What Is My Full Retirement Age for Maximum Social Security?

When can you retire and collect Social Security? It depends on when you were born.

By Matthew Frankel, CFP – Updated Nov 9, 2025 at 8:10 AM | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

FRA is 67 for those born in 1960 or later; earlier birth years have lower FRAs.
Claiming Social Security at FRA ensures full benefits; early claims result in reduced payouts.
Working after FRA has no earnings test impact and can increase monthly benefits.

Full retirement age (FRA) is the age when you can claim your standard Social Security retirement benefit. Your standard benefit is formally called your primary insurance amount (PIA), and it's based on your inflation-adjusted average wages earned throughout your career.

Full retirement age varies by birth year. For those born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. If you were born prior to 1960, your FRA is slightly lower. For instance, if you were born in 1959, it is 66 and 10 months.

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An infographic explaining the retirement, disability, and survivors benefits that come from Social Security. — Image source: The Motley Fool.

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Table Source: Social Security Administration.

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Two people looking at paperwork and using a calculator. — Image source: Getty Images.

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3. Is your full retirement age affected by where you live?

Your full retirement age is not affected by where you live. Most Social Security rules, including those that determine benefit amount and claiming age, are set by federal law. However, some states do tax Social Security benefits, so where you live can affect tax levels on your retirement income. But again, the age at which you claim benefits won't affect your tax rate -- your income is the key factor.

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About the Author

Matt Frankel, CFP, is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst and personal finance expert covering financial stocks, REITs, SPACs, and personal finance. Prior to The Motley Fool, Matt taught high school and college mathematics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of South Carolina, a master’s degree in mathematics from Nova Southeastern University, and a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University. He won a SABEW award for coverage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He is also regularly interviewed by Cheddar, The National Desk, and other TV networks and publications for his financial, stock market, and investing expertise.

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