The Social Security full retirement age in 2026 is 67 for people born in 1960 or later, but you can still start retirement benefits as early as 62 (with permanent reductions) or delay past 67 for larger checks.

Quick Scoop

Core ages for Social Security (2026 rules)

  • Early retirement: 62 (you can claim, but your monthly benefit is permanently reduced by roughly up to 25–30% if you start this early).
  • Full Retirement Age (FRA): 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later; this is when you get 100% of your calculated benefit.
  • Delayed retirement: You can delay beyond FRA (up to age 70) to earn delayed retirement credits and increase your monthly benefit, according to SSA benefit rules summarized in government-focused guides.

How it changed in 2026

  • Before 2026, FRA had been increasing in two‑month steps from 66 up to 66 and 10 months (for those born in 1959) under a 1983 reform.
  • 2026 is the final scheduled step of that reform: FRA reaches 67 and stays there for people born in 1960 and later.
  • Headlines about “goodbye to retirement at 67” in 2026 are misleading; fact‑checks point out that the official FRA is 67 for people turning 62 in 2026, and Medicare eligibility remains 65.

Mini example

Someone born in 1960 turns 66 in 2026, but their FRA is 67 in 2027, so they are still one year away from full benefits in 2026.

Important side notes

  • These ages apply to Social Security retirement benefits, which are meant to supplement other savings and pensions rather than fully replace your income.
  • The rules in place for 2026 are already set in law; while some politicians have proposed future increases beyond 67, no such changes have been enacted as of now.

TL;DR: For 2026, “what is the retirement age for Social Security?” usually means:

  • You can claim at 62 (reduced),
  • You get full benefits at 67 if you were born in 1960 or later,
  • You can boost benefits further by waiting past 67, up to age 70.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.