Full retirement age
- Birth year 1960 and later: FRA is 67.
- FRA is when you can claim an unreduced benefit (100% of PIA).
- Earlier birth years can have FRA between 66 and 67 (or earlier for older cohorts).
← Social Security claim age
62 · rank #3
🇺🇸Claim at 62
About $1,200/mo · $331,200 cumulative through age 85.
🇺🇸
Claim at 62 through age 85
On AIME $3,500 (birth year 1960, FRA 67), claiming at 62 models about $1,200/mo and $331,200 cumulative through age 85 (no COLA, taxes, or earnings test).
Key takeaways
- On AIME $3,500 (birth year 1960, FRA 67), claiming at 62 models about $1,200/mo and $331,200 cumulative through age 85 (no COLA, taxes, or earnings test).
- Rank #3 of 3 by lifetime total through age 85.
- Earliest retirement age — permanently reduced monthly benefit versus full retirement age, but more years of checks.
- SSA early-retirement reduction applies for each month before full retirement age (5/9 of 1% for the first 36 months; 5/12 of 1% afterward).
- vs Age 70: monthly $1,200 vs $2,125; lifetime $331,200 vs $382,500.
- vs FRA: monthly $1,200 vs $1,714; lifetime $331,200 vs $370,224.
Claim at 62 overview
On AIME $3,500 (birth year 1960, FRA 67), claiming at 62 models about $1,200/mo and $331,200 cumulative through age 85 (no COLA, taxes, or earnings test).
Vignette: AIME $3,500 · birth year 1960 · FRA 67 · planning horizon age 85 · no COLA/taxes/earnings test.
SSA context for this claim age
SSA early-retirement reduction applies for each month before full retirement age (5/9 of 1% for the first 36 months; 5/12 of 1% afterward).
Earliest retirement age — permanently reduced monthly benefit versus full retirement age, but more years of checks.
Official rules for this claim age
Claiming before FRA
- Earliest retirement age is generally 62.
- Reduction: 5/9 of 1% per month for the first 36 months early; 5/12 of 1% for each additional month.
- The reduction is permanent for your own retirement benefit.
Scoreboard
Rank
#3
Lifetime @ 85
$331,200
Monthly
$1,200
Months by 85
276
Earliest retirement age — permanently reduced monthly benefit versus full retirement age, but more years of checks.
Lifetime ladder
| Age | Lifetime total |
|---|---|
| 70 | $115,200 |
| 75 | $187,200 |
| 80 | $259,200 |
| 85 | $331,200 |
| 90 | $403,200 |
| 95 | $475,200 |
Myths vs facts
“Always claim at 62 — you get more years of checks.”
More years can still lose on lifetime totals if you live past breakeven. Through age 85, age 62 models $331,200 vs $382,500 at 70 on this vignette.
“Always wait until 70 for the highest lifetime total.”
Age 70 has the highest monthly benefit, but you need to live past the breakeven age (≈ 80.4 vs 62 here) for lifetime totals to win. Health and cash-flow needs matter.
“FRA is always 65.”
FRA depends on birth year. For 1960 and later it is 67. Older cohorts have earlier FRAs (SSA full retirement age chart).
“These dollar amounts include COLA and taxes.”
No — this hub excludes COLA, federal/state taxation of benefits, and the retirement earnings test so claim-age maths stay comparable.
“This tells me when I should claim.”
Educational model only — not Social Security advice. Confirm with SSA and consider longevity, work plans, and household benefits.
Exclusions
- Cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) after eligibility / claiming
- Federal or state income tax on Social Security benefits
- Retirement earnings test for workers under FRA
- Spousal, survivor, divorced-spouse, or disability benefits
- Medicare Part B/D premiums deducted from benefits
- WEP/GPO (repealed by the Social Security Fairness Act — not part of this model)
- Personalized claiming advice — educational model only
Compare with other claim ages
- Age 62 vs FRA — FRA leads by $39,024 through age 85; breakeven ≈ 78.7 if you delay from Age 62 to FRA. Lower monthly path: Age 62.
- Age 62 vs Age 70 — Age 70 leads by $51,300 through age 85; breakeven ≈ 80.4 if you delay from Age 62 to Age 70. Lower monthly path: Age 62.
FAQ
On AIME $3,500 (birth year 1960, FRA 67), claiming at 62 models about $1,200/mo and $331,200 cumulative through age 85 (no COLA, taxes, or earnings test).
Age 70: $2,125/mo ($382,500 through 85); FRA: $1,714/mo ($370,224 through 85).
Monthly benefits and lifetime totals are calculated from our engine — the same engine as the Social Security breakeven calculator — using the locked AIME and birth-year defaults.
Open a compare corridor against another claim age, then personalize in the Social Security breakeven calculator.
Validation notes
- Monthly benefits match the Social Security breakeven calculator defaults for AIME $3,500 and birth year 1960 (PIA bend points for eligibility year 2022).
- Age-85 lifetime totals and breakeven ages are calculated from our engine (same engine as the breakeven calculator).
- Locked checks: $1,200 / $1,714 / $2,125 monthly; $331,200 / $370,224 / $382,500 lifetime at 85; breakevens ≈ 78.7 / 80.4 / 82.5.
- Reduction and delayed-credit rules follow SSA planner pages for early retirement and delayed retirement credits.
Personalize in the Social Security breakeven calculator.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026