Normal Retirement Age (NRA) / Full Retirement Age (FRA)

Full (or normal) retirement age (FRA) is the age at which you become eligible to receive your full Social Security retirement benefit. FRA varies by birth year and also refers more broadly to the age at which a worker qualifies for full pension benefits in other retirement systems.

Key takeaways

• FRA determines the unreduced Social Security benefit you can receive.
• For people born 1960 or later, FRA is 67. For those born 1943–1954, FRA is 66. For birth years 1955–1959, FRA increases by two months per year (66 and 2 months for 1955 up to 66 and 10 months for 1959).
• Claiming before FRA permanently reduces your monthly benefit; delaying past FRA increases it until age 70.
• Work and earnings can temporarily reduce benefits if you claim before FRA; the earnings limits are adjusted annually.
• FRA in other countries typically ranges from the mid-50s to mid-60s, commonly 65–67.

What is Full Retirement Age (FRA)?

FRA is the age at which you can receive 100% of your Social Security retirement benefit based on your earnings history. Your exact FRA depends on the year you were born:
* Born 1943–1954: FRA = 66
Born 1955: FRA = 66 years, 2 months
Born 1956: FRA = 66 years, 4 months
Born 1957: FRA = 66 years, 6 months
Born 1958: FRA = 66 years, 8 months
Born 1959: FRA = 66 years, 10 months
Born 1960 or later: FRA = 67

FRA also appears in employer pension rules; some pension plans pay full benefits after a specified number of service years rather than at a particular age.

How claiming age affects benefits

• Early claiming: You may begin benefits as early as age 62, but doing so permanently reduces your monthly benefit. For example, if your FRA is 67, claiming at 62 would reduce your benefit to roughly 70% of the FRA amount. Claiming at age 65 instead of 67 yields a smaller reduction (for a FRA of 67, about 86.7%).
• Delayed claiming: For people born in 1943 or later, benefits increase by a fixed percentage for each year you delay claiming past FRA, up to age 70. Waiting until age 70 yields the maximum monthly benefit; there is no additional increase for delaying beyond 70.
• Other factors: Your benefit amount also depends on your earnings history and the formula used to calculate your primary insurance amount (PIA).

Working while receiving benefits

If you claim benefits before reaching FRA and continue working, your benefits may be temporarily reduced if your earnings exceed an annual limit. The SSA applies an earnings test that reduces benefits for earnings above the threshold; limits and rules are adjusted periodically. Once you reach FRA, there is no limit on earnings and no future reductions for prior earnings years — any withheld benefits are used to recompute your benefit amount.

History and policy context

When Social Security began, the retirement age was 65. Legislation in the early 1980s gradually raised FRA to account for longer life expectancy, phasing the maximum FRA up to 67 for later birth cohorts. Concerns about the program’s long-term financing have prompted periodic policy discussion about further changes to FRA or to benefit and tax rules.

Average retirement age in the U.S.

Although FRA has risen for some cohorts, many Americans retire before reaching FRA. Research shows average retirement ages around the mid-60s (men) and low-60s (women), with college-educated workers tending to retire later than those with only a high school degree. Health, job physicality, and life expectancy differences contribute to this gap.

FRA around the world (examples)

Retirement ages vary internationally and sometimes differ by gender or occupation. Examples:
* Australia: 65, being phased to 67
Brazil: 65 (men); 62 (women)
Canada: 65
China: 60 (men); 50–55 for women depending on occupation
France: 62
Germany: ~65–67 depending on birth year
India: 58
Japan: 65
Mexico: 65
South Korea: 62 (phasing higher)
United Kingdom: 66 (scheduled increases)

Deciding when to claim: breakeven analysis

Choosing when to claim benefits involves trade-offs. A breakeven analysis compares the total expected benefits received from different claiming ages, accounting for your life expectancy, work plans, and financial needs. Use SSA calculators or speak with a financial advisor to model your scenario.

Bottom line

Full retirement age determines the unreduced Social Security benefit you receive. Claiming earlier permanently reduces your monthly benefit; delaying increases it until age 70. FRA depends on your birth year (commonly 66–67 for recent cohorts), and other personal factors — earnings history, health, and retirement goals — should guide your decision about when to begin benefits. Check current SSA rules and calculators to evaluate the best timing for your situation.