Social Security Retirement Age 2026
Wondering what the Social Security retirement age is for 2026? Here’s the quick answer: the Full Retirement Age (FRA) in 2026 is 67 for anyone born in 1960. You can still claim benefits as early as 62, but with permanent reductions. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how the 2026 rules work, how they affect your benefit amount, expected COLA adjustments, earnings limits, and strategies to maximize your retirement income using tools like the Retirementize online income calculator.
What Is the Social Security Retirement Age?
The Social Security retirement age—officially called the Full Retirement Age (FRA)—is the age at which you can begin receiving your full monthly retirement benefit. FRA has changed over the years as life expectancy and national demographics have shifted.
For decades, FRA was 65. But the 1983 Social Security Amendments slowly increased it based on birth year. Today, anyone born in 1960 or later has an FRA of 67. This is the group reaching age 62 in 2022 and FRA in 2027, meaning in 2026 they are still in the “early claiming” window.
Understanding FRA is essential because claiming benefits before or after it has a dramatic effect on your monthly retirement income. For example, someone with a Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) of $2,000 at FRA will receive very different payments depending on whether they claim early, on time, or late. We'll break those examples down shortly.
Social Security Retirement Age in 2026
In 2026, the Social Security Full Retirement Age remains 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. That means if you turn 62 in 2026, you can claim early benefits, but you will not receive your full benefit until age 67.
There are currently no scheduled increases to FRA after age 67. While some lawmakers have proposed raising FRA to 68, 69, or even 70 in the future, no legislation has been passed. The rules in place for 2026 are already locked in.
Quick Breakdown for 1960-Born Retirees
Early Retirement Age: 62 (in 2022)
Full Retirement Age: 67 (in 2027)
Age in 2026: 66 (one year before FRA)
Although the FRA hasn't changed, what has changed are benefit amounts due to compounding COLA increases over the last decade. According to the Social Security Administration, COLA increases have averaged around 2.6% over the past 20 years, but in the early 2020s we saw outsized COLA increases of 5.9%, 8.7%, and 3.2%. These boosts affect the benefit amounts for anyone retiring in 2026.
How Claiming Social Security in 2026 Affects Your Benefits
Claiming age is the single most important factor you control when planning Social Security. Here’s how your retirement age in 2026 affects your monthly benefits.
Claiming Early at Age 62
If your FRA is 67 and you retire at 62, you take the maximum reduction. This equals about a 30% permanent cut in your benefits.
Example:
If your full benefit (PIA) is $2,000 at FRA, claiming at 62 reduces it to roughly $1,400/month.
This reduction lasts your entire lifetime. If you live to age 90, you could leave over $150,000 in lifetime income on the table.
Claiming at Full Retirement Age (67)
Claiming at FRA means you receive your full monthly benefit. Use the Retirementize income calculator to project how FRA benefits fit into your retirement cash flow. This is often the “safe zone” for maximizing lifetime income without delaying.
Claiming Late at Age 70
You earn delayed retirement credits of 8% per year after FRA up to age 70. For someone whose PIA is $2,000, delaying until 70 increases benefits to about $2,480/month.
Over time, this is significant. For retirees who live past age 81–83 (average longevity), delaying benefits often produces higher lifetime income than claiming early.
2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and Their Impact
COLA is perhaps the most heavily discussed Social Security topic each year. For 2026, the exact COLA won’t be announced until October 2025, but current inflation models from the Congressional Budget Office suggest a COLA between 2.1% and 2.6%.
Why does COLA matter? Because retiring during a high-COLA era amplifies the benefits you’ll receive over your lifetime. According to the Social Security Administration, COLA has increased benefits by more than 200% since 1975.
How Much Can You Earn While Collecting Social Security in 2026?
If you claim Social Security before FRA, you are subject to the Earnings Test, which temporarily withholds benefits if you earn too much from work.
While 2026 earnings limits have not been officially published, projecting from historical increases, the early retirement earnings limit will likely be around $23,000–$24,000. The FRA-year limit may land near $63,000.
The good news? Withheld benefits are not lost—they are recalculated at FRA. But for retirees who still want to work part-time, this can complicate income planning. This is where the Retirementize calculator is extremely helpful.
Strategies to Maximize Social Security Benefits in 2026
Here are some proven strategies to help you get the most from Social Security in 2026.
1. Delay Benefits as Long as Possible
Delaying can increase lifetime income by tens of thousands of dollars, especially for those with long life expectancy. Research from Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research continues to show that delaying is one of the most financially beneficial retirement moves.
2. Coordinate Spousal Benefits
Many couples under-optimize Social Security by claiming at the same time. For couples, one strategy is:
- The lower earner claims early.
- The higher earner delays to 70.
This combination often produces the highest inflation-protected household income.
3. Consider Longevity Risk
Longevity risk—the chance of outliving your money—is one of the biggest retirement threats. Social Security is one of the few income sources that lasts for life and grows with inflation. The longer you expect to live, the more delaying benefits makes sense.
4. Use Social Security as Part of a Broader Income Plan
Social Security alone is rarely enough to replace pre-retirement income. Combining Social Security with tax-efficient withdrawals from RRSPs, pensions, TFSAs, or 401(k)s requires strategic planning.
For deeper retirement income insights, see other articles on Retirementize, such as:
Using the Retirementize Calculator to Model Social Security Scenarios in 2026
Retirement planning becomes dramatically clearer when you can model how Social Security interacts with your savings. The Retirementize online income calculator is built for exactly this purpose.
Example Scenario:
A couple plans to retire in 2026. One spouse claims at 62, the other delays until 70. By entering these into Retirementize, they can instantly see:
- Total monthly income
- Tax implications
- Sequence of returns risk
- Longevity projections
- Savings preservation
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Social Security run out?
No. Even if the trust fund becomes depleted, payroll taxes will still cover around 77% of benefits. Reforms are likely long before that.
Are changes coming in 2026?
No changes to FRA are scheduled. COLA and earnings tests will adjust normally.
Should I claim early because Social Security is “in trouble”?
Not necessarily. Historically, reforms have never reduced benefits for people already receiving them.
Does working longer increase my benefit?
Yes—especially if it replaces lower earning years in your top 35 years of earnings.
Can non-U.S. residents collect benefits?
Yes, depending on citizenship and country-of-residence rules.
Fun Facts
- Social Security has paid benefits since 1937.
- Nearly 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits.
- The average monthly retirement benefit in 2024 is $1,907.
- More than 50% of retirees say Social Security is their main income source.
- The COLA in 2022 (5.9%) and 2023 (8.7%) were the largest in 40+ years.
Conclusion
The Social Security retirement age for 2026 is straightforward—FRA remains 67. But the real power lies in understanding how claiming age, COLA, earnings limits, and spousal strategies come together to shape your lifetime retirement income. Whether you plan to retire early, wait until FRA, or push to age 70 for maximum benefits, planning is everything.
To truly optimize your retirement income—including Social Security, pensions, savings, and investments—run your plan through the Retirementize online income calculator. It’s fast, simple, and gives you a complete picture of your financial future.