Work Credits for SSDI in 2025: To get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), people need to earn a certain number of Social Security credits. These credits are gained by working and paying Social Security taxes. These credits help determine if you are eligible for various benefits, like retirement, disability, or survivors’ benefits. having the required number of credits does not automatically decide how much you will receive in benefits.
How to Earn Social Security Credits
Since 1978, people can earn up to four credits each year. The number of credits you get depends on how much you earn, not how long you work. In 2025, for every $1,810 you earn, you get one credit. To get the maximum four credits in a year, you would need to earn a total of $7,240.
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To qualify for SSDI, a person must earn a total of 40 credits during their working life. Since you can only earn four credits per year, it takes about 10 years of work to reach the 40 credits needed. However, there are exceptions based on your age and the length of your work history.
If you become disabled before 24, you only need six credits, which must be earned in the three years before the disability. If you are 31 or older when you become disabled, you need at least 20 credits earned in the 10 years before the disability. For someone who becomes disabled at 60, they need at least 9.5 years of work history.
Once you earn Social Security credits, they stay on your record, even if you stop working for a while or have a break in earnings. The earnings needed to get credits usually go up every year, based on how wages increase across the country.
Survivors’ Benefits and Social Security Credits
The system for survivors’ benefits is like SSDI. When a spouse passes away before they could start claiming their Social Security benefits but had paid Social Security taxes, their family may still be able to receive survivors’ benefits.
How to Appeal a Denial of Social Security Benefits?
The number of credits needed for survivors’ benefits depends on the age of the person who passed away. Sometimes the deceased person’s family needs up to 10 years of work history for eligibility. Survivors who may qualify for benefits include:
- A surviving spouse who is either at full retirement age or has reached age 60, a disabled surviving spouse who can receive benefits from age 50, or a surviving spouse who cares for a child under 16 or a disabled child.
- Unmarried children under 18 (or up to 19 if they are still in school) and disabled adult children whose condition started before age 22 may also receive survivors’ benefits. In some cases, dependent parents who are 62 or older may be eligible for benefits as well.
