Amber
Understanding your Full Retirement Age (FRA) is the first step to planning Social Security the smart way.
Your FRA is the age you can claim an unreduced retirement benefit—your full Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).
In 2025, the FRA rules are unchanged: anyone born in 1960 or later has an FRA of 67. If you turn 62 in 2025 (born in 1963), your FRA is 67.
What “Full Retirement Age” Means In 2025
Your FRA is the point at which you receive 100% of your calculated benefit.
Claiming before FRA permanently reduces your check; claiming after FRA increases it through Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) until age 70.
This framework helps you tailor claiming to your health, work plans, and income needs.
Full Retirement Age By Birth Year
The FRA schedule below has been phased in over time and remains fully in effect for 2025.
| Year Of Birth | Full Retirement Age (FRA) |
|---|---|
| 1943–1954 | 66 |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1960 and later | 67 |
Note: If you were born on January 1, you’re treated as born in the previous year for FRA purposes.
Claiming Early: How Much Is The Reduction?
If your FRA is 67 and you start at age 62, you’ll receive about 70% of your full benefit—roughly a 30% permanent reduction.
The reduction shrinks the closer you get to FRA; every month you delay between 62 and 67 improves your percentage.
Example (FRA 67):
- 62 → ~70% of full benefit
- 63 → ~75%
- 64 → ~80%
- 65 → ~86.7%
- 66 → ~93.3%
- 67 (FRA) → 100%
These figures illustrate the mechanics of early filing: once you lock in, the percentage is for life (though future COLAs still apply to your locked-in amount).
Delaying Past FRA: How Much Is The Increase?
Waiting beyond FRA earns Delayed Retirement Credits of roughly 8% per year (accrued monthly) up to age 70.
If your FRA is 67 and you wait until 70, your benefit can be about 124% of your full amount.
There’s no additional increase after age 70, so that’s the practical ceiling for delay.
Working And Claiming: Know The Earnings Test
Many people work while collecting. Before you reach FRA, the retirement earnings test may temporarily reduce benefits if you earn above the annual limit.
In the calendar year you reach FRA, a higher limit applies and the withholding is less severe.
Starting with the month you hit FRA, there is no earnings limit—work will not reduce your monthly checks.
(Any benefits withheld before FRA are not lost; your benefit is recalculated at FRA to credit those months.)
Quick summary:
- Before FRA: Benefits can be withheld if your earnings exceed the annual limit.
- Year You Reach FRA (months before your FRA month): A higher earnings limit applies with lighter withholding.
- At/After FRA: No limit on earnings; benefits are unaffected.
Tip: Verify the current-year dollar thresholds published each fall so you can fine-tune your work-and-claiming plan.
Other Numbers That Matter For 2025
A few annual figures help with planning:
- COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment): Boosts benefits each January and compounds over time.
- Maximum Taxable Earnings (Wage Base): The cap on wages subject to Social Security payroll tax.
- Maximum Benefit: The highest monthly benefit payable at FRA (separate from the higher maximum at age 70).
These amounts are updated yearly and influence both how much you pay into the system and the potential benefit you can receive.
How To Pick Your Best Start Age
Consider three levers:
- Longevity outlook: Longer expected life can favor delaying for a larger check.
- Income needs: If you need cash flow now and can’t bridge the gap, earlier claiming may be practical.
- Work plans: If you’ll keep working before FRA, watch the earnings test to avoid surprises.
Balancing these factors often produces the most sustainable retirement income plan.
Your Full Retirement Age in 2025 depends on birth year, and for anyone born in 1960 or later, it’s 67.
Claiming early can trim your check by about 30% at 62, while delaying can add ~8% per year up to age 70.
If you’ll work while collecting, understand the earnings test and how withheld months are later credited.
Align your claiming date with your health, budget, and work to protect your lifetime Social Security income.
FAQs
What Is The Full Retirement Age In 2025?
If you were born in 1960 or later, your FRA is 67. Anyone turning 62 in 2025 (born 1963) reaches full benefits at 67.
How Much Do I Lose If I Claim At 62?
With FRA 67, filing at 62 pays about 70% of your full benefit—roughly a 30% permanent reduction, plus future COLAs on that smaller base.
Does Working Reduce My Benefits?
Before FRA, benefits may be withheld if your earnings top the annual limit. From the month you reach FRA, there’s no limit—work won’t reduce your checks.