How Social Security Payment may be able to access Works

Social Security payments in 2025 go to people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes, reached a certain age, or have a disability or survivor status that meets the program's rules. You do not automatically receive payments when you turn a certain age — you must have earned enough work credits, and you must request the payments to begin. The Social Security Administration (SSA) determines who receives payments based on your work history, age, and circumstances.

The basic requirement is 40 work credits, which you earn by paying Social Security taxes on your wages. You can earn up to four credits per year, so 40 credits typically takes 10 years of work. However, the amount you earned matters too — you must have earned above a minimum threshold in each year you count toward your credits. In 2025, you earn one credit for each $1,550 of wages you report to Social Security, though this amount changes yearly.

Key Takeaways

  • Retirement payments require 40 work credits (roughly 10 years of work) and you must be at least 62 years old, though waiting until 67 or 70 increases your monthly amount.
  • Disability payments do not require you to reach retirement age, but you must have a medical condition expected to last at least 12 months or result in death, plus enough recent work credits.
  • Survivor payments go to your spouse, children, or parents if you die, even if you have not yet reached retirement age, as long as you had enough work credits.
  • You must contact the Social Security Administration to request payments — they do not start automatically, and the month you request them matters for your first payment.
  • Your birth year determines your full retirement age, which ranges from 66 to 67 for people born between 1943 and 1960, and affects how much you receive if you claim early or late.

Retirement Payment Requirements by Age and Work History

To receive retirement payments, you must be at least 62 years old and have 40 work credits. The age you choose to start payments affects how much you receive each month for the rest of your life. If you start at 62, your payment is smaller than if you wait until your full retirement age or later. Your full retirement age depends on your birth year: people born in 1943 through 1954 have a full retirement age of 66, those born 1955 through 1959 have ages ranging from 66 and 2 months to 66 and 10 months, and those born in 1960 or later have a full retirement age of 67.

Waiting to claim after your full retirement age increases your payment by about 8 percent per year until age 70. This means if your full retirement age is 67 and you wait until 70, your monthly payment will be roughly 24 percent higher than if you had claimed at 67. The trade-off is that you receive fewer total payments if you die before your mid-80s, but more if you live into your 90s. There is no financial advantage to waiting past age 70.

If you continue working after you start receiving payments, your earnings may reduce your payment temporarily. In 2025, if you have not yet reached your full retirement age, Social Security reduces your payment by $1 for every $2 you earn above $23,400 per year. Once you reach your full retirement age, there is no earnings limit and your payment does not decrease.

Disability Payment Requirements and Medical Criteria

You can receive Social Security disability payments at any age if you have a medical condition that prevents you from working and meets the SSA's definition of disability. Your condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. You do not need to be unable to work at any job — the SSA looks at whether you can do any substantial work, which in 2025 means earning more than $1,550 per month from work activity.

To may have access to for disability payments, you must have enough work credits, but the number required depends on your age. If you are under 24, you may need as few as 6 credits earned in the past three years. If you are 24 to 31, you generally need credits equal to half the years since you turned 21. If you are 31 or older, you typically need 20 credits earned in the past 10 years, plus 40 total credits. The SSA also requires medical evidence from your doctors, hospital records, or test results that documents your condition and how it limits your ability to work.

The SSA reviews your case regularly to confirm you still meet the disability definition. If your condition improves or your work capacity increases, your payments may stop. You can continue to work and earn a limited amount while receiving disability payments — in 2025, you can earn up to $1,550 per month without affecting your payment, and between $1,550 and $4,130 per month with reduced payments.

Survivor Payment may be able to access for Family Members

If you die, your family members may receive survivor payments based on your work record, even if you have not yet reached retirement age. Your spouse, ex-spouse, children, and parents may all be may be able to access depending on their age and relationship to you. To may have access to, you must have had enough work credits at the time of death — generally 40 credits, though younger workers may need fewer.

Your widow or widower can receive payments as early as age 60, or at any age if caring for your child under 16. Your ex-spouse can receive payments at 60 if you were married for at least 10 years, even if you have remarried. Your unmarried children under 19 (or 19 if still in high school) can receive payments, and your disabled adult children can receive payments at any age if their disability began before age 22. Your parents can receive payments at 62 if you were supporting them when you died.

The total amount paid to all family members is limited to 150 to 180 percent of what you would have received at full retirement age. If multiple family members are may be able to access, the SSA divides the total among them, which means each person's payment may be smaller than it would be if they were the only recipient.

How Work Credits Are Earned and Tracked

You earn work credits by paying Social Security taxes on your wages or self-employment income. Your employer withholds Social Security tax from your paycheck, and if you are self-employed, you pay both the employee and employer portions. The SSA records your earnings each year and converts them into credits. In 2025, you earn one credit for each $1,550 of wages, up to a maximum of four credits per year. This means you need to earn at least $6,200 in a year to earn the maximum four credits.

The SSA keeps a record of your earnings and credits under your Social Security number. You can view your record online through your personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov, or by requesting a Statement of Earnings and Estimated Benefits by mail. It is important to check your record periodically to make sure your earnings are recorded correctly, because errors can affect the amount of your future payments. If you find an error, you must report it to the SSA within three years, three months, and 15 days of the year the earnings were reported.

How to Request Payments and What Happens Next

You must contact the Social Security Administration to request payments — they do not start automatically. You can apply online through my Social Security at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. When you apply, you will need to provide your Social Security number, birth certificate, proof of citizenship or legal residency, and bank account information for direct deposit. If you are applying for disability or survivor payments, you will also need to provide medical evidence or proof of your relationship to the worker.

The SSA typically makes a decision on your application within two to four weeks for retirement payments, though disability cases often take longer. Once approved, your first payment arrives the month after the SSA approves your request, unless you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), in which case your first payment may arrive sooner. Your payments are deposited directly into your bank account on the same day each month — usually the third, fourth, or fifth of the month depending on your birth date.

If the SSA denies your request, you have the right to appeal. You can request reconsideration within 60 days of the denial letter, and if that is denied, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. Many people hire a representative to help with appeals, and representatives are paid only if you win your case.

Changes to Payment Amounts and Cost-of-Living Adjustments

Your Social Security payment amount is based on your highest 35 years of earnings. The SSA calculates your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) using a formula that weights your earlier earnings less heavily than your later earnings, which means working longer can increase your payment. If you have fewer than 35 years of earnings, the SSA counts the missing years as zero, which reduces your payment.

Each year, Social Security payments increase by a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) if inflation has occurred. The COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index and is announced in October for payments beginning in January of the following year. In recent years, COLAs have ranged from 0 percent to over 8 percent, depending on inflation. The COLA applies to all payments — retirement, disability, and survivor — and to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive Social Security if I did not work in the United States?

You can receive Social Security based on work in another country if the United States has a social security agreement with that country. You must have at least 40 work credits total, combining work in the U.S. and the other country. Contact the SSA to learn whether your country has an agreement and how to count your foreign work credits.

What happens to my payments if I work after I start receiving Social Security?

If you have not reached your full retirement age, your payment is reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above $23,400 per year. Once you reach your full retirement age, there is no reduction, no matter how much you earn. The SSA recalculates your payment each year based on your new earnings, so working longer can increase your future payments.

Can I receive payments based on my ex-spouse's work record?

Yes, if you were married for at least 10 years and are at least 62 years old. Your payment can be up to 50 percent of what your ex-spouse receives at their full retirement age. You can receive this payment even if your ex-spouse has not yet claimed, as long as you have been divorced for at least two years.

What if I was born outside the United States?

You can receive Social Security if you are a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident who has lived in the U.S. for at least five years. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident, you may still be able to receive payments if you are in a specific visa category. Contact the SSA to confirm your status.

How do I know if my disability payment will continue?

The SSA reviews your case periodically to confirm your condition still prevents you from working. You will receive a notice telling you when your review is scheduled. You must report any changes in your medical condition, work activity, or living situation. If your condition improves, your payments may stop, but you have a nine-month trial work period where you can test your ability to work without losing payments.