Despite the fact that more than 70 million Americans were receiving Social Security benefits as of November 2022, eligibility is not automatic. To be eligible for retirement benefits, you must be at least 62 years old and have completed 40 quarters of coverage or credits.
What Will Disqualify You From Receiving Social Security Benefits?(Photo: Bexley)
How Do You Get Your Social Security Benefits?
These credits can only be obtained by working and contributing to the Social Security system. But how do you get these credits, and what if you don’t get all 40? Continue reading to find out.
Social Security is primarily supported by payroll taxes. To be eligible for your own benefits, you must work and pay your own taxes. Quarters of coverage are used by the Social Security Administration to calculate your contribution.
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How Many Years You Should Work To Get Social Security Benefits?
For 2023, you will receive one-quarter of coverage for every $1,640 earned, with a maximum of four credits available per calendar year.
To qualify for retirement benefits, those born after 1928 must have 40 quarters of coverage.
Is it necessary to work for ten years to earn 40 credits?
You will have to wait at least ten years to earn your 40 credit minimum because you can only earn four quarters of coverage per year. However, this does not imply that you must work for ten years in a row or even four quarters of the year to earn those credits.
Quarters of coverage are granted based solely on income, so if you earn $6,560 in 2023, you’ll have already earned your full year’s coverage. This is true whether you earned the money over a period of months, weeks, or even days.
Unfortunately, if you do not have 40 quarters of coverage, you will not be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. Even if you are only a quarter of the way there, the SSA will not pay you retirement benefits. This is why it’s critical to keep track of your earnings history by opening and managing an online mySocialSecurity account at ssa.gov.
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