The Basic Credit Requirement

To receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you need to have earned enough work credits through paying Social Security taxes. For most people under 62, you need 40 credits total, with at least 20 of those credits earned in the 10 years before you became disabled. The exact number can be lower if you became disabled before age 24.

A work credit is not the same as a paycheck. You earn one credit for every $1,550 of wages you report to Social Security in a calendar year (this dollar amount changes each year). You can earn a maximum of four credits per year, no matter how much you earn. This means you need to work roughly 10 years to accumulate 40 credits, though the years do not have to be consecutive.

Social Security keeps a record of the wages you have reported under your Social Security number. You can see how many credits you have already earned by creating an account on ssa.gov and viewing your Social Security Statement, or by calling 1-800-772-1213 and asking.

Key Takeaways

  • Most people need 40 work credits total to receive SSDI, with at least 20 earned in the 10 years before disability began.
  • You earn one credit for every $1,550 of reported wages in a calendar year, and you can earn no more than four credits per year.
  • If you became disabled before age 24, you may need fewer credits — as few as six credits if you were disabled at 22 or younger.
  • You can check your current credit count on your Social Security Statement at ssa.gov or by calling Social Security directly.
  • Credits do not expire, so work you did years ago still counts toward your total.

Lower Credit Requirements for Younger Workers

If you became disabled before reaching age 24, Social Security uses a different formula. The younger you were when disability began, the fewer credits you need. At age 22 or younger, you need only six credits, with three of those earned in the three years before disability started. At age 23, you need nine credits with five earned in the three years before disability. At age 24, you need 10 credits with five earned in the three years before disability.

This rule exists because younger workers have had less time to build up a work history. If you became disabled at 20 after working for two years, you would not be locked out of SSDI straightforward because you had not yet had time to accumulate 40 credits.

How Credits Are Counted and When They Stop Counting

Social Security counts credits based on the year you earned the wages, not the year you report them. If you worked in 2022 but did not file your taxes until 2023, those wages count toward 2022 credits. Once you have earned a credit, it stays on your record permanently — credits do not expire or disappear after a certain number of years.

The 10-year window (or three-year window for younger workers) is measured from the date your disability began, not from the date you file for SSDI. If you became disabled on June 15, 2024, Social Security looks back to June 15, 2014 to count which credits fall within that 10-year period. Credits earned before that date still count toward your total of 40, but they do not count toward the "recent work" requirement.

Self-Employment and Credits

If you are self-employed, you still earn work credits the same way — based on your net self-employment income reported to Social Security through your tax return. You need $1,550 in net self-employment income to earn one credit in a year. Self-employed workers often have irregular income, but Social Security counts only the income you actually report, so keep careful records of your earnings.

If you have both W-2 wages and self-employment income in the same year, Social Security adds them together to determine how many credits you earned that year. You still cannot earn more than four credits in any single year, regardless of how much you earned.

What Happens If You Do Not Have Enough Credits

If you do not have enough work credits, you cannot receive SSDI. However, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead, which is a needs-based program that does not require work credits. SSI has different rules and is based on your current income and resources rather than your work history.

If you are close to having enough credits, you might also consider whether you can continue working while disabled. Some people can do part-time or limited work while still meeting the medical requirements for disability. Each additional year of work adds up to four more credits to your record.

Checking Your Work Credit Record

The most direct way to see your credits is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Once you log in, your Social Security Statement shows the number of credits you have earned for each year you worked. This statement also shows the wages Social Security has on record for you, which is important because your benefits are calculated based on your earnings history.

If you see an error — for example, wages you earned but Social Security did not record — you can correct it by contacting Social Security with proof of your earnings, such as W-2 forms or tax returns. It is worth checking your record before you file for SSDI, because correcting errors takes time and can affect both your credit count and your benefit amount.

If you do not have internet access or prefer to speak with someone, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and request a paper copy of your Social Security Statement. Wait times are typically shorter early in the week and early in the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do credits from work I did 20 years ago still count?

Yes, credits never expire. However, for the "recent work" requirement, only credits earned in the 10 years before your disability began count toward that 20-credit minimum. Credits from 20 years ago count toward your total of 40, but not toward the recency requirement.

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 credits unless you were paying into the U.S. Social Security system. Some countries have agreements with the United States that allow work in those countries to count, but this varies. Contact Social Security directly to discuss your specific situation.

Can I earn credits while receiving unemployment benefits?

No. Unemployment benefits are not wages reported to Social Security, so they do not generate work credits. You earn credits only through wages from work or net self-employment income.

If I have 40 credits but they are all from 15 years ago, can I still get SSDI?

Not unless you have earned at least 20 credits in the 10 years before your disability began. If all your credits are old, you would need to return to work and earn recent credits to meet the requirement. The exception is if you became disabled before age 24, which uses a different timeline.

What if I worked part-time and earned less than $1,550 in a year?

You would not earn any credits that year. Credits are earned in full increments — you either earn one credit or you do not. There is no partial credit for earning $1,000 in a year; you need the full $1,550 to earn that credit.