Born in 1956: full retirement age is 66 and 4 months
If you were born in 1956, your full retirement age for Social Security is 66 and 4 months. Starting at 62 cuts your benefit by about 26.67%. Waiting until 70 raises it by 29.33%.
| Milestone, born in 1956 | Year |
|---|---|
| Earliest age to start, 62 | 2018 |
| Medicare eligibility, 65 | 2021 |
| Full retirement age, 66 and 4 months | 2022 or 2023 |
| Delayed retirement credits stop, 70 | 2026 |
| Required minimum distributions start, 73 | 2029 |
Starting at 62
For people born in 1956, starting at 62 is 52 months before full retirement age. The Social Security Administration puts the reduction at about 26.67%, so a $1,000 benefit becomes about $733. A spouse's benefit is cut by about 31.67% at 62.
Waiting until 70
Each month you wait past full retirement age adds 2/3 of 1%. From 66 and 4 months to 70 is 44 months, which adds 29.33%: $1,000 becomes about $1,293.
Two details
If you were born on January 1, Social Security treats you as born the year before. And if you delay benefits past 65, the agency says you should still apply for Medicare within 3 months of your 65th birthday.
See your own numbers with the claiming age calculator and the age when waiting pays off with the break-even calculator.
Check our work
Every figure on this page was read from these official documents. Follow the links and compare.
- Retirement Age and Benefit ReductionSocial Security Administration. Read on November 12, 2026.
- Delayed Retirement CreditsSocial Security Administration. Read on November 12, 2026.