Yes, you need work credits to receive SSDI

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) requires you to have earned enough work credits before you became disabled. You earn these credits by working and paying Social Security taxes — one credit per quarter of the year, up to four credits per year. The exact number you need depends on your age when your disability began.

Work credits are not the same as years worked. You could work part-time for two years and earn eight credits, or work full-time for one year and earn four credits. What matters is that you paid into Social Security through payroll taxes, not how long you were employed.

If you do not have enough work credits, you cannot receive SSDI, even if you are severely disabled. However, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead, which has no work credit requirement but does have strict income and resource limits.

Key Takeaways

  • You earn one work credit for each quarter you work and pay Social Security taxes, up to four per year.
  • Most people under 62 need 20 credits earned in the last 10 years, though younger workers need fewer.
  • You can check your exact work credit count by creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov or requesting a Statement of Earnings.
  • If you do not have enough work credits for SSDI, you may still be able to receive SSI based on financial need instead.
  • Self-employed people and gig workers can earn work credits, but must pay self-employment tax to Social Security.

How many work credits you need based on your age

The number of credits required depends on how old you were when your disability started. Social Security uses a formula that generally requires younger workers to have fewer credits than older workers.

If you became disabled at age 31 or older, you typically need 20 work credits, with at least half of them earned in the 10 years before your disability began. If you became disabled between ages 24 and 30, you need 12 credits earned in the 6 years before disability. If you became disabled before age 24, you need 6 credits earned in the 3 years before disability.

There is no minimum age to become disabled and receive SSDI. Children can receive benefits on a parent's work record if that parent is disabled, retired, or deceased — this is called Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits, and it requires the parent to have enough work credits, not the child.

How to check your work credit count

You can see exactly how many work credits you have earned by checking your Social Security record. The fastest way is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov, sign in, and view your Statement of Earnings. This shows your work history year by year and your total credits.

If you do not use online accounts, you can request a Statement of Earnings by mail. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask them to mail you a copy. The statement arrives in about two weeks.

Your Statement of Earnings also shows any years where Social Security has no record of your work. If you worked but Social Security has no record, you have time to correct it — you can contact your former employer for pay stubs or W-2 forms and submit them to Social Security to add the missing credits.

Work credits for self-employed people and gig workers

If you are self-employed or work as a contractor or gig worker, you can earn work credits, but you must pay self-employment tax to Social Security. This is separate from income tax and is calculated on your net business income.

Self-employed people file Schedule SE (Self-Employment Tax) with their tax return each year. The self-employment tax you pay goes toward Social Security and Medicare. You earn work credits the same way as W-2 employees — one credit per quarter, based on your net earnings from self-employment.

If you have not been paying self-employment tax, those years do not count toward your work credits, even if you were earning income. This is common for gig workers who did not realize they needed to pay self-employment tax or who were misclassified as independent contractors when they should have been employees.

What happens if you do not have enough work credits

If you do not have enough work credits to receive SSDI, you cannot receive that program. However, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead. SSI is a needs-based program that does not require work credits — it only requires that you are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older, and that your income and resources are below the limit.

SSI income limits and payment amounts vary by state. In 2024, the federal SSI payment is lower than the average SSDI payment, and you must have very little income and fewer than $2,000 in countable resources to receive it. Some states add money to the federal SSI payment.

Another option is to wait and earn more work credits if you are still working. If you are close to having enough credits, continuing to work might get you to the threshold. However, if your disability prevents you from working, this may not be realistic.

Work credits and family benefits

If you receive SSDI, your family members may also be able to receive benefits on your work record. Your spouse, ex-spouse, and children can all receive family benefits if they meet certain conditions — but these benefits are based on your work credits, not theirs.

Your spouse can receive benefits at age 62, or at any age if they are caring for a child under 16 who is receiving benefits on your record. Your children can receive benefits until age 19 if they are in high school full-time, or until age 18 if they are not in school. Adult children who became disabled before age 22 can receive benefits for life.

The total amount paid to your family cannot exceed a certain percentage of your benefit amount — usually 150 to 180 percent of what you receive. If multiple family members receive benefits, each person's payment is reduced proportionally.

Work credits and continuing to work

If you are receiving SSDI and you continue to work, you do not lose your benefits when ready. Social Security has a Trial Work Period that allows you to work and earn money without losing your SSDI payment for nine months within a rolling 60-month period.

After the Trial Work Period ends, Social Security looks at your earnings. If you earn more than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount — which is $1,550 per month in 2024, though this changes yearly — your benefits will stop. If you earn less than the SGA amount, you can continue receiving SSDI.

Earning work credits while you are already receiving SSDI does not change your benefits. Work credits only matter for determining whether you are initially may be able to access for SSDI. Once you are receiving benefits, your payment amount is based on your lifetime earnings record, not on new credits you earn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get SSDI if I worked under the table or did not pay taxes?

No. SSDI requires that you paid Social Security taxes on your earnings. Work that was not reported to Social Security does not count toward work credits, even if you were earning income. If you were paid in cash and your employer did not report it, those years do not count.

Do volunteer work or unpaid caregiving count toward work credits?

No. Work credits are earned only through paid employment where Social Security taxes were withheld or self-employment tax was paid. Volunteer work, caring for family members, or other unpaid work does not earn credits, regardless of how many hours you worked.

What if I worked in another country before moving to the United States?

Work you did in another country generally does not count toward SSDI work credits unless that country has a totalization agreement with the United States. A few countries do have these agreements, which allow work in both countries to be combined. Contact Social Security to ask whether your country has an agreement.

Can I earn work credits after I become disabled?

Yes, if you are working while disabled, you can earn new work credits. However, these new credits do not change your SSDI may be able to access — you already either have enough credits or you do not. New credits only matter if you return to work and later need to reapply for benefits.

How long do work credits stay on my record?

Work credits never expire. Credits you earned 30 years ago still count toward your SSDI may be able to access today. However, for the recency requirement (at least half your credits earned in the last 10 years), only recent credits matter for that specific rule.