Part-time work and the 6-credit requirement

You earn Social Security credits based on how much you earn in a year, not on how many hours you work. In 2024, you earn one credit for every $1,730 you make (this amount changes each year). To earn 6 credits, you need to make roughly $10,380 in a single year — whether that takes you three months or twelve months of part-time work depends entirely on your hourly wage and how many hours you work each week.

The speed at which you accumulate credits has nothing to do with whether your job is part-time or full-time. A person working 10 hours a week at $20 per hour will earn 6 credits much faster than someone working 20 hours a week at $10 per hour, because the first person is making more total money.

If you are currently receiving SSDI and working part-time, earning 6 credits in a year does not automatically change your benefits. The 6-credit threshold matters for a different purpose: it determines whether your earnings count toward Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which is the income level that can affect your benefits. You arrived here from the Income Limits & SGA section, so you already know that SGA is the earnings ceiling the Social Security Administration watches.

Key Takeaways

  • You earn one credit per $1,730 of income in 2024, so 6 credits requires roughly $10,380 in a single calendar year.
  • The time it takes depends on your hourly wage and hours worked per week, not on whether the job is labeled part-time or full-time.
  • Earning 6 credits in a year does not automatically trigger a change to your SSDI benefits — it only determines whether your income is counted as SGA.
  • The credit amount ($1,730 per credit) increases each year, so the dollar threshold for 6 credits will be higher in 2025 and beyond.
  • You can check your current credit count on your Social Security account or by requesting a Statement of Earnings from the Social Security Administration.

How the credit calculation actually works

Social Security does not count hours or weeks. It counts dollars earned in a calendar year (January through December). Once you cross the $1,730 threshold in 2024, you have one credit. At $3,460, you have two. At $5,190, you have three. At $6,920, you have four. At $8,650, you have five. At $10,380, you have six.

The Social Security Administration does not care whether you earned that money in one month or spread it across twelve months. A person who works one week in December and makes $10,380 earns 6 credits that year. A person who works steadily at $200 per week for fifty weeks also earns 6 credits. The calendar year is the only unit that matters.

This is why the question "how many years part-time" does not have a single answer. If you earn $20 per hour and work 10 hours per week, you make $200 per week, or roughly $10,400 per year — meaning you would earn 6 credits in one year. If you earn $10 per hour and work 10 hours per week, you make $100 per week, or roughly $5,200 per year — meaning you would earn only 3 credits per year, and it would take two years to reach 6 credits.

The difference between earning credits and hitting SGA

Earning 6 credits in a year and earning at the SGA level are two separate things. You can earn 6 credits and still be below SGA. You can also earn above SGA without earning 6 credits (though this is less common).

In 2024, the SGA threshold for non-blind individuals is $1,550 per month, or roughly $18,600 per year. If you earn $18,600 in a year, you have definitely earned 6 credits (since 6 credits only requires $10,380). But if you earn $10,380 in a year, you have earned 6 credits without reaching the monthly SGA threshold — your average monthly income would be $865, which is below the $1,550 SGA limit.

The reason this matters: if your monthly earnings stay below SGA, your SSDI benefits may continue even though you are working. If your earnings cross the SGA threshold in a month, that month may be counted as a month of substantial work, which can affect your benefits. The 6-credit rule is one of several ways Social Security measures whether you are working at a substantial level.

When the credit amount changes each year

The dollar amount needed to earn one credit increases most years. In 2023, it was $1,640. In 2024, it became $1,730. In 2025, it will increase again (the exact amount has not been announced yet, but historical increases have been $80 to $100 per year).

This means the target for 6 credits also moves upward. In 2023, you needed $9,840 to earn 6 credits. In 2024, you need $10,380. In 2025, you will need slightly more.

If you are planning part-time work and thinking about credit accumulation, use the current year's credit amount. You can find the current credit value on the Social Security Administration's website, or ask a Social Security representative when you call.

How to check your current credit count

You do not have to guess how many credits you have earned. The Social Security Administration keeps a record of every dollar you have earned since you started working.

The easiest way to see your credits is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Once you log in, you can view your Statement of Earnings, which shows your credited earnings year by year and your total credit count. This statement updates once per year, usually in the fall.

If you do not have an online account, 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. You can also visit your local Social Security office in person.

What happens if you earn credits while on SSDI

Earning credits while you are already receiving SSDI does not automatically increase your monthly benefit amount. Your SSDI payment is based on your earnings record at the time you were approved for benefits — new credits earned after approval do not change that payment.

However, credits matter if your SSDI case is ever reviewed or if you return to work at a substantial level. If your earnings cross the SGA threshold, Social Security may conduct a work incentive review to see whether your condition has improved. Credits are part of how they measure the significance of your work activity.

Credits also matter if you eventually stop receiving SSDI and later need to reapply. The more recent credits you have, the stronger your work history looks, and the easier it may be to establish that you meet the work requirements for benefits in the future.

Part-time earnings and work incentives

If you are working part-time while receiving SSDI, you may be able to use work incentives that allow you to earn money without losing all your benefits. These incentives have their own rules and do not depend on the 6-credit threshold.

The most common work incentive is the Trial Work Period, which allows you to work and earn any amount for nine months without affecting your SSDI payment. After the Trial Work Period ends, there is an Extended may be able to access period where you can continue to receive benefits in months when your earnings fall below SGA.

Another option is Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which allows you to deduct certain costs of working (like medical equipment or transportation to treatment) from your countable earnings. This can lower the amount Social Security counts toward SGA.

These work incentives are separate from the credit system. You can be earning credits and using a work incentive at the same time. A Social Security work incentives planner can explain which options explore to your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earn 6 credits in one year, does my SSDI stop?

Not automatically. Earning 6 credits does not trigger a benefit loss by itself. Your benefits may be affected only if your monthly earnings cross the SGA threshold ($1,550 in 2024 for non-blind individuals). You can earn 6 credits and still be below SGA if your income is spread across the year or if you work only part of the year.

Can I earn 6 credits in less than a year?

Yes. If you earn $10,380 or more in any calendar year, you have earned 6 credits for that year, regardless of how many months it took. Someone earning $20 per hour working 10 hours per week would reach 6 credits in roughly 50 weeks. Someone earning $30 per hour working 10 hours per week would reach it in roughly 35 weeks.

Do I need 6 credits to keep receiving SSDI?

No. The 6-credit threshold is not a requirement to stay on SSDI. It is one measure Social Security uses to determine whether your work is substantial. You can continue receiving benefits while earning fewer than 6 credits per year, as long as your monthly earnings stay below SGA and you meet other program rules.

What if I earned credits before I became disabled?

Those credits still count. Social Security looks at your entire work history to determine whether you meet the work requirements for SSDI. Credits you earned years ago, before your disability began, are part of your record. You do not need to earn new credits to keep your current benefits.

Where can I find the current credit amount for this year?

The Social Security Administration publishes the annual credit amount on ssa.gov, usually in October or November of the previous year. You can also call 1-800-772-1213 and ask a representative for the current year's credit value, or check your my Social Security account, which displays it on your earnings statement.