payment benefits whereas someone born in July or August 1953 would have up to 6 or 7 months to earn the $40,000 plus that is allowed for working and receiving SS benefits. Does Social Security Administration go by calendar year for defining year of reaching full retirement or does SSA use the 12 months preceding the month you reach full retirement age as time period when you can earn up to $40,000 without there being a reduction to Social Security benefits?
Thanks to anyone who can clarify this issue!
R.F.
Thank you for your question, Vernon. We count your earnings during a calendar year. For someone attaining their full retirement age in 2017, the limit of their earnings is $44,880, but we only count earnings before the month individuals reach their full retirement age. In your case, you will be considered full retirement age the 1st day of the month in January 2019. If you work and are full retirement age or older, the amount you make at work will not affect your Social Security benefits, no matter how much you earn. Please read our publication “How Work Affects Your Benefits” for more information.