The Basic Rule: Work History and Age

To collect Social Security retirement benefits, you need 40 work credits, which means you must have paid Social Security taxes for roughly 10 years of your working life. The IRS tracks these credits on your Social Security record. You can earn up to four credits per year, so 40 credits typically takes a decade to accumulate. You can start collecting at age 62, but your monthly payment will be smaller than if you wait.

Your age when you claim determines how much you receive each month for the rest of your life. If you claim at 62, your payment is roughly 30 percent lower than if you claim at your full retirement age (which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year). If you delay until 70, your payment increases by about 8 percent per year you wait past your full retirement age. This choice is permanent, so the age you pick matters for decades.

Key Takeaways

  • You need 40 work credits (about 10 years of paid work) to collect Social Security retirement benefits, and the Social Security Administration tracks these on your record.
  • You can claim as early as 62, but your monthly payment will be permanently reduced compared to waiting until your full retirement age.
  • Delaying your claim past your full retirement age increases your monthly payment by roughly 8 percent per year until age 70.
  • Your full retirement age depends on your birth year and ranges from 66 to 67, and you can find yours on your Social Security statement.
  • If you worked outside the United States, you may still have credits that count toward the 40 required, depending on the country and tax treaties.

How Work Credits Are Earned and Tracked

A work credit is earned when you pay Social Security taxes on your wages or self-employment income. In 2024, you earn one credit for each $1,730 of income you report, up to four credits per year. This dollar amount changes annually, so the threshold is different each year. You do not need to earn the credits in consecutive years — they accumulate over your entire working life, even if you take time off.

The Social Security Administration keeps a record of your credits under your Social Security number. You can see how many credits you have earned by creating an account on ssa.gov and viewing your Social Security statement. This statement also shows your estimated retirement benefit at different ages. If you find errors on your record — such as wages that were not credited to you — you can contact the Social Security Administration to correct them, though you generally have a limited window to do so.

Full Retirement Age and How It Affects Your Payment

Your full retirement age is the age at which you can collect your full benefit amount without any reduction. For people born in 1943 through 1954, full retirement age is 66. For people born between 1955 and 1960, it increases gradually, reaching 67 for those born in 1960 or later. You can find your exact full retirement age on your Social Security statement or by using the calculator on ssa.gov.

If you claim before your full retirement age, your benefit is reduced permanently. The reduction is roughly 6.7 percent per year if you claim one year early, and the penalty grows larger the earlier you claim. If you claim at 62 (the earliest possible age), the reduction is about 30 percent. Conversely, if you delay past your full retirement age, your benefit grows by about 8 percent per year until you reach 70, after which it stops growing. This means claiming at 70 gives you the highest monthly payment, but you receive fewer total payments over your lifetime if you die young.

Spousal and Survivor Benefits

If you are married, divorced, or widowed, you may be able to collect benefits based on your spouse's or ex-spouse's work record, even if you have not worked enough to earn 40 credits yourself. A current spouse can collect up to 50 percent of the worker's full retirement age benefit, and a widow or widower can collect up to 100 percent of what the worker was receiving or may have access to to receive. These benefits have their own age rules and reduction amounts.

Children and grandchildren of a worker who is retired, disabled, or deceased may also collect benefits on that worker's record. A child can collect until age 19 (or 23 if in school full-time), and a disabled child can collect for life. A grandchild can collect only if the worker was providing at least half of the grandchild's support before claiming benefits. These family benefits do not reduce the worker's own payment, but they do count toward a family maximum — typically 150 to 180 percent of the worker's benefit amount.

Work and Earnings Limits Before Full Retirement Age

If you claim Social Security before your full retirement age and continue to work, your benefit will be reduced if your earnings exceed a certain amount. In 2024, the limit is $23,400 per year. For every two dollars you earn above that limit, your benefit is reduced by one dollar. This reduction applies only in the year you claim and in years before you reach your full retirement age. Once you reach your full retirement age, you can earn any amount without a reduction to your benefit.

The earnings limit applies only to wages and self-employment income. It does not include investment income, pensions, annuities, or other non-work income. If you are self-employed, the Social Security Administration counts your net profit from self-employment. This rule can make early claiming less attractive if you plan to keep working, since your benefit reduction might be substantial.

Citizenship and Non-Citizen Status

You do not have to be a U.S. citizen to collect Social Security retirement benefits, but you must have a valid Social Security number and meet the work credit requirement. If you are a non-citizen, you can collect benefits while living outside the United States, with some exceptions. Citizens of certain countries cannot receive benefits while living abroad, though they can collect if they return to the United States. The Social Security Administration maintains a list of these countries on its website.

If you worked in another country and paid into that country's social security system, you may be able to combine credits from both countries under a totalization agreement. The United States has these agreements with about 30 countries. This can help you reach the 40-credit threshold if you would not otherwise may have access to. You can contact the Social Security Administration or the foreign country's social security office to learn whether your work abroad counts.

Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision

If you receive a pension from work where you did not pay Social Security taxes — such as some government jobs — two rules may reduce your Social Security benefits. The Windfall Elimination Provision reduces your retirement or disability benefit if you also receive a government pension. The Government Pension Offset reduces any spousal or survivor benefit you would receive based on someone else's record. These rules do not explore to all government workers, and the reduction depends on your birth year and when you became a government employee.

If you worked for a federal, state, or local government and did not pay Social Security taxes on that job, you should contact the Social Security Administration before you claim to understand how these rules explore to you. The reduction can be substantial, and knowing about it in advance helps you plan when to claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check how many work credits I have?

Yes. Create a my Social Security account on ssa.gov and sign in to view your Social Security statement. It shows the number of credits you have earned and an estimate of your benefit at different ages. You can also call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 to request a statement by mail.

What happens if I do not have 40 work credits?

You cannot collect retirement benefits on your own record. However, you may be able to collect spousal or survivor benefits if you are married, divorced, or widowed to someone who has 40 credits. You can also continue working to earn more credits if you are still in the workforce.

If I claim at 62, can I change my mind later and claim at a higher age?

You can withdraw your claim within 12 months of claiming and repay all benefits you received, which resets your claim date. After 12 months, you cannot withdraw. You can suspend your benefits at your full retirement age and let them grow until 70, but this is different from withdrawing and requires you to have already claimed.

Does my marital status affect my work credits?

No. Your 40 work credits are based only on your own earnings record. Marriage, divorce, and widowhood affect whether you can collect spousal or survivor benefits, but they do not change the credits you have earned.

What if I worked in another country before moving to the United States?

Depending on the country, your work there may count toward the 40-credit requirement under a totalization agreement. Contact the Social Security Administration or the other country's social security office to find out whether your foreign work credits can be combined with your U.S. credits.