Social Security may have been created in 1935, but it’s a very dynamic system. Changes are made to the program every year, from the amount of the cost-of-living adjustment to more fundamental modifications.
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One “change” coming in 2026 that may seem sudden has actually been on the books since 1983, according to the Social Security Administration. But it’s an important one to be aware of because it could translate to a reduction in your Social Security check.
Here’s what to know about the adjustment and what you should do to protect your full benefits.
The headline “change” to be aware of is that full retirement age reaches 67 in 2026. But this only means something if you understand exactly what full retirement age means in the first place.
The Social Security Administration uses full retirement age to determine the standard amount of your Social Security benefit. In other words, once you reach full retirement age, you’re entitled to the full amount of your Social Security benefits.
For decades, full retirement age was 65. But in 1983, Congress made changes to help shore up rising imbalances in the system. As people began to live longer, more benefits had to be paid out to existing retirees. This tipped the scales toward insolvency, meaning changes had to be made to ensure that payments could continue. Rather than simply cutting benefits, Congress extended the retirement age to reduce the amount that Social Security had to pay out.
For example, SSA tables show that for those born between 1943 and 1954, full retirement age was actually 66, not 65. Starting in 1955, that age increased by two months every year. Thus, the full retirement age for those born in 1956 was 66 years and four months, increasing to 66 years and six months for those born in 1957, and so on.
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The 1983 change that’s going to affect retirees in 2026 is that for those born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. While you’re allowed to claim Social Security benefits as early as age 62, the amount you receive is permanently reduced — by about 30%, according to the SSA. The reduction amounts to five-ninths of 1% for each month you file early, up to a maximum of 36 months. If you file more than three years early, your benefits will be reduced by an additional five-twelfths of 1% for each of those months.
What this all means is that if you file at age 66 in 2026, thinking that you’re at your full retirement age, you’ll receive a permanently reduced benefit. According to the SSA, you’ll receive just 93.33% of your primary benefit. For example, if your full retirement benefit is $2,000 per month, you’ll receive $1,866.60 every month instead. If you’re only 62, however, your monthly benefit will fall somewhere closer to $1,400.