Overview

The earliest date that one can receive Social Security retirement benefits is generally the first of the month after turning 62 years old. However, if one is born the first day of a month, retirement benefits will begin on the worker's 62nd birthday.

The Normal Retirement Age varies between 65 and 67 years old depending on the year of birth. Retiring before the Normal Retirement age will result in lower monthly Social Security retirement benefits. Retiring after the Normal Retirement Age will result in increased Social Security monthly retirement benefits due to a increased multiplier of the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The multiplier of the Primary Insurance Amount stops increasing if one works past age 70.

Normal Retirement Age