Social Security has different rules for different types of benefits

Social Security is not one program with one set of rules. The Social Security Administration runs several separate benefit programs, and each one has its own requirements for who can receive payments. You might be may be able to access for retirement benefits at a different age than your spouse, or may be able to access for disability benefits while you are still working. Understanding which program you might may have access to for depends on your age, your work history, and your current situation.

The most common path is retirement benefits, which you can claim as early as age 62. But there are also benefits for people who cannot work due to disability, for surviving family members after a worker dies, and for spouses and children of workers who are already receiving benefits. Each path has different requirements, and some people are may be able to access for more than one type of benefit at the same time.

Key Takeaways

  • Retirement benefits require you to have worked and paid Social Security taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters), though you can claim as early as age 62.
  • Disability benefits do not require you to reach retirement age, but you must have a medical condition that prevents you from working and expect it to last at least 12 months or result in death.
  • Survivors benefits go to your spouse, children, or parents if you die, and they do not need to have worked themselves to receive them.
  • Your benefit amount depends on how much you earned during your working years and when you claim, not on how much you need the money.
  • You can check your work record and see an estimate of your future benefits by creating an account on ssa.gov.

Retirement benefits: age and work history requirements

To receive Social Security retirement benefits, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for at least 10 years total. The Social Security Administration counts this in quarters — you need 40 quarters of coverage, and you can earn up to four quarters per year. This means someone who worked full-time for 10 years will meet this requirement, but someone who worked part-time might need more years to reach 40 quarters.

You can claim retirement benefits as early as age 62, but your monthly payment will be smaller than if you wait. If you claim at your full retirement age — which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year — you receive your full benefit amount. If you wait until age 70, your benefit increases by about 8 percent for each year you delay. There is no financial advantage to waiting past 70.

You do not have to stop working to claim retirement benefits, but if you claim before your full retirement age and earn more than a certain amount from work, the Social Security Administration will reduce your benefits temporarily. Once you reach your full retirement age, there is no earnings limit and your benefits do not decrease no matter how much you earn.

Disability benefits: medical requirements and work history

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is for people who cannot work because of a medical condition. Unlike retirement benefits, you do not have to be a certain age to claim disability. However, you do need to have worked recently enough and long enough to have earned enough credits. The exact number of credits required depends on your age when you become disabled, but generally younger workers need fewer credits than older workers.

Your medical condition must be severe enough that it prevents you from doing any substantial work, and it must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. The Social Security Administration does not straightforward take your word for this — they will ask for medical evidence from your doctors, including test results, treatment records, and statements about what you can and cannot do physically or mentally. If your condition improves and you return to work, your benefits can stop.

There is also a program called Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for people with disabilities or blindness who have very limited income and resources, regardless of work history. SSI has strict limits on how much money and property you can own — the resource limit is currently $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple — and it counts income from many sources, including some types of support from family members.

Survivors benefits: who receives them after a worker dies

When a worker who paid Social Security taxes dies, their family members may be able to receive survivors benefits. These benefits go to the worker's spouse (at any age if caring for a child under 16, or at age 60 or older), their children under age 19 (or 19 if still in high school), and their parents age 62 or older if the worker was supporting them. The family members do not need to have worked themselves to receive these benefits.

The total amount paid to all family members combined cannot exceed a certain percentage of what the worker was earning — usually between 150 and 180 percent of the worker's benefit amount. This means if multiple family members are receiving benefits, each person's individual payment may be smaller than the worker's own benefit would have been.

A surviving spouse can also receive benefits at a reduced rate as early as age 50 if they are disabled, even if they are not caring for a child. The rules for survivors benefits are complex and depend on the exact relationship to the deceased worker and the worker's age at death.

Spousal and family benefits while the worker is alive

If you are married to someone who is receiving or has claimed Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you may be able to receive benefits on their work record. A spouse can claim benefits at age 62 or older, or at any age if caring for a child under 16. The spousal benefit is typically up to 50 percent of the worker's full retirement age benefit amount, but it is reduced if you claim before your own full retirement age.

Children of a worker receiving benefits can also receive benefits on that worker's record if they are under age 19 (or 19 if still in high school), or age 19 or older if they were disabled before age 22. Like survivors benefits, the total paid to the whole family is limited, so each person's payment depends on how many other family members are also receiving benefits.

If you are divorced, you may be able to receive benefits on your ex-spouse's work record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, you are age 62 or older, and you are not currently married. You do not need your ex-spouse's permission to claim these benefits, and claiming on their record does not reduce the amount they receive.

How to check your work record and see your benefit estimate

The Social Security Administration maintains a record of your earnings and the taxes you have paid. You can see this record and get an estimate of your future benefits by creating a "my Social Security" account on ssa.gov. You will need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, and email address, and you may need to answer security questions to verify your identity.

Once you have an account, you can see your earnings history year by year, check how many quarters of coverage you have earned, and see estimates of what your retirement, disability, and survivors benefits would be. The estimates assume you continue to work and earn at your current rate until retirement age. If you see an error in your earnings record, you can report it through your account or by contacting Social Security directly.

You should review your earnings record every few years to make sure it is accurate. If you worked under a different name or Social Security number at any point, make sure all of your earnings are being credited to your current number. Errors in your record can result in a lower benefit amount, and it is easier to correct them while you are still working than after you have claimed benefits.

Special situations: government employees, non-citizens, and others

Some government employees, particularly those hired before a certain date, may not have paid Social Security taxes and therefore may not be may be able to access for Social Security benefits based on their government work. However, if they also worked in jobs covered by Social Security, they may still be may be able to access based on that work. There are also special rules that can reduce benefits for people who receive government pensions.

Non-citizens can receive Social Security benefits if they have worked and paid taxes long enough to earn the required credits, just like citizens. However, there are restrictions on how long non-citizens can receive benefits while living outside the United States, and some non-citizens may not be able to receive certain types of benefits. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you should contact Social Security directly to understand how the rules explore to you.

If you are in prison or on parole for a felony conviction, you cannot receive Social Security benefits. Benefits can resume if you are released. If you are receiving benefits and are convicted of a crime, you should report this to Social Security, as continuing to receive benefits while incarcerated is considered fraud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive Social Security if I did not work for 10 years?

Not for retirement benefits based on your own work record. However, you may be able to receive spousal or survivors benefits if you are married to or were married to someone who worked long enough, or if you are the child or parent of a worker. You might also may have access to for Supplemental Security Income if you have a disability and limited income and resources.

What happens to my Social Security if I move to another country?

If you are a U.S. citizen, you can receive Social Security benefits while living abroad. If you are not a U.S. citizen, there are restrictions — you generally cannot receive benefits while outside the United States for more than six months in a row, though there are exceptions for certain countries. Contact Social Security before you move to understand how the rules explore to you.

Can I claim disability benefits if I am still working?

You cannot receive SSDI if you are doing substantial work, which Social Security defines as earning more than a certain monthly amount (this amount changes each year). However, there is a trial work period that allows you to test your ability to work while still receiving benefits. If you return to work and your earnings exceed the limit, your benefits will stop, but you may be able to restart them if you stop working again.

How much will my benefit be?

Your benefit amount is based on your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for inflation. It is not based on how much you need or how much you have saved. You can see an estimate by logging into your my Social Security account on ssa.gov. The estimate will show different amounts depending on what age you claim — claiming earlier means a smaller monthly payment, and claiming later means a larger one.

Do I need to claim Social Security as soon as I am may be able to access?

No. You can claim anytime between age 62 and age 70 for retirement benefits. Waiting longer means a higher monthly payment for the rest of your life. There is no advantage to waiting past 70. If you are still working and earning a high income, you might want to wait to avoid the earnings limit that reduces benefits for people under full retirement age.