What Social Security Credits Are and Why They Matter
Social Security credits are the units the Social Security Administration uses to measure whether you have worked enough to receive benefits. You earn credits by paying Social Security taxes on your wages or self-employment income. The number of credits you need depends on the type of benefit you are seeking — retirement, disability, or survivor benefits — and your age when you explore.
You cannot buy credits, and you cannot earn them any other way. Only work covered by Social Security counts. This includes most jobs in the United States, but not all — some government employees, railroad workers, and clergy may have different rules.
Key Takeaways
- You earn one Social Security credit for every $1,820 in wages or self-employment income you report in a year, up to a maximum of four credits per year.
- The dollar amount needed to earn a credit changes each year based on national wage trends.
- Most people need 40 credits total to receive retirement benefits, which typically means 10 years of work.
- You can check how many credits you have earned by creating an account on ssa.gov and viewing your Social Security Statement.
- Credits earned in one year do not roll over or expire — they stay on your record permanently.
How Many Credits You Earn Each Year
The Social Security Administration sets an earnings threshold each year. When you earn that amount in wages or self-employment income, you receive one credit. You can earn up to four credits in a single year, no matter how much you earn above the threshold.
For 2024, you earn one credit for every $1,820 in covered earnings. This means if you earned $7,280 in 2024, you would receive four credits for that year — the maximum allowed. If you earned $3,640, you would receive two credits. The threshold amount increases most years because it is tied to the national average wage index.
Self-employed people calculate credits the same way, using net self-employment income after the self-employment tax deduction. You report this on your tax return, and Social Security uses that figure to count your credits.
How Many Credits You Need for Each Type of Benefit
The number of credits required varies by benefit type and, in some cases, by your age. The most common requirement is for retirement benefits.
Retirement benefits: You need 40 credits total, which usually takes about 10 years of work. You can begin receiving retirement benefits as early as age 62, though your monthly payment will be smaller than if you wait. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age — when you receive your full benefit amount — is 67.
Disability benefits: The number of credits you need depends on your age when you become disabled. If you are under 24, you may need as few as 6 credits earned in the three years before you became disabled. If you are 31 or older, you typically need 40 credits, with at least 20 earned in the 10 years before disability. The rules are more flexible for younger workers because they have had less time to build a work history.
Survivor benefits: Your family members may receive benefits based on your work record if you die. Like disability, the number of credits needed depends on your age at death. Generally, you need between 6 and 40 credits, depending on how old you were.
How to Check Your Social Security Credits
The easiest way to see how many credits you have earned is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Once you log in, you can view your Social Security Statement, which shows your earnings history year by year and the number of credits you have earned each year.
To create an account, you will need your Social Security number, date of birth, email address, and a way to verify your identity — usually a phone number, U.S. address, or driver's license or state ID number. The verification process takes a few minutes.
Your Social Security Statement also shows an estimate of what your retirement, disability, or survivor benefits might be. These are projections based on your current earnings record and are updated each year. If you notice errors in your earnings history, you can report them through your account or by contacting Social Security directly.
What Happens If You Do Not Have Enough Credits
If you have not earned the required number of credits for the benefit you want, you cannot receive that benefit. There is no way to make up credits after the fact or to purchase them. However, you can continue working and earning new credits until you reach the threshold.
Some people work part-time or return to work specifically to earn the remaining credits they need. Even one or two more years of work can make a difference. If you are close to having enough credits for retirement, working a bit longer might also increase your monthly benefit amount because Social Security bases your payment on your highest 35 years of earnings.
If you are a non-citizen, your credits still count the same way. Your immigration status does not affect how credits are earned or counted, though it may affect your ability to receive certain benefits. Check with Social Security directly if you have questions about your specific situation.
How Credits Affect Your Benefit Amount
Having enough credits gets you in the door, but your actual monthly benefit depends on how much you earned during your working years. Social Security calculates your benefit using your highest 35 years of earnings (adjusted for inflation). If you worked fewer than 35 years, zeros are counted for the missing years, which lowers your benefit.
This is why working longer can help in two ways: you earn the credits you need, and you replace lower-earning years (or zeros) with higher-earning years. If you worked 30 years, adding five more years of work could replace five zero years and increase your monthly payment.
Your benefit also depends on when you claim. If you claim at 62, your monthly payment is smaller than if you wait until your full retirement age or until 70. This is true whether you have exactly 40 credits or many more.
Credits From Work Outside the United States
Work you did outside the United States may count toward Social Security credits if you paid Social Security taxes on that income. This happens most often for U.S. citizens working abroad for a U.S. employer or for Americans who worked in a country that has a totalization agreement with the United States.
Totalization agreements allow work in one country to count toward benefits in another. The United States has these agreements with about 30 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and others. If you worked in a country with a totalization agreement, some or all of your foreign work may count as Social Security credits.
To find out whether your foreign work counts, contact Social Security or visit ssa.gov and search for "international work." You may need to provide documentation of your work and tax payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can credits expire or roll over to the next year?
No. Credits you earn stay on your record permanently. They do not expire, and you cannot lose them. If you earn four credits in one year and only need three, the fourth credit remains on your record and counts toward your total whenever you need it.
What if I worked under different names or Social Security numbers?
Contact Social Security as soon as you notice this. Earnings under different names or numbers may not be credited to your account. Social Security can help consolidate your records if you have documentation showing the work was yours — such as tax returns or W-2 forms. The sooner you report this, the easier it is to fix.
Do I need 40 credits to get Medicare?
No. You need 40 credits to receive Social Security retirement benefits, but Medicare may be able to access is separate. You become may be able to access for Medicare at 65 regardless of how many credits you have, though you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Some people with disabilities or end-stage renal disease may may have access to for Medicare earlier.
If I did not work for a few years, can I still get benefits?
Yes, if you have enough credits. Social Security counts your highest 35 years of earnings, so a few years without work does not automatically disqualify you. However, those years count as zeros in your benefit calculation, which lowers your monthly payment. Working longer can help replace those zero years.
How do I know if my earnings are being reported correctly to Social Security?
Check your Social Security Statement in your my Social Security account. It shows your earnings year by year. If you see earnings that are not yours or missing earnings from a job you had, report it to Social Security right away. You have three years, three months, and 15 days from the end of the year you earned the income to correct errors.