Who Gets Social Security Benefits — The Basic Rules

Who Gets Social Security Benefits

To receive Social Security retirement benefits, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters). You also must be at least 62 years old. If you worked fewer than 10 years, you will not receive retirement benefits based on your own work record, though you may be able to receive benefits based on a spouse's or ex-spouse's record if you meet other conditions.

Social Security also pays benefits to people who cannot work because of a severe medical condition, and to the family members of workers who have died or become disabled. Each of these categories has its own rules about who qualifies and how much they receive.

Key Takeaways

• Retirement benefits require 10 years of work history and age 62 or older; the amount you receive depends on your age when you start and your highest 35 years of earnings.
• Disability benefits are available to workers of any age who have a medical condition expected to last at least 12 months and cannot work, plus their family members.
• Survivor benefits go to the spouse, children, and parents of a worker who has died, regardless of the worker's age at death.
• Your work record must show you paid Social Security taxes; self-employment income counts if you reported it and paid self-employment tax.
• You can check your work record and estimated benefits by creating an account at ssa.gov, which takes about 10 minutes.

Retirement Benefits: Age and Work History Requirements

You can start receiving retirement benefits at age 62, but the amount you receive will be smaller than if you wait. For every year you delay past your full retirement age (which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year), your monthly payment increases by about 8 percent per year, up to age 70. This means waiting until 70 gives you roughly 24 to 32 percent more per month than starting at 62, depending on your birth year.

The 10-year work requirement means you need 40 quarters of coverage. A quarter is roughly three months; in 2024, you earn one quarter of coverage for every $1,705 in wages or self-employment income you report, up to a maximum of four quarters per year. This means you could earn all 40 quarters in 10 years of full-time work, or it could take longer if you worked part-time or had years with no earnings.

Your benefit amount is based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If you worked fewer than 35 years, zeros are counted for the missing years, which lowers your average. If you worked more than 35 years, only your highest-earning 35 years count.

Disability Benefits: Medical Condition and Work History

To receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must have a medical condition that prevents you from working and is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. You do not have to be completely unable to work — you must be unable to earn more than $1,550 per month (in 2024; this amount changes yearly). The condition must be severe enough that you cannot do your previous job or adjust to other work.

You also need a work history, but the requirement is less strict than for retirement. If you are under 24, you need only 1.5 years of work in the three years before you became disabled. If you are 24 to 31, you need half the time between age 21 and the date you became disabled to be covered by work. If you are 31 or older, you need 5 years of work in the 10 years before you became disabled, plus coverage for 1.5 years of that period.

You will need medical evidence of your condition. This includes doctor's notes, test results, hospital records, and any treatment you have received. Social Security will review this evidence and may ask for additional information from your doctors.

Survivor Benefits: Who Receives Them When a Worker Dies

When a Social Security-covered worker dies, their family members may receive benefits. These include the worker's spouse (at any age if caring for a child under 16, or at age 60 or older), children under 19 (or 19 if still in high school), and parents age 62 or older if the worker was supporting them. An ex-spouse can also receive benefits if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and they are age 60 or older.

There is no minimum work history required for survivor benefits — a young worker who has paid into Social Security for even a short time can leave survivor benefits to their family. However, the worker must have earned enough credits at the time of death. For workers under 24, this is typically one credit per year of age (so a 20-year-old needs about 20 credits). For workers 24 and older, the requirement is usually six credits earned in the three years before death.

The total amount paid to all family members combined is limited to 150 to 180 percent of what the worker would have received at full retirement age. This means if multiple family members are receiving benefits, each person's share may be reduced.

Work History: What Counts and What Does Not

Only work on which you paid Social Security taxes counts toward your 10-year requirement. This includes W-2 wages from employers and self-employment income if you reported it and paid self-employment tax. Work done "under the table" for cash, without reporting, does not count.

Government work can be tricky. If you worked for a federal, state, or local government before 1984, you may not have paid Social Security tax, and that work may not count. If you worked for a government employer after 1984, you likely paid Social Security tax and the work counts. Some government employees are covered by a different pension system (such as the Civil Service Retirement System) instead of Social Security; you should check with your employer or the Social Security Administration to know for certain.

Work done outside the United States can count if you paid Social Security tax on it. Work done in another country under a totalization agreement (a treaty between the U.S. and another country) may also count. If you have worked in multiple countries, contact Social Security to discuss your specific situation.

Family Members Who Can Receive Benefits on Your Record

If you are receiving retirement or disability benefits, your family members may also receive benefits based on your work record. This includes your spouse at age 62 or older (or any age if caring for your child under 16), your children under 19 (or 19 if in high school), and your ex-spouse if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and they are age 62 or older.

A spouse or ex-spouse receiving benefits does not reduce your own benefit amount. However, the total paid to all family members is limited, so each family member's share may be less than it would be if they were the only one receiving benefits. A child's benefit is typically 50 percent of your full retirement benefit amount, but the exact percentage depends on the child's age and the total family benefit.

If you are divorced, you do not need your ex-spouse's permission to receive benefits on their record, and they do not need to know you are receiving them. You must have been married for at least 10 years, be at least 62 years old, and be unmarried.

How to Check Your Work Record and Verify Your Status

You can view your Social Security work record and see an estimate of your future benefits by creating a "my Social Security" account at ssa.gov. You will need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, and an email address. The process takes about 10 minutes and does not require you to call or visit an office.

Your account shows the earnings Social Security has recorded for each year you worked. Check this carefully — if earnings are missing or incorrect, you should report them as soon as possible. You have a limited time to correct errors (generally three years, three months, and 15 days after the year in which you earned the income), so do not delay if you spot a mistake.

Your account also shows an estimate of your retirement benefit at age 62, full retirement age, and age 70. This estimate is based on your current earnings record and assumes you will continue working and earning at your current level until you start benefits. If you plan to retire earlier or later, or if your earnings will change significantly, the actual amount may differ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive benefits if I did not work in the United States?

Work done outside the U.S. can count if you paid U.S. Social Security tax on it. Some countries have totalization agreements with the U.S., which may allow work in those countries to count even if you did not pay U.S. tax. Contact Social Security to discuss your work history in other countries.

What if I worked for the government and did not pay Social Security tax?

Government work before 1984 often was not covered by Social Security. If you have a government pension, you may be subject to the Government Pension Offset or Windfall Elimination Provision, which can reduce your Social Security benefits. Contact Social Security to learn how your specific work history affects your benefits.

Can my adult child receive benefits on my record?

Children can receive benefits until age 19 if they are in high school, or until age 18 if they are not in school. Adult children age 19 and older do not receive benefits based on a parent's work record, unless they became disabled before age 22.

Do I lose benefits if I work after I start receiving them?

If you start benefits before your full retirement age and earn more than $23,400 per year (in 2024), Social Security will reduce your benefits by $1 for every $2 you earn above that amount. Once you reach full retirement age, there is no earnings limit. These amounts change yearly.

How long does it take to receive my first benefit check?

After you start receiving benefits, your first payment usually arrives within three to five months. The exact timing depends on when you were born and when you started benefits. You can check the status of your process through your my Social Security account.