How Many Years Do You Have To Work In Order To Draw Social Security

Agreement SSI Habitation Page / Understanding Supplemental Security Income Social Security Entitlement

SOCIAL SECURITY ENTITLEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Many people who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may also be entitled to receive Social Security benefits. In fact, the awarding for SSI benefits is also an application for Social Security benefits. We often need to obtain additional information from the person before we can laurels Social Security benefits.

The following sections provide data on who may be entitled to Social Security benefits.

TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS Every bit A WORKER You MUST BE:

Age 62 or older, or disabled or blind; and

"Insured" by having enough work credits.

For applications filed December 1, 1996, or later on, you lot must either be a U.Southward. citizen or lawfully nowadays alien in lodge to receive monthly Social Security benefits.

HOW MUCH Work DO YOU Need TO Be"INSURED"?

We measure work in "work credits". You tin can earn up to 4 work credits per twelvemonth based on your annual earnings. The amount of earnings required for a work credit increases each year equally general wage levels ascension.

To exist eligible for most types of benefits (such as benefits based on blindness or retirement), yous must have earned an average of ane work credit for each calendar year betwixt age 21 and the year in which you reach age 62 or become disabled or blind, upwardly to a maximum of 40 credits. A minimum of 6 work credits is required, regardless of age.

To qualify for Social Security benefits based on a disability other than blindness, you lot must take worked long plenty and recently enough under Social Security's rules. The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on your age when you became disabled. Y'all generally demand 20 work credits earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you lot get disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

The rules are as follows:

Earlier age 24 –– Yous may qualify if you have vi work credits earned in the three–twelvemonth flow ending when your disability starts.

Age 24 to 31 –– You may authorize if yous take credit for having worked one-half the time between age 21 and the fourth dimension you become disabled.

Example: If at age 27 you lot become disabled, you lot would need 12 work credits in the past six years (between age 21 and historic period 27).

Age 31 and older –– In full general, y'all volition need to have the number of work credits shown in the nautical chart below. You must accept earned at least 20 of the credits in the ten years immediately before you lot go disabled.

Built-in After 1929 Become Disabled at Historic period	Work Credits Needed
31 through 42	twenty
44	22
46	24
48	26
50	28
52	30
54	32
56	34
58	36
60	38
62 or older	40

WHO CAN RECEIVE BENEFITS ON YOUR EARNINGS RECORD?

You can receive Social Security benefits based on your earnings record if you lot are age 62 or older, or disabled or bullheaded and have enough piece of work credits.

Family members who qualify for benefits on your work tape exercise not need work credits. However, if they file an application December 1, 1996 or after, they must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present conflicting. The post-obit information describes family unit members who may qualify for benefits on your work tape.

If you are receiving retirement or disability benefits, your spouse may authorize if he or she is:

age 62 and over; or

divorced from y'all, age 62 or older, and was married to you lot for at least ten years prior to your divorce; or

nether age 62 and caring for a child (nether age xvi or disabled prior to age 22) who is entitled to benefits on your work record.

If you are age 62 or over and have enough work credits to receive Social Security benefits, but have non filed a merits, your divorced spouse may qualify for benefits, if he or she was married to you for at to the lowest degree 10 years prior to the divorce, and has been finally divorced from yous for at least 2 years.

Your surviving spouse (widow or widower) may qualify if he or she is:

age 60 or older; or

age fifty or older and disabled; or

divorced from y'all, age 60 or older (historic period 50 if disabled), and was married to you for at least 10 years prior to your divorce; or

nether age 60 and caring for your child (under age 16 or disabled prior to age 22) and who is entitled to child's benefits; or

divorced from you, under age 60 and caring for his or her child (under historic period xvi or disabled prior to age 22) who is entitled to benefits on your record.

A dependent parent(s), age 62 or older, of a deceased worker may qualify for benefits based on the worker'southward record.

Unmarried children of disabled, retired or deceased workers may qualify if they are:

nether age 18; or

18-nineteen years old and a full-time student (no higher than class 12); or

18 or older and have a inability that started before age 22.

Under certain circumstances, we may also pay benefits to stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren and adopted children.