Overview
You qualify for Social Security benefits by earning Social Security credits when you work in a job and pay Social Security taxes.
We base Social Security credits on the amount of your earnings. We use your earnings and work history to determine your eligibility for retirement or disability benefits or your family’s eligibility for survivors benefits when you die. We cannot pay benefits if you don’t have enough credits.
In 2023, you receive 1 credit for each $1,640 of earnings, up to the maximum of 4 credits per year.
Each year the amount of earnings needed for credits goes up slightly as average earnings levels increase. The credits you earn remain on your record even if you change jobs or have no earnings for a while.
Special Rules For Some Jobs
Special rules for earning Social Security coverage apply to certain types of work.
If you are self-employed, you earn Social Security credits the same way employees do (1 credit for each $1,640 in net earnings, but no more than 4 credits per year). Special rules apply if you have net annual earnings of less than $400. For more information, read If You Are Self-Employed (Publication No. 05-10022).
If you are in the military, you earn Social Security credits the same way civilian employees do. You also may get additional earnings credits under certain conditions. For more information, call for a free copy of the publication, Military Service and Social Security (Publication No. 05-10017).
There are also special rules about how you earn credits for other kinds of work. Some of these jobs areù
- Domestic work;
- Farm work; or
- Work for a church or church-controlled organization that does not pay Social Security taxes.
Contact us if you have a question about how you earn credits in your job.
How long do you have to work to qualify for Social Security?
The number of credits you need to be eligible for benefits depends on your age and the type of benefit.
Retirement Benefits
Anyone born in 1929 or later needs 10 years of work (40 credits) to be eligible for retirement benefits. People born before 1929 need fewer years of work.
Disability Benefits
How many credits you need for disability benefits depends on how old you are when you become disabled.
- If you develop a qualifying disability before age 24, you generally need 1½ years of work (6 credits) in the 3 years before your disability began.
- If you are between ages 24 through 30, you generally need credits for half of the time between age 21 and the time your disability began.
- A person with a qualifying disability at age 31 or older, generally needs at least 20 credits in the 10 years immediately before their disability began. The following table shows examples of how many credits you would need if you develop a disability at various selected ages. This table does not cover all situations.
|
Disabled At Age |
Credits Needed | Years of work |
|---|---|---|
|
31 through 42 |
20 |
5 |
|
44 |
22 |
5+ |
|
46 |
24 |
6 |
|
48 |
26 |
6+ |
|
50 |
28 |
7 |
|
52 |
30 |
7+ |
|
54 |
32 |
8 |
|
56 |
34 |
8+ |
|
58 |
36 |
9 |
|
60 |
38 |
9+ |
|
62 or older |
40 |
10 |
Survivors Benefits
When a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, certain members of the family may be eligible for survivors benefits. Up to 10 years of work is needed to be eligible for benefits, depending on the person's age at the time of death. Survivors of very young workers may be eligible if the deceased worker was employed for 11/2 years during the three years before his or her death.
Social Security survivors benefits can be paid to:
- A widow or widower - full benefits at full retirement age, or reduced benefits as early as age 60.
- A disabled widow or widower - as early as age 50.
- A widow or widower of any age who takes care of the deceased's child who is under age 16 or disabled, and receiving Social Security benefits.
- Unmarried children under 18, or up to age 19 if they attend high school full time. Under certain circumstances, benefits can be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren or adopted children.
- Children who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled.
- Dependent parents age 62 or older.
Contact us if you need more information about your family's situation.
Contact the Social Security Administration if you need more information about your family's situation (1-800-772-1213).
Medicare
The Social Security credits you earn also count toward eligibility for Medicare when you reach age 65. You may be eligible for Medicare at an earlier age if you get disability benefits for 24 months or more. Those who have permanent kidney failure or get disability benefits because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) do not have to wait 24 months to receive Medicare coverage. Your dependents or survivors may also be eligible for Medicare at age 65 or earlier if they have a qualifying disability. People who have permanent kidney failure and need kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant may be eligible for Medicare at any age based on a spouse’s or parent’s earnings as well as their own. If you would like more information about Medicare, read Medicare (Publication No. 05-10043).
Not every kind of work counts toward Social Security benefits
Not all employees work in jobs covered by Social Security. Some of these employees are:
- Most federal employees hired before 1984 (but since January 1, 1983, all federal employees have paid the Medicare hospital insurance part of the Social Security tax);
- Railroad employees with more than 10 years of service;
- Employees of some state and local governments that chose not to participate in Social Security; or
- Children younger than age 21 who do household chores for a parent (except a child age 18 or older who works in the parent's business).
Make sure your records are accurate
Each year, your employer sends a copy of your W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) to us. We compare your name and Social Security number (SSN) on the W-2 with our records. Your earnings shown on the W-2 are recorded on your permanent earnings record. Your earnings record is what we use to figure whether you can get future benefits and the benefit amount.
Your name and SSN on your Social Security card must agree with the information on your employer’s payroll records and W-2. Protect your future benefits by making sure both records are correct. Tell your employer if your name or SSN is incorrect on the employer’s record. If your Social Security card is not correct, contact any Social Security office.
Contacting Us
The most convenient way to do business with us is to visit www.ssa.gov to get information and use our online services. There are several things you 7 can do online: apply for benefits; start or complete your request for an original or replacement Social Security card; get useful information; find publications; and get answers to frequently asked questions.
When you open a personal my Social Security account, you have more capabilities. You can review your Social Security Statement, verify your earnings, and get estimates of future benefits. You can also print a benefit verification letter, change your direct deposit information, request a replacement Medicare card, and get a replacement SSA-1099/1042S. Access to your personal my Social Security account may be limited for users outside the United States.
If you don’t have access to the internet, we offer many automated services by telephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you may not need to speak with a representative.
If you need to speak with someone, call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, if you’re deaf or hard of hearing. A member of our staff can answer your call from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. We provide free interpreter services upon request. For fast access to a SSA representative, try calling early in the day (between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time) or later in the day. We are less busy later in the week (Wednesday to Friday) and later in the month.