Social Security Full Retirement Age 2027: People are talking again about a possible rise in the Social Security retirement age. If you are near retirement, that news can feel unsettling. Even so, the current rules do not point to a new jump in full retirement age for 2027.
Full retirement age, or FRA used to be 65. Congress changed it in 1983. After that, the FRA moved up in stages. For people born in 1960 or later, the change is already done. For them, full retirement age is 67 now.
Social Security Full Retirement Age 2027
Under the current plan, nothing new. In 2027, there is no move from 67 to 68. If you were born in 1960 or later, your FRA stays at 67. If you were born in 1959, your FRA is 66 years and 10 months.
Still, you may hear talk about taking it beyond 67 in the years ahead. For that to happen, Congress would need to pass a new federal law. It would not just occur by itself in 2027.
Social Security COLA 2027: Latest Estimate, Calculation and When Benefits Will Rise
When Can You Claim Social Security?
People can start taking Social Security retirement checks at 62. If they start before their full retirement age, the payment each month stays lower for life.
If someone waits past full retirement age, their monthly amount can go up. This is tied to delayed retirement credits. The climb stops at age 70, so waiting past 70 does not add more.
For a person with a full retirement age of 67, waiting until 70 raises the retirement benefit by about 24 percent.
What Will Change?
There is no change to the full retirement age in 2027. Still, some related Social Security numbers can be updated each year. This can include the earnings limit, the taxable maximum, and benefit amounts.
For instance, the Social Security Administration notes that the 2026 taxable maximum is $184,500. It also says the earnings limit for workers who are under full retirement age is $24,480.
The eventual 2027 figures will depend on the applicable annual adjustments.
If you are planning to retire in 2027, don’t assume that Social Security’s full retirement age is suddenly moving to 68. Under current law, age 67 remains the FRA for people born in 1960 and later.
