Eligibility for Social Security in retirement (2024)

FAQs

Who qualifies for Social Security retirement benefits? ›

You can receive Social Security benefits based on your earnings record if you are age 62 or older, or a person with a disability or blindness and have enough work credits. Family members who qualify for benefits on your work record do not need work credits.

Some American workers do not qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Workers who don't accrue the requisite 40 credits (roughly 10 years of employment) are not eligible for Social Security. Some government and railroad employees are not eligible for Social Security.

When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits. The number of credits you need to receive retirement benefits depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work).

Learn more about credits at www.ssa.gov/planners/credits.html. Although you need at least 10 years of work (40 credits) to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, we base the amount of your benefit on your highest 35 years of earnings.

You're eligible if: You're 62 or older. You've worked and paid Social Security taxes for 10 years or more.

Although many of the programs base benefit amounts and eligibility to work history, there are some instances where a person who has never worked can collect benefits. One program that provides benefits to people, not based on their work history, is Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.

The 10 year rule applies to spouses who are divorced and claiming their ex's Social Security benefits. According to the Social Security Administration, you can receive your ex-spouse's benefits based on your own record as long as you were married for at least 10 years.

Views: The current full retirement age is 67 years old for people attaining age 62 in 2024. (The age for Medicare eligibility remains at 65.) See Benefits By Year Of Birth for more information.

Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

What's the lowest amount of Social Security you can get? ›

Social Security's special minimum benefit pays at least $49.40 per month in 2023 and $50.90 in 2024. Social Security's special minimum benefit tops out at $1,033.50 per month in 2023 and $1,066.50 in 2024. You'll receive 100% of the benefit if you file at full retirement age or later.

If you become disabled before your full retirement age, you might qualify for Social Security disability benefits. You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five of the last 10 years.

Social Security benefits are typically computed using "average indexed monthly earnings." This average summarizes up to 35 years of a worker's indexed earnings. We apply a formula to this average to compute the primary insurance amount (PIA). The PIA is the basis for the benefits that are paid to an individual.

Your family members may receive survivors benefits if you die. If you are working and paying into Social Security, some of those taxes you pay are for survivors benefits. Your spouse, children, and parents could be eligible for benefits based on your earnings.