Social Security full retirement age confusion - how to determine my FRA with Medicare starting soon?

Your Full Retirement Age (FRA) is based on your birth year. Since you're 66 next month, you were born in 1959, which means your FRA is 66 and 10 months. You can find this information on the SSA website under the retirement age calculator. Unfortunately, since you claimed at 62, your benefit was permanently reduced by about 29.2% from what you would have received at your FRA. At this point, there's no way to undo that reduction unless you're still within your first 12 months of receiving benefits - then you could potentially withdraw your application, repay all benefits received, and reapply later. But since you've been collecting for several years, that option isn't available.

i did the same thing took it at 62. we all lose about 30% for taking it early but sometimes u need the $$ right then so what choice do we have??? dont beat urself up about it

To directly answer your question about increasing your benefit at this point - there are a few possibilities, though limited: 1. If you're still working or could return to work part-time, earnings that exceed previous years' earnings could potentially increase your benefit amount through recalculation. 2. Make sure you're receiving all benefits you're entitled to. For example, if you were married for at least 10 years, you might be eligible for ex-spousal benefits if those would be higher. 3. Check if you qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) to supplement your current benefits if your resources are limited. 4. Ensure you're getting all the COLA (Cost of Living Adjustments) you're entitled to. These apply regardless of when you claimed benefits. And yes, your FRA is definitely 66 and 10 months based on 1959 birth year.

I went through this EXACT situation last year. Calling SSA was a nightmare - spent 3 days trying to get through only to be disconnected after waiting 2+ hours each time. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed I couldn't undo my early filing after 12 months, but she helped me understand some work incentives that could help increase my benefit a bit. Totally worth the call instead of stressing about it for weeks.

THE SSA DELIBERATELY MAKES THIS CONFUSING SO PEOPLE CLAIM EARLY!!! They SAVE MONEY when we take reduced benefits!!! My neighbor worked at SSA for 20 years and told me they NEVER explain the permanent reduction clearly when people apply at 62. They're COUNTING on us not understanding the math!!! YOUR MONEY WAS STOLEN FROM YOU by a system designed to confuse senior citizens. This is CRIMINAL and should be investigated!!!

My FRA is 67 cause I was born in 1960 but my husband has FRA of 66 and 2 months cause he was born in 1955. They keep changing the rules! I think they should just pick ONE age and stick with it, so confusing for everyone

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm disappointed that I can't change my decision to file early, but at least I understand my situation better now. I'm going to look into whether any recent work I did might increase my benefit through recalculation. I'm also going to call SSA (using that Claimyr service someone mentioned because I've tried calling before and it's impossible to get through). I'll check about the earnings limit too since I might pick up some part-time work. I really appreciate everyone taking time to explain this to me. The FRA system is more complicated than I realized!

Dont forget to look at other benefits too! My mom got widows benefits that were higher than her own SS check after my dad passed. They automatically should give you the higher amount but sometimes they miss things.

I'm sorry you're going through this confusion, Zoe. It's unfortunately very common for people to feel overwhelmed by the Social Security system after they've already made their filing decision. One thing I'd like to add that others haven't mentioned yet - since you mentioned you're widowed, you should definitely explore survivor benefits from your late husband's record. Even if he had reduced earnings in his later years, his earlier work history might still provide you with a higher monthly benefit than what you're currently receiving on your own record. Also, regarding the earnings limit that Santiago's sister experienced - that's only temporary while you're under your FRA (which for you is 66 and 10 months). Once you reach your FRA, you can earn as much as you want without any reduction to your Social Security benefits. So if you're considering part-time work, it might be worth waiting until after you reach your FRA next year to avoid the earnings test penalty. The system really could be explained more clearly upfront, but don't beat yourself up too much about the early filing decision. Many people in similar health and financial situations make the same choice, and having that income for the past few years may have been exactly what you needed at the time.