Social Security retirement age changes in 2025: Here's when you can claim your benefits now
The increase in retirement age reflects the country’s demographic and economic changes. Understanding how your year of birth affects you, and how decisions about when to retire impact your benefits, is critical to planning a stable and sustainable retirement.
The Full Retirement Age (FRA) is the age at which Social Security beneficiaries can claim 100% of their benefits on a monthly basis. Although payments can begin as early as age 62, doing so before FRA means a permanent reduction in monthly payments. For example, someone with an FRA of 66 years and 10 months who retires at 62 could see their benefits reduced by as much as 29.17%.
VA benefits payment schedule for 2025 revealed helping veterans plan ahead
As of May 2025, a new tranche of the progressive increase in full retirement age determined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) comes into effect. This change directly affects those born in 1959, who will now reach their FRA at age 66 and 10 months.
What is the Full Retirement Age?
The increase in the FRA reflects a gradual shift that began with the 1983 amendments to the Social Security Act, which contemplated longer life expectancy and financial solvency within the program.
How the FRA has changed according to year of birth. This is a summary of the gradual adjustments:
1955: 66 years, 2 months
1956: 66 years, 4 months
1957: 66 years, 6 months
1958: 66 years, 8 months
1959: 66 years, 10 months
1960 onwards: 67 years
For those born in 1959, FRA is reached between March 2025 and January 2026, depending on the month of birth.
Plan your retirement
Experts recommend reviewing the history in the “my Social Security” account to obtain personalized projections, as well as assessing actual financial needs in retirement. They also advise ensuring medical coverage in case of retirement before eligibility for Medicare (at age 65) and consulting with a financial advisor for benefit and savings optimization strategies.