If you were born in 1960, there's a number that now applies to you personally: 67.
That's the age at which you can collect your full Social Security retirement benefit, and it's the highest full retirement age Congress has ever set for most workers.
Then lawmakers gradually pushed it up, and anyone born in 1960 or later is now stuck at 67 — no phase-in left, no exceptions.
The Social Security Administration confirms the full retirement age tops out at 67 for everyone born from 1960 onward.
What most people don't realize is that 67 isn't the earliest you can claim.
You can start at 62, but the hit is permanent.
Claim at 62 with a full retirement age of 67 and your monthly check is reduced by 30%.
On a $2,000 benefit, that's $600 gone every single month for the rest of your life.
Delay past 67 and your benefit grows about 8% per year until age 70.
Someone who waits until 70 could see roughly 24% more than their full benefit — a raise that keeps paying as long as you live, with annual cost-of-living adjustments stacked on top.
First, log into your my Social Security account and find your actual full retirement age and estimated benefit — don't guess.
Second, think about how long you expect to work and whether you can bridge the gap with savings or a part-time job.
Third, remember that claiming early locks in the smaller check permanently, while waiting is a bet on your own longevity.
There's no universal right answer, and it depends on your health, your savings, and whether you're married.
Spousal and survivor benefits add another layer — a lower-earning spouse often benefits from the higher earner delaying.
A quick session with a fee-only planner or a free checkup through your local senior center can clarify your specific numbers.
One more thing worth knowing: Medicare starts at 65, separate from Social Security.
You don't have to be collecting Social Security to enroll in Medicare, and delaying your claim doesn't delay your health coverage.
Mixing those two up trips up a lot of people approaching retirement.
The bottom line is that 67 is now the baseline, not the finish line.
The gap between claiming at 62 and waiting until 70 can be tens of thousands of dollars over a retirement — real money that most households can't afford to leave on the table.
My take: this is one of the few financial decisions you can plan years ahead with almost total certainty.
Final Thoughts
Spend an hour with your actual numbers before you file, because once you claim, there's no undo button.