The Two Things SSDI Requires
To receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must meet two separate requirements: you must have a medical condition that prevents you from working, and you must have earned enough work credits through payroll taxes. This guide covers the second part — the work credit requirement — since you arrived from the Work Credits section. Both requirements must be satisfied; having one without the other will not result in benefits.
Work credits are not money in an account. They are a record that you paid Social Security taxes on your earnings. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses them to confirm you worked long enough and recently enough to be insured for disability benefits. The number of credits you need depends on your age when your condition began.
Key Takeaways
- You earn one work credit for every $1,550 of wages you earn in a year (the dollar amount changes annually), up to a maximum of four credits per year.
- Most people under 62 need 40 total credits, with at least 20 of those credits earned in the 10 years before they became disabled.
- If you became disabled before age 24, you may need as few as 6 credits earned in the 3 years before your condition began.
- You can check your work credit record by creating a my Social Security account online or by calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
- Self-employed income counts toward work credits if you report it on your tax return, but only earnings above $400 per year count.
How Work Credits Are Earned and Counted
You earn one work credit for each $1,550 of wages or self-employment income you report in a calendar year. This dollar threshold is adjusted each January; it was $1,550 in 2024 but may be higher in 2025 and beyond. You cannot earn more than four credits in a single year, even if you earn far more than $6,200.
For example, if you earned $3,100 in 2024, you would earn two credits that year (one for the first $1,550 and one for the second $1,550). If you earned $10,000 in 2024, you would still earn only four credits, because four is the annual maximum.
Self-employment income counts, but only if you report it on your tax return and only if your net self-employment income is at least $400 per year. If you are self-employed, you report this on Schedule SE of your tax return, and the SSA pulls the record from the IRS.
The Credit Requirements by Age
The number of credits you need depends on how old you were when your disability began. The SSA groups these into three categories:
| Your Age When Disabled | Total Credits Needed | Recent Work Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 31 or older | 40 credits | 20 credits earned in the 10 years before disability began |
| 24 to 30 | Credits equal to the number of years from age 21 to disability age | Half of those credits earned in the years since age 21 |
| Under 24 | 6 credits | All 6 credits earned in the 3 years before disability began |
The "recent work requirement" is the second part of the credit test. It is not enough to have worked a long time ago. The SSA wants to see that you worked recently enough that you were still part of the workforce when your condition began.
For someone who is 35 years old and became disabled, the requirement is 40 total credits with at least 20 of those earned in the 10 years before the disability date. This means you could have earned 20 credits between ages 18 and 25, but if you did not earn any credits between ages 25 and 35, you would not meet the recent work requirement.
How to Check Your Work Credit Record
The SSA maintains a record of your earnings and work credits. You can view this record yourself before you file for SSDI, which is useful because errors do happen — a wage reported under the wrong name or Social Security number, or a year of self-employment income that was not reported to the IRS.
The fastest way is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Once you log in, you can view your earnings record and the number of credits you have earned each year. The account takes about 5 to 10 minutes to set up if you have a valid email address and can verify your identity using a driver's license, state ID, or passport.
If you do not want to create an online account, you can call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. your local time) and ask for a copy of your earnings record. You will need to provide your Social Security number and date of birth. The SSA will mail it to you, which takes 5 to 7 business days.
If you find an error on your record — a missing year, a wage amount that looks wrong, or a year where you earned income but no credits appear — contact the SSA and ask them to correct it. Bring documentation of your earnings, such as W-2 forms, pay stubs, or tax returns. Corrections can take several weeks, so do this before you file for SSDI if possible.
What Happens If You Do Not Have Enough Credits
If you do not have enough work credits, the SSA will deny your SSDI claim. This is a separate decision from whether your medical condition qualifies as a disability. You could have a severe condition that prevents you from working, but without the required credits, you cannot receive SSDI.
If you are close to having enough credits — for example, you are 35 and have 38 of the 40 credits you need — you have options. You can delay your SSDI process and continue working (or earning income through self-employment) to build the remaining credits. Each year you work and earn at least $1,550, you earn one more credit.
If you cannot work because of your condition, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead. SSI is a needs-based program that does not require work credits; it is based on your current income and assets. SSI has different rules and lower monthly payments than SSDI, but it may be an option if you do not meet the credit requirement. You can file for both SSDI and SSI at the same time.
Credits Earned in Other Countries
If you worked and paid Social Security taxes in another country, those credits may count toward your SSDI requirement under a totalization agreement. The United States has these agreements with about 30 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, and others.
If you worked in a country with a totalization agreement, you can combine your U.S. credits with credits earned in that country to meet the SSDI requirement. You will need to provide documentation of your foreign work history, such as tax records or employment letters. Contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 and ask about totalization if you have worked outside the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have worked recently to get SSDI?
Yes. You need to have earned a certain number of credits in the years just before your disability began. For most people, this means at least 20 of your 40 required credits must have been earned in the 10 years before you became disabled. If you stopped working 15 years ago, you likely will not meet this requirement, even if you have 40 total credits.
What if I was self-employed and did not report my income?
Self-employment income only counts if you reported it on your tax return. If you earned money but did not file taxes, the SSA has no record of it and cannot count it toward your credits. If you are close to meeting the credit requirement, you may be able to file amended tax returns for past years, but this is complex and requires a tax professional.
Can I get SSDI if I only have 30 credits?
It depends on your age. If you are 31 or older, you need 40 credits, so 30 is not enough. If you are 24 to 30, you may need fewer than 40 credits depending on your exact age. If you are under 24, you may need only 6 credits. Check the table in this guide or call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to find out what you need.
If I get SSDI, do I need to keep working to maintain my credits?
No. Once you are approved for SSDI, you do not need to earn new credits to keep your benefits. Your credits are locked in at the time your disability began. However, if you work and earn above a certain amount (called substantial gainful activity), the SSA may determine you are no longer disabled and stop your benefits.
How long does it take to learn about I have enough credits?
You can check your own record online through my Social Security in minutes. The SSA will also review your credits as part of your SSDI claim, which takes 3 to 5 months on average. If the SSA denies your claim because of insufficient credits, they will tell you in the denial letter exactly how many credits you have and how many you need.