Claiming Rules
Understanding Social Security and Early Retirement Before Age 62
Verified against SSA POMS as of September 22, 2026
The short answer
You can stop working or retire from your employer at any age, but Social Security retirement benefits cannot begin before age 62. If you retire before 62, you will need other sources of income until you become eligible to begin Social Security retirement benefits.
Other types of Social Security benefits, such as disability, survivor, or certain dependent benefits, may be available before age 62 if the applicable eligibility requirements are met.
Retiring Before Age 62
Retiring from employment and claiming Social Security retirement benefits are two separate decisions. An individual may stop working before age 62, but Social Security retirement benefits cannot begin until age 62.
Someone retiring earlier may need to rely on other income sources, such as employer retirement benefits, pensions, retirement-account withdrawals, or personal savings until Social Security retirement benefits become available.
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/applying2.htmlHow Early Retirement Can Affect Your Social Security Estimate
The retirement benefit estimates shown by Social Security are based on assumptions about future earnings. If you plan to stop working before the age used in the estimate, the amount shown may be higher than the benefit you will actually receive.
Stopping work early can affect the estimate because Social Security calculates retirement benefits using your highest 35 years of earnings. Future earnings that were assumed in the estimate may no longer be available to replace lower-earning or zero years in your record.
If you plan to retire early, you can use your my Social Security account to adjust your expected future earnings and see how the change may affect your estimated retirement benefit.
https://www.ssa.gov/prepare/get-benefits-estimatehttps://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/stopwork.htmlClaiming Social Security at Age 62
Age 62 is the earliest age a worker can begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits. Claiming before full retirement age permanently reduces the monthly benefit.
For someone with a full retirement age of 67, claiming at age 62 results in a 30% reduction from the worker's full retirement-age benefit.
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/agereduction.htmlhttps://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/1960.htmlFrequently asked
Can I receive Social Security retirement benefits before age 62 if I retire from my employer earlier?
Retiring from your employer does not change the minimum age for Social Security retirement benefits. Your own retirement benefit cannot begin before age 62.
Can I receive Social Security before age 62 if I am disabled?
Yes. A worker who meets Social Security's disability and insured-status requirements may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) before age 62. A disabled widow(er) or surviving divorced spouse may qualify for survivor benefits as early as age 50 if the applicable eligibility requirements are met.
Does stopping work before age 62 reduce my Social Security benefit?
Not directly. Social Security does not apply a reduction simply because you stop working before age 62. However, your actual benefit may be lower than a previously projected benefit if that projection assumed additional years of earnings. This is especially important if those future earnings would have replaced lower-earning or zero years in your 35-year earnings history.