1. Full retirement age by birth year
| Year of birth | Full retirement age |
|---|---|
| 1943–1954 | 66 |
| 1955 | 66 and 2 months |
| 1956 | 66 and 4 months |
| 1957 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1960 and later | 67 |
2. Claiming early vs. waiting
- Claim at 62: your check is permanently reduced, to 70% of your full benefit if your full retirement age is 67.
- Claim at full retirement age: you receive 100% of your full benefit.
- Wait past full retirement age: your benefit grows by 8% a year (two-thirds of 1% a month) until 70.
- After 70: there's no further increase, so there's no reason to wait longer.
Hypothetical, before cost-of-living adjustments: a $2,000 full benefit becomes $1,400 at 62 or $2,480 at 70.
When claiming earlier can make sense
Health concerns, no other savings to bridge the gap, or a lower-earning spouse whose own benefit matters less to the household long-term.
When waiting can make sense
Good health and family longevity, other savings to live on in the meantime, or you're the higher earner in a marriage, because your benefit becomes the survivor's benefit.
3. Spousal benefits
- A spouse can receive up to 50% of the other spouse's full-retirement-age benefit, if that's more than their own.
- The spouse must be at least 62, and the worker must have filed for benefits.
- Spousal benefits are reduced if claimed before full retirement age and don't grow past full retirement age.
- When you file, Social Security pays your own benefit first and adds any spousal amount on top. You can't choose to take only one ("deemed filing").
4. Survivor benefits
- A surviving spouse can receive up to 100% of the deceased spouse's benefit at full retirement age, or a reduced amount as early as 60 (50 if disabled).
- A survivor caring for the deceased's child under 16 may qualify at any age.
- Remarrying after 60 doesn't end survivor benefits.
- Divorced spouses married 10+ years may qualify for survivor benefits on an ex-spouse's record.
- A one-time $255 death payment may be available to a surviving spouse or child.
5. Divorced spouse benefits
If your marriage lasted at least 10 years, you're currently unmarried, and you're 62 or older, you may receive benefits on your ex-spouse's record: up to 50% of his or her full benefit. It doesn't reduce your ex-spouse's benefit or a new spouse's.
6. Working while collecting
If you claim before full retirement age and keep working, Social Security temporarily withholds $1 for every $2 you earn above an annual limit, and $1 for every $3 above a higher limit in the year you reach full retirement age. The limits change every year (check ssa.gov). Withheld benefits aren't lost: your monthly check is recalculated upward at full retirement age. After full retirement age, there's no earnings limit.
7. Taxes on Social Security
Up to 85% of your benefits may be subject to federal income tax, depending on your "combined income": your adjusted gross income, plus nontaxable interest, plus half your benefits.
| Filing status | Up to 50% taxable | Up to 85% taxable |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $25,000–$34,000 | Above $34,000 |
| Married filing jointly | $32,000–$44,000 | Above $44,000 |
These thresholds aren't adjusted for inflation. Massachusetts does not tax Social Security benefits.
8. The 2025 WEP and GPO repeal
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. These rules had reduced benefits for people with pensions from jobs that didn't pay into Social Security, including many Massachusetts teachers and municipal employees, and their spouses and survivors. If this applies to you or your spouse, your benefit may now be higher.
9. Medicare at 65
Medicare eligibility starts at 65, even if your full retirement age is later. If you're not already collecting Social Security, you'll need to sign up yourself during your initial enrollment period to avoid lifelong late penalties. Higher incomes pay higher Part B and D premiums (IRMAA), based on your tax return from two years earlier.
10. Your Social Security statement
Create a "my Social Security" account at ssa.gov/myaccount to see your earnings record and estimated benefits at 62, full retirement age, and 70. Check your earnings history for errors. Missing years can lower your benefit.