What Is the Full Retirement Age for Someone Born in 1959?

Full Retirement Age (FRA) is the age designated by the Social Security Administration (SSA) when an individual can begin receiving their full, unreduced Social Security retirement benefits. This age directly influences the amount of monthly benefits an individual will receive throughout retirement. Understanding FRA is important for anyone approaching retirement, as it impacts decisions about when to claim benefits. The FRA varies based on an individual’s birth year, reflecting adjustments made over time to the Social Security system.

Understanding Full Retirement Age

The Social Security Administration determines an individual’s Full Retirement Age based on their birth year. This age has gradually increased for those born after 1937 due to legislative changes enacted to adapt to demographic shifts and increased life expectancies. For individuals born in 1959, the Full Retirement Age is 66 years and 10 months.

Reaching this age means an individual becomes eligible to receive their Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The PIA represents the full, unreduced monthly benefit calculated by the Social Security Administration based on a worker’s lifetime earnings. This calculation considers the 35 highest earning years, adjusted for wage inflation, to determine the average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). The PIA is the baseline benefit amount from which all other benefit calculations are derived.

Claiming Your Social Security Benefits

Individuals have flexibility in deciding when to start receiving their Social Security retirement benefits. The timing relative to their Full Retirement Age directly affects the monthly amount. Benefits can be claimed as early as age 62, but this results in a permanent reduction. The reduction is calculated based on the number of months an individual claims benefits before their FRA.

For instance, if claiming 36 months or less before FRA, the reduction is 5/9 of 1% per month. For months beyond 36, an additional reduction of 5/12 of 1% per month applies. Claiming at age 62 for someone with an FRA of 66 years and 10 months results in a substantial and permanent reduction.

Conversely, delaying the start of benefits beyond the Full Retirement Age can lead to an increased monthly benefit. Individuals can delay claiming up to age 70. For each month benefits are postponed past their FRA, they earn Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs). These credits result in an annual increase of 8% for those born in 1943 or later. Delaying until age 70 could result in a significantly higher monthly payout, as the benefit continues to grow until that age.

Other Considerations for Your Benefits

When claiming Social Security benefits, it is important to understand how continued earnings can affect payments, especially before reaching Full Retirement Age. If an individual claims benefits prior to their FRA and continues to work, their benefits may be temporarily reduced if their earnings exceed a specific annual limit. For example, in 2025, if an individual is under FRA for the entire year, $1 in benefits is deducted for every $2 earned above the annual limit of $23,400. In the year an individual reaches their FRA, a higher limit applies, and $1 is deducted for every $3 earned above that limit ($62,160 in 2025). Once an individual reaches their Full Retirement Age, the earnings limit no longer applies, and they can earn any amount without their Social Security benefits being reduced.

Full Retirement Age also plays a role in determining the amount of spousal and survivor benefits. For spouses, claiming benefits before their own FRA results in a reduced amount, similar to individual retirement benefits. For surviving spouses, the full benefit is available at their specific survivor’s FRA, which can differ from the retirement FRA. Reduced benefits are available as early as age 60. The deceased worker’s earnings record, including any Delayed Retirement Credits, is used to calculate the survivor’s benefit.