When it comes to Medicare and Social Security there are some very important ages that we all need to be aware of. Questions about the eligibility age for Medicare and social security are common. There seems to be a lack of awareness and a lot of confusion about these ages. This is probably since they both come into play around retirement age. The age answer for one of these is very clear and straightforward. The other, not so much. Let’s start with the easy one.
Medicare: age of eligibility
The answer is 65. That’s it. You are eligible to begin receiving Medicare on the 1st day of the month of your 65th birthday. You can apply up to 3 months before your birthday. While there may be reasons why you may not want to begin at 65, this is the age when you are first eligible. And even if you delay past 65 your benefit does not change. It is the same as if you signed up when you are first eligible. For more information on applying for Medicare, Medicare plans, and other important information, check out my blog Medicare A, B, Cs.
Social Security: age of eligibility
This is the complicated one. You are first eligible to begin taking your social security benefits when you turn 62 as long as you have worked and paid social security taxes for at least 10 years. But unlike Medicare, if you delay starting your benefits the amount you will receive increases up to age 70. Your decision on when to begin will depend on many factors. These include whether or not you are still working, your financial situation and goals, your health, etc. Discussing your situation with a financial advisor could help you make this decision. (Note that people may be eligible for social security due to a disability, death of a spouse or other reasons as provided in this publication. This post is focused on receiving social security for retirement.)
Useful social security terms
Full retirement age: While you can start receiving benefits at 62 your full retirement age (sometimes called normal retirement age) is somewhere between ages 66 and 67, depending on the year you were born. Full retirement age is shown in the table below and also in this publication from the Social Security Administration.
| 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 |
Delayed Retirement: if you work beyond your full retirement age your benefits will increase 8% each year until you reach age 70. Even if you work beyond 70 (or don’t yet take your benefits) you do not receive any further increase.
Helpful resources about social security
- You can create a social security account here. You do not need to wait until you are ready to receive benefits to set up an account. An account can do things like give you an estimate of your or your spouse’s benefits, request a replacement social security card, check your application status, etc.
- Check out this publication for a more complete description of eligibility for social security, how benefits are calculated, etc.
- AARP’s answers to questions on navigating social security.
- Guidance on potential reasons why someone may be eligible for social security other than retirement including, disability, divorce, death of a spouse, etc.
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