Full retirement age

Full retirement age is the age at which a worker may become entitled to unreduced SSA retirement benefits. Because of legislative changes over the years different workers have different full retirement ages. For instance, if you were born in 1937 or earlier, your full retirement age is 65. If you were born in 1938, it's 65 plus two months and so on. Workers may decide to retire prior to their full retirement age, but they will have a reduction in their SSA benefit amount.

SSDI recipients who reach their full retirement age will have their SSDI benefits automatically converted to SSA retirement benefits. You will not get both SSDI and SSA retirement benefits at the same time. If you are 62 years of age, disabled and unable to work for at least 12 continuous months you can apply for early retirement or SSDI benefits. A SSDI disability payment could be higher than your reduced retirement benefit, but it could also take months to receive and there is no guarantee you will be approved.