IRS Normal Retirement Age
It is fascinating to note that the IRS speaks of their IRS normal retirement age so often that it's been relegated its own acronym or three initials -NRA- within their own publications.
It usually refers to an age that has been set forth within a retirement plan.
It deals with employees receiving full benefits when they retire.
Should a person retire prior to it then it may occasion a reduction in that person's benefits.
Most people agree that 65 is a general retirement age, however when IRS mentions its definition, they are either referring to retirement plans and when those retirement plans become vested for the employees of a certain company or industry, or Social Security retirement.
Most plans, of course, specify that age 65 is considered to be retirement age, though the IRS normal retirement age is different.
Thus the IRS has put forth this definition that the accepted IRS normal retirement age is "the earlier of the NRA under the plan or the later of age 65 or the 5th anniversary of commencement of plan participation.
" When the IRS is speaking about Social Security retirement benefits then there is a working ladder to define that particular definitions of the age of retirement includes wording such as "Full Retirement Age" and that that age will vary from age 65 to the age of 67 depending on the year of birth.
The definitions arrive from the Office of the Chief Actuary, and deals specifically when an employee can receive full benefits.
The 1983 Social Security Amendments changed the full IRS normal retirement age for people born in 1938 or thereafter.
For example if the age of birth is 1938 then retirement is 65 plus two months.
Another example is if the age of birth is 1943 to 1954, when baby boomers came forth, then the age is 66.
Each year then goes up incrementally by two months, thus for someone born in 1956 is 66 plus 4 months.
Thus the normal retirement age is actually the specific age when a person can retire and still take delivery of their full benefits.
In this case, there are no early retirement penalties.
The government has made very special provisions though for employees who are working on a job with very highly mentally or physically demanding jobs.
Those who retire prior to the approved age then get smaller benefits than the person who retired at the normal age as set forth by the IRS.
The reverse is also governed in that those who postpone their retirement beyond age 65 will then receive increased benefits.
Granted, the earliest age at which someone may take the smaller reduced benefits has been and still is at age 62.
Keep in mind that those Social Security guidelines cannot be used as a vesting guideline for a 401(k) for example.
They are strictly to be used to assign Social Security benefits and when those benefits fit into their particular definition of the IRS Normal Retirement Age.
It usually refers to an age that has been set forth within a retirement plan.
It deals with employees receiving full benefits when they retire.
Should a person retire prior to it then it may occasion a reduction in that person's benefits.
Most people agree that 65 is a general retirement age, however when IRS mentions its definition, they are either referring to retirement plans and when those retirement plans become vested for the employees of a certain company or industry, or Social Security retirement.
Most plans, of course, specify that age 65 is considered to be retirement age, though the IRS normal retirement age is different.
Thus the IRS has put forth this definition that the accepted IRS normal retirement age is "the earlier of the NRA under the plan or the later of age 65 or the 5th anniversary of commencement of plan participation.
" When the IRS is speaking about Social Security retirement benefits then there is a working ladder to define that particular definitions of the age of retirement includes wording such as "Full Retirement Age" and that that age will vary from age 65 to the age of 67 depending on the year of birth.
The definitions arrive from the Office of the Chief Actuary, and deals specifically when an employee can receive full benefits.
The 1983 Social Security Amendments changed the full IRS normal retirement age for people born in 1938 or thereafter.
For example if the age of birth is 1938 then retirement is 65 plus two months.
Another example is if the age of birth is 1943 to 1954, when baby boomers came forth, then the age is 66.
Each year then goes up incrementally by two months, thus for someone born in 1956 is 66 plus 4 months.
Thus the normal retirement age is actually the specific age when a person can retire and still take delivery of their full benefits.
In this case, there are no early retirement penalties.
The government has made very special provisions though for employees who are working on a job with very highly mentally or physically demanding jobs.
Those who retire prior to the approved age then get smaller benefits than the person who retired at the normal age as set forth by the IRS.
The reverse is also governed in that those who postpone their retirement beyond age 65 will then receive increased benefits.
Granted, the earliest age at which someone may take the smaller reduced benefits has been and still is at age 62.
Keep in mind that those Social Security guidelines cannot be used as a vesting guideline for a 401(k) for example.
They are strictly to be used to assign Social Security benefits and when those benefits fit into their particular definition of the IRS Normal Retirement Age.
