20 C.F.R. § 404.409

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]

Official source