Full retirement age if you were born in 1965
If you were born in 1965, your Social Security full retirement age is 67, and the month you reach it depends on your exact birth day. Born on March 15, 1965, you reach it in March 2032; born on March 1, in February 2032. The table gives the month for each birth month of 1965. Born on the 1st, the month moves one earlier, and January 1 uses the year before.
| Born on the 15th | First month to start at 62 | Full retirement age | Full retirement age if born on the 1st | Age 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 15 | February 2027 | January 2032 | December 2031 | January 2035 |
| February 15 | March 2027 | February 2032 | January 2032 | February 2035 |
| March 15 | April 2027 | March 2032 | February 2032 | March 2035 |
| April 15 | May 2027 | April 2032 | March 2032 | April 2035 |
| May 15 | June 2027 | May 2032 | April 2032 | May 2035 |
| June 15 | July 2027 | June 2032 | May 2032 | June 2035 |
| July 15 | August 2027 | July 2032 | June 2032 | July 2035 |
| August 15 | September 2027 | August 2032 | July 2032 | August 2035 |
| September 15 | October 2027 | September 2032 | August 2032 | September 2035 |
| October 15 | November 2027 | October 2032 | September 2032 | October 2035 |
| November 15 | December 2027 | November 2032 | October 2032 | November 2035 |
| December 15 | January 2028 | December 2032 | November 2032 | December 2035 |
Born on January 1, 1965 uses the 1964 row: full retirement age 67, reached in December 2031.
Source: SSA: Normal Retirement Age; SSA: Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early, opened on .
The January 1 and 1st-of-the-month rules in 1965
Four birth dates in 1965, worked out with the same rules as the table above. Check your own date with SSA’s calculator.
| Born | Full retirement age | You reach it in | First month to start | Age 70 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1965 | 67 | December 2031 | January 2027 | December 2034 |
| January 2, 1965 | 67 | January 2032 | January 2027 | January 2035 |
| March 1, 1965 | 67 | February 2032 | March 2027 | February 2035 |
| March 2, 1965 | 67 | March 2032 | March 2027 | March 2035 |
What is the full retirement age for someone born in 1965?
67. SSA’s table gives 67 for births in 1960 and later, so the age is the same for every 1965 birth month. The month changes with the birth day. The table above gives it for each birth month, using the 15th of the month as the reference day.
Why does a January 1, 1965 birth give an earlier month?
SSA says that a person born on January 1 should use the previous year’s row. For 1965 that is the 1964 row, which is also 67, so the age does not change. The month does: January 1, 1965 gives December 2031, while a birth on January 15 gives January 2032, because a birth on January 1 counts as December of the year before.
Does the day of the month change the full retirement age month?
Only the 1st of a month does. Born on the 2nd to the 31st, you reach full retirement age in the same month as the table row for your birth month. Born on March 1, 1965, the month is February 2032; born on March 2, it is March 2032, the same month as a birth on March 15.
When can I first start Social Security at 62 if I was born in 1965?
You must be 62 for the entire month to be paid for it. Born on March 15, 1965, you reach 62 on March 15, 2027, so the first month you can start is April 2027. Born on March 1 or March 2, the first month is March 2027, the month of the 62nd birthday.
Is the FERS minimum retirement age different for 1965?
Yes. OPM’s chart gives 56 for births from 1953 to 1964, then adds 2 months a year: 56 and 2 months for 1965, 56 and 4 months for 1966 and 56 and 10 months for 1969. A 1965 birth therefore has a minimum retirement age of 56 and 2 months. The FERS minimum retirement age page shows how that age is used.
Questions about full retirement age, 1965
When does Medicare start for someone born in 1965?
Most people become eligible for Medicare at 65, and that age is the same for every birth year. The 7-month Initial Enrollment Period runs from 3 months before the month you turn 65 to 3 months after it. A birthday on the 1st moves the whole window one month earlier, under the first-of-month rule. The Medicare page works out the window for your exact date.
Is 1965 different from 1960 for these ages?
Not for the Social Security age, which is 67 in both years. The January 1 row differs: January 1, 1960 uses the 1959 row, 66 and 10 months, while January 1, 1965 uses the 1964 row, 67. The FERS minimum retirement age differs too: 56 for 1960 and 56 and 2 months for 1965. The 1960 page has the full table for that year.
What if I was born on the 1st of a month in 1965?
Your month is one earlier than the 15th row. SSA figures a birthday on the 1st as if it were in the previous month, so March 1, 1965 gives February 2032 and March 15 gives March 2032. The same one-month shift applies to the first month to start at 62 and to the Medicare dates.
Does the minimum retirement age change for a 1st-of-month birth?
Not confirmed. OPM’s chart is by year of birth and says nothing about the 1st of a month or January 1, so this page does not move the FERS minimum retirement age for those dates. Ask your agency’s benefits office for the exact date.
Does this page show dollars?
No. For births in 1960 and later, SSA’s table gives 70% of the full benefit at 62 and 124% at 70, but the dollar amount depends on your lifetime earnings, which this site does not know. For a dollar estimate, use my Social Security at ssa.gov.
Related tools
More ways to check your federal retirement ages.
Full retirement age chart
Social Security full retirement age by year of birth, with months.Retirement age timeline
Your ages 62, full retirement age, 65 and 70, month by month.Medicare eligibility age
Your 7-month sign-up window and when coverage starts.Early vs delayed retirement
Percent of your benefit if you start early or wait, never dollars.FERS minimum retirement age
For federal employees: the minimum retirement age by birth year.
Sources: what this page states and where we read it
| What the page says | Official page and where on it | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Full retirement age is 65 for 1937 and prior, rises 2 months a year from 1938 to 1942, is 66 for 1943-1954, rises 2 months a year from 1955 to 1959 and is 67 for 1960 and later. | SSA: Normal Retirement AgeTable “Normal Retirement Age”, Year of birth / Age | |
| If you were born on January 1, use the previous year’s row of the table. | SSA: Normal Retirement AgeNotes under the table, note 1 | |
| If you were born on the 1st of a month, SSA figures your benefit and full retirement age as if your birthday were in the previous month; January 1 counts as December of the previous year. | SSA: Starting Your Retirement Benefits EarlyNotes under the chart “Full Retirement and Age 62 Benefit By Year Of Birth” | |
| The month you reach full retirement age, counted with the rule that you reach an age the day before your birthday. | SSA: Normal Retirement AgeSSA’s calculator “When will you reach your NRA?”, run on 2026-10-11 | |
| You must be 62 for the whole month to be paid for it. | SSA: Starting Your Retirement Benefits EarlyNotes under the chart | |
| The first month you can start is the month of your 62nd birthday if you were born on the 1st or the 2nd, and the month after it if you were born on any other day (SSA: “you can not retire before age 62 and one month”). | SSA: Early or Late Retirement? (Actuarial Services)SSA’s calculator “Compute the effect of early or delayed retirement”, run on 2026-10-11 | |
| The benefit as a percentage of the full amount at 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 and 70, for every year of birth from 1937. | SSA: Effect of Early or Delayed Retirement on Retirement BenefitsTable “Benefit, as a percentage of Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), payable at ages 62-67 and age 70” | |
| The FERS Minimum Retirement Age is 55 for births before 1948, rises 2 months a year to 55 and 10 months for 1952, is 56 for 1953-1964, rises 2 months a year to 56 and 10 months for 1969 and is 57 for 1970 and after. | OPM: FERS eligibilityTable “Eligibility Information”, If you were born / Your MRA is | |
| Not confirmed. How OPM counts the MRA for someone born on the 1st of a month or on January 1 is NOT CONFIRMED: the OPM page gives the age by year of birth and states no day-of-month rule, so the site shows your birth date plus the MRA and tells you to confirm with your agency. | OPM: FERS eligibilityTable “Eligibility Information” and the notes around it (no day-of-month rule is stated) | |
| Medicare is the health insurance program for people 65 or older; most people sign up when first eligible, usually at 65. | Medicare.gov: When can I sign up for Medicare?Page introduction | |
| The Initial Enrollment Period lasts 7 months: it starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after it. | Medicare.gov: When does Medicare coverage start?Section “Your first chance to sign up (Initial Enrollment Period)” | |
| If your birthday is on the first of the month, the period starts 4 months before you turn 65 and ends 2 months after the month you turn 65. | Medicare.gov: When does Medicare coverage start?Expander “My birthday is on the first of the month” | |
| For a dollar estimate, use your my Social Security account; the payment is calculated from your lifetime earnings. | SSA: Plan for Retirement (benefit estimate)Page introduction |
General information from official sources, not advice. Rules can change by law, and the agency decides your case. Confirm your dates with the Social Security Administration, Medicare or the Office of Personnel Management before you decide. Nothing you type leaves your browser.