How many credits do you need to collect social security

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• Social Security Disability (SSD): Work Credits Needed for Benefit Eligibility

Social Security Disability (SSD): Work Credits Needed for Benefit Eligibility

Social Security Administration issues monthly Social Security Disability (SSD) payments to individuals ages 18 and over who meet the medical criteria for disability and who have earned the required number of work credits in the required period of time. One work credit is earned for each three month period worked in a job covered by Social Security. The required number of credits and the required period of time are dependent on a person’s age.

Examples of requirements for different ages:
Before age 24 – must have 6 credits earned in the 3-year period ending when your disability starts.
Ages 24-30 – must have credit for working half the time between age 21 and the time you become disabled. For example, if you become disabled at age 27, you would need credit for 3 years of work (12 credits) out of the past 6 years (between ages 21 and 27).
Ages 31 and older – see chart.

Born after 1929 – Disabled at Age	Number of Credits Needed
31 through 42	20
44	22
46	24
48	26
50	28
52	30
54	32
56	34
58	36
60	38
62 or older	40

(from Social Security website, http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/credits3.htm)

Medicare and Social Security Disability (SSD)
People receiving SSD must wait two years before becoming eligible for Medicare.

The following Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) “Focus on People with Disabilities” guide contains tips, information, tools, and skill-building resources for people with disabilities.  The following topics are discussed.

•   Set up an account and build savings
•   Pay for assistive technology to achieve independence
•   Understand how income from work impacts Social Security Income (SSI)
•   Identify financial abuse and exploitation and how to get assistance

To Find Providers in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:
Search by service name:
Social Security Disability

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SOURCE: Social Security, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: April2022

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• January 13th, 2022

Social Security retirement benefits are not based on need but rather on income earned during your earning life. The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps a record of earnings over your working life and pays benefits that are based on the average amount earned, provided a minimum number of work credits have been accumulated. Only income on which Social Security tax is paid is considered in calculating these work credits.

To be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, a worker born after 1928 must have accumulated at least 40 quarters of work in "covered employment".  A "quarter of coverage" generally means the three-month calendar quarter. In addition, you must earn at least $1,510 in a quarter (in 2022) for it to count. However, the SSA looks at how much you earned in a year and divides that figure by the minimum amount required to earn credit for a quarter. Thus, if you earn at least $6,040 in January and February of 2022 and don't work the rest of the year, you will receive credit for four quarters of work ($6,040/$1,510 = 4).

For Social Security purposes, "retirement" is defined as whenever you choose to begin receiving benefits after you reach age 62--whether or not you are actually still working. Starting at age 62 you can begin receiving benefits, provided you have accumulated the minimum required quarters of coverage (although you will pay a penalty for retiring before your "full retirement age." a number that ranges from 65 to 68 years and eight months depending on your year of birth). You do not have to actually stop working to be eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits, although if you have not yet reached your full retirement age your benefits may be reduced depending on how much income you earn. Conversely, you can stop working entirely and still postpone receiving Social Security retirement benefits. However, if you stop working, your average earnings over your working life may be less and this may result in a reduced benefit.

Last Modified: 01/13/2022