Born in 1959: full retirement age is 66 and 10 months
If you were born in 1959, your full retirement age for Social Security is 66 and 10 months. Starting at 62 cuts your benefit by about 29.17%. Waiting until 70 raises it by 25.33%.
| Milestone, born in 1959 | Year |
|---|---|
| Earliest age to start, 62 | 2021 |
| Medicare eligibility, 65 | 2024 |
| Full retirement age, 66 and 10 months | 2025 or 2026 |
| Delayed retirement credits stop, 70 | 2029 |
| Required minimum distributions start, 73 | 2032 |
Starting at 62
For people born in 1959, starting at 62 is 58 months before full retirement age. The Social Security Administration puts the reduction at about 29.17%, so a $1,000 benefit becomes about $708. A spouse's benefit is cut by about 34.17% at 62.
Waiting until 70
Each month you wait past full retirement age adds 2/3 of 1%. From 66 and 10 months to 70 is 38 months, which adds 25.33%: $1,000 becomes about $1,253.
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.