When Should You Claim Social Security? Ages 62, 67, and 70

You can usually claim Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the monthly amount is lower than at full retirement age. Waiting can raise the monthly amount until age 70. There is no additional age-based increase after 70.

The best age is not universal. Compare cash need, health, longevity, work, taxes, spouse and survivor benefits, and what you would spend while waiting.

For someone born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. Under the Social Security Administration's example, claiming at 62 can produce 70% of the full-retirement-age amount, while waiting to 70 can produce 124%.

What is full retirement age for Social Security?

Full retirement age is the age when an eligible retired worker can receive the primary insurance amount without an early-claiming reduction.

It depends on birth year:

birth years 1943 through 1954: age 66;

birth years 1955 through 1959: age 66 plus 2 to 10 months; and

birth year 1960 or later: age 67.

Full retirement age is not the same as the earliest claiming age, Medicare eligibility age, or the age when delayed retirement credits stop.

What happens if you claim Social Security at age 62?

Age 62 is the earliest retirement-benefit claiming age for many eligible workers.

The tradeoff is:

more monthly checks because they start earlier; and

a permanently lower monthly amount than if the same worker waited.

For a person born in 1960 or later, SSA says claiming at 62 can reduce the worker benefit by as much as 30% compared with age 67.

Early claiming can still make sense when cash is needed, work has ended, health is poor, or waiting would require an undesirable withdrawal or debt. It can be costly when the higher later benefit or a survivor benefit matters more.

Social Security age 67 versus Social Security age 70

Social Security age 67 is full retirement age for a worker born in 1960 or later. Social Security age 70 is the last age at which delayed retirement credits raise the worker amount.

What happens if you wait until age 70?

Delayed retirement credits can raise the worker's monthly benefit after full retirement age and through age 69.

For a person born in 1960 or later, SSA's table shows:

Claiming age | Share of age-67 worker amount
62 | 70%
67 | 100%
70 | 124%

Relative worker benefits for a person born in 1960 or later from the Social Security Administration claiming table. Dollar amounts depend on the worker's earnings record.

Waiting is not a guaranteed investment return. You give up earlier payments in exchange for a larger later monthly benefit. Life length, spouse and survivor rules, taxes, other assets, and the value of the forgone checks affect the outcome.

When can I apply for Social Security?

SSA allows you to apply before the month you want benefits to start. Do not wait until the desired payment month to learn which records are missing.

Before applying:

Create or review your my Social Security account.

Check the earnings record for missing or incorrect years.

Compare estimates at multiple ages.

Confirm the desired benefit-start month.

Review Medicare timing separately.

Ask how a spouse, survivor, dependent, pension, or work situation changes the claim.

Can you collect Social Security and work?

Yes. Work can affect the payment before full retirement age.

In 2026, SSA says:

if you are under full retirement age for the whole year, $1 of benefits is withheld for every $2 earned above $24,480;

in the year you reach full retirement age, $1 is withheld for every $3 earned above $65,160 before the full-retirement-age month; and

starting with the full-retirement-age month, the retirement earnings test no longer withholds benefits.

These are earnings-test rules, not an income tax. SSA can later recalculate the benefit to account for months withheld. Work can also replace a lower earnings year in the benefit formula.

The 2026 earnings limits come from the SSA 2026 fact sheet. Use SSA's exact monthly rule if you retire midyear.

Spousal and survivor benefits can change the decision

For a married couple, the higher earner's claiming age can affect a future survivor benefit. That may make delaying the higher earner more valuable than a one-person break-even chart suggests.

Spousal, divorced-spouse, survivor, disabled-worker, and dependent benefits have different rules. A spousal benefit does not simply mean both spouses receive half of the higher earner's check. SSA coordinates benefit types and pays the applicable amount under federal rules.

Before the higher earner claims, compare:

each worker's own record;

the possible spouse benefit;

the survivor income after one death;

age and health differences;

pensions that may interact with Social Security;

current work; and

the household cash available while waiting.

Taxes and Medicare

Social Security benefits can be included in federal taxable income depending on combined income and filing status. State treatment varies.

Medicare eligibility commonly begins at 65, which is separate from full retirement age. If you delay Social Security, Medicare enrollment may not happen automatically. Employer coverage and HSA contributions can affect the timing.

The HSA investment guide explains why retroactive Medicare enrollment can affect recent HSA contributions.

A practical claiming checklist

A claiming decision map based on SSA retirement-planning resources. It organizes the questions and does not choose an age for you.

Ask:

Can current income and savings cover the waiting period?

How would a smaller or larger check affect essential spending?

Is one spouse's survivor benefit a major concern?

Will you work before full retirement age?

How do taxes, Medicare, and HSA rules interact?

Is health information changing the reasonable planning horizon?

Are you comparing the actual SSA estimates, not a generic example?

Common questions

Is it better to claim Social Security at 62 or 67?

Age 62 provides earlier but lower checks. Age 67 is full retirement age for people born in 1960 or later and provides the full worker amount. Cash need, longevity, spouse and survivor benefits, work, and other assets decide which tradeoff fits.

Is age 70 always best?

No. Age 70 produces the maximum age-based worker benefit, but someone must fund the years of waiting and live long enough to receive later checks. Household and survivor effects can make waiting valuable, but not automatic.

Does Social Security increase after age 70?

There is no further delayed-retirement-credit increase after age 70. Cost-of-living adjustments can still change the benefit under the normal rules.

Does working reduce Social Security forever?

Before full retirement age, the earnings test can temporarily withhold benefits above the annual limit. SSA later adjusts the monthly benefit for months withheld. Work can also improve the earnings record.

This guide is general education, not a personalized claiming recommendation. Social Security rules and benefit estimates depend on the exact record and benefit type. Confirm the decision with SSA.

Sources

Social Security Administration, apply for retirement benefits. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, applying before full retirement age. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, delayed retirement for people born in 1960. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, full retirement age. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, 2026 fact sheet. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, retirement earnings test. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, claiming-age FAQ. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, working and receiving benefits FAQ. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, plan for retirement. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Social Security Administration, benefits for spouses. Accessed July 30, 2026.

Internal Revenue Service, Social Security and equivalent railroad retirement benefits. Accessed July 30, 2026.