The early retirement benefit equals 42 percent of your FAS for 20 years of service credit plus an additional 4 percent of your FAS for each year of service. It generally takes three to five months to finalize the processing of a retirement application.For the full retirement benefit, you must be 62 years old at retirement or, if you have 30 years of credited service, you may retire as early as age 55. You can get Social Security retirement benefits as early as age. 62. However, you will receive a reduced benefit if you retire before your full retirement age. Begin preplanning for retirement. Visit our office to verify your service records and to request an estimate for your projected retirement date. This booklet helps you understand your plan and explains what information you should review periodically and where to go for help with questions. We recommend that you submit your retirement application with all required documentation 60-90 days before your date of resignation. For more information, visit ssa.gov.