You can start collecting Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the amount you receive depends on when you claim
The earliest age to claim Social Security retirement benefits is 62. However, if you claim at 62, your monthly payment will be permanently lower than if you wait. The Social Security Administration calls your "full retirement age" the point at which you receive your full benefit amount — this age ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year. You can also delay claiming past your full retirement age until 70, which increases your monthly payment by about 8 percent for each year you wait.
The choice between claiming early, at full retirement age, or at 70 is a financial decision based on your health, life expectancy, and need for income now versus later. There is no single "right" answer — it depends on your circumstances.
Key Takeaways
- You can claim Social Security retirement benefits starting at age 62, but your monthly payment will be reduced if you claim before your full retirement age.
- Your full retirement age — when you receive your complete benefit amount — is between 66 and 67, depending on your birth year.
- Waiting until age 70 to claim increases your monthly benefit by roughly 8 percent per year past your full retirement age.
- You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters) to be may have access to to retirement benefits on your own record.
How your birth year determines your full retirement age
The Social Security Administration raised the full retirement age gradually starting in 1983. If you were born in 1943 or earlier, your full retirement age is 65. For people born between 1943 and 1954, full retirement age increases by two months for each birth year. If you were born in 1955, your full retirement age is 66 and two months; if born in 1960 or later, it is 67.
You can find your exact full retirement age on the Social Security Administration's website or by calling 1-800-772-1213. Knowing this age matters because it is the threshold where your benefit amount stops being reduced for early claiming.
What happens to your payment if you claim at 62
Claiming at 62 reduces your monthly benefit by roughly 25 to 30 percent compared to what you would receive at full retirement age. The exact reduction depends on your birth year and full retirement age. Someone born in 1960 or later who claims at 62 receives about 70 percent of their full retirement age benefit.
This reduction is permanent — it does not increase later, even after you reach full retirement age. If you claim at 62 and receive $1,000 per month, you will continue to receive that reduced amount for life, adjusted only for cost-of-living increases.
How waiting until 70 increases your benefit
For each year you delay claiming past your full retirement age, your monthly benefit grows by about 8 percent per year until age 70. If your full retirement age is 67 and you wait until 70, you receive roughly 124 percent of your full retirement age benefit. Waiting past 70 does not increase your benefit further.
This increase is also permanent. If you wait until 70 and receive $1,500 per month, that higher amount becomes your baseline for life, again adjusted only for cost-of-living changes.
Work history requirements to claim on your own record
To claim Social Security retirement benefits based on your own work history, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for at least 10 years, or 40 quarters. A quarter is roughly three months; you can earn up to four quarters per year. The Social Security Administration counts only years in which you earned enough to credit a quarter — the minimum amount changes each year but is typically a few hundred dollars per quarter.
If you have not worked 10 years, you may still be able to claim benefits based on a spouse's or ex-spouse's work record, though different rules apply to those claims.
Spousal and survivor benefits have different age rules
If you are married, you may be able to claim a spousal benefit based on your spouse's work record. The earliest age to claim a spousal benefit is 62, but like retirement benefits, claiming early reduces the amount. A spouse can receive up to 50 percent of the worker's full retirement age benefit if the spouse waits until their own full retirement age to claim.
Surviving spouses and children can also claim benefits on a deceased worker's record. Surviving spouses can claim as early as 60 (or 50 if caring for a child under 16), and children can claim until age 19 if still in high school, or 18 if not in school.
How to claim and what documents you will need
You can claim Social Security retirement benefits online through the Social Security Administration's website, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. You can start the process up to four months before the month you want benefits to begin.
You will need to provide proof of age (birth certificate), proof of citizenship or legal residency (passport or naturalization papers), and proof of income (W-2s or tax returns). If you are claiming spousal or survivor benefits, you will also need to provide marriage or death certificates. The Social Security Administration can tell you exactly which documents your situation requires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my mind after I start collecting at 62?
Yes, but only within limits. If you have been receiving benefits for less than 12 months, you can withdraw your claim and repay what you received, then reapply later at a higher rate. After 12 months, you cannot withdraw, but you can suspend your benefits at full retirement age and let them grow until 70, though this is rarely done.
What if I am still working when I turn 62?
You can claim at 62 while still working, but if you earn above a certain amount (roughly $23,400 in 2024, though this changes yearly), Social Security will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. This withholding stops once you reach full retirement age, and your benefit is recalculated upward to account for the months benefits were withheld.
Does claiming Social Security affect Medicare?
No. You become may be able to access for Medicare at 65 regardless of whether you have claimed Social Security. However, you should sign up for Medicare even if you do not claim Social Security yet, because late enrollment in Medicare Part B can result in permanent penalties.
What if I was born on January 1?
The Social Security Administration treats people born on January 1 as if they were born on December 31 of the previous year for benefit calculation purposes. This affects which birth year rules apply to you, so confirm your full retirement age directly with Social Security.