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. Service retirement applications, for example, must be on file at least 15 days but not more than 90 days before the employee's chosen date of retirement.Voluntary Retirement – The most common type of retirement. Eligibility is primarily based upon age and the number of years of creditable service at retirement. A governmental retirement plan must meet certain minimum benefit or contribution standards to qualify as a public retirement system. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 made some changes to Social Security's laws about filing for retirement and spousal benefits. At the end of each year, we'll mail you a Social Security. Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) that shows the amount of benefits you received. ERISA is a federal law that sets minimum standards for retirement plans in private industry. To qualify for a retirement benefit you must be vested in your retirement system.