What Social Security requires to pay you benefits

Social Security pays benefits based on work history and age, not financial need. To receive any Social Security benefit, you must have a Social Security number and have worked long enough in jobs where you paid Social Security taxes. The specific requirements depend on which type of benefit you are seeking — retirement, disability, survivor benefits, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Work history is measured in credits. You earn one credit for each $1,640 of wages you make in a year (this amount changes annually). Most people need 40 credits total to may have access to for retirement or survivor benefits — roughly 10 years of full-time work. Disability benefits have different credit requirements depending on your age when you become disabled.

You do not need to have worked recently. If you earned enough credits years ago and stopped working, you may still may have access to. Social Security looks at your lifetime earnings record, not whether you are currently employed or unemployed.

Key Takeaways

  • You need a Social Security number and a minimum work history measured in credits — typically 40 credits (about 10 years of work) for retirement or survivor benefits.
  • The credit requirement for disability benefits is lower and depends on your age when you become disabled, not your total lifetime work.
  • You do not have to be working now; Social Security counts credits you earned at any point in your life.
  • Retirement benefits start at age 62, but the amount you receive increases if you wait until your full retirement age or age 70.
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is based on financial need and disability or age, not work history.

Retirement benefits: age and work history

You can claim retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the monthly amount will be permanently reduced. If you wait until your full retirement age — which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year — you receive your full benefit amount. If you delay claiming until age 70, your benefit increases by about 8 percent for each year you wait.

To may have access to for retirement benefits, you need 40 credits. You do not have to stop working to claim benefits, though if you claim before your full retirement age and earn above a certain amount, Social Security will reduce your benefit temporarily. Once you reach your full retirement age, there is no earnings limit.

Your benefit amount is based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If you worked fewer than 35 years, Social Security counts zeros for the missing years, which lowers your average. This is why people who took time out of the workforce — for caregiving, illness, or other reasons — may receive a lower benefit than someone with 35+ years of continuous work.

Disability benefits: work history by age

To may have access to for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must have a medical condition that prevents you from working and is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. You also need enough work credits, but the requirement depends on your age when you become disabled.

If you become disabled before age 24, you generally need only 6 credits earned in the 3 years before you became disabled. If you are between 24 and 31, you need credits for half the time between age 21 and when you became disabled. If you are 31 or older, you typically need 20 credits earned in the 10 years before you became disabled, plus additional credits depending on your exact age.

You do not have to be retired or unemployed to may have access to. SSDI is for people whose medical condition prevents substantial work, regardless of whether they are currently trying to work. Social Security will review your medical records and may request an examination by a doctor they choose.

Survivor benefits: who can receive them

When a worker who paid Social Security taxes dies, their family members may receive survivor benefits based on that worker's earnings record. The worker must have earned enough credits — typically 40, though the requirement can be lower depending on when they died and the age of the survivor.

Family members who may receive benefits include a widow or widower age 60 or older (age 50 or older if disabled), a widow or widower at any age if caring for the worker's child under age 16, unmarried children under age 19 (or up to age 19 if still in high school), and a parent age 62 or older who was dependent on the worker.

Divorced spouses can also receive survivor benefits on an ex-spouse's record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, the ex-spouse has died, and the divorced spouse is age 60 or older (or 50 or older if disabled).

Supplemental Security Income (SSI): need-based benefits

Supplemental Security Income is different from the other programs because it does not require work history. Instead, SSI is based on financial need and is available to people who are age 65 or older, blind, or disabled. Your income and resources must fall below certain limits set by Social Security.

For SSI, "resources" means money, property, and possessions you own. In 2024, the resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple (these limits change yearly). Your home and one vehicle do not count toward the resource limit. Some income is not counted — for example, the first $65 of monthly earnings and half of earnings above that.

SSI is a federal program, but some states add extra money on top of the federal benefit. The amount you receive and the resource limits may vary depending on where you live. You must be a U.S. citizen or certain categories of non-citizen to may have access to.

Medical requirements for disability and SSI

Both SSDI and SSI require that you have a medical condition listed in Social Security's Blue Book or that your condition is as severe as one listed there. The condition must prevent you from doing substantial work — meaning work that earns more than a certain monthly amount (in 2024, this is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 for blind individuals).

Social Security will ask for medical evidence: doctor's reports, test results, hospital records, and treatment history. If you do not have recent medical treatment, Social Security may refer you to a doctor for examination at no cost to you. The medical review can take several months.

Your condition does not have to be permanent, but it must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. If you recover or your condition improves enough that you can work, your benefits may end.

Work history you may not know counts

Social Security credits are earned through covered employment — jobs where you and your employer paid Social Security taxes. Most jobs are covered, including self-employment if you earn $400 or more per year. However, some government jobs, railroad work, and certain other employment may have different rules.

If you worked for a government employer and did not pay Social Security taxes, those years do not count toward your 40 credits. This is important for people who worked for federal, state, or local government agencies. You can check your own work record by creating an account on ssa.gov and viewing your Social Security Statement, which shows the credits you have earned each year.

Work done outside the United States may count if you were a U.S. citizen or if the country has a totalization agreement with the United States. If you worked in multiple countries, Social Security can combine credits from different countries to help you meet the requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to get Social Security?

You need a Social Security number, which requires being a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the United States. For SSDI and retirement benefits, you do not have to be a citizen. For SSI, you must be a U.S. citizen or in one of a few non-citizen categories (lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or paroled into the U.S.).

What if I worked under a different name or Social Security number?

Tell Social Security about any name changes or numbers you used. You can contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. Bring documents showing the name change, such as a marriage certificate or court order. Social Security can combine earnings under different names on the same record.

Can I get benefits if I never worked?

You cannot get retirement or disability benefits based on your own work history if you never worked. However, you may be able to get SSI if you are age 65 or older, blind, or disabled and have limited income and resources. You may also may have access to for survivor benefits if a family member who worked dies.

How do I check how many credits I have?

Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to view your Social Security Statement. It shows your earnings history and the credits you have earned each year. You can also call 1-800-772-1213 or visit a local Social Security office to request a statement by mail.

Does working part-time count toward the 40 credits?

Yes. You earn one credit for each $1,640 you earn in a year, regardless of whether you work full-time or part-time. You can earn up to four credits per year. If you earn $6,560 in a year, you earn the maximum four credits for that year.