The Social Security Administration will not pay any retirement benefits unless you qualify. Thousands of workers expect a check or direct deposit once they reach the right age.
However, if you worked for just ten years or more in jobs not covered by Social Security, you cannot receive any retirement payments. Generally, a worker may qualify if they worked for at least ten years in jobs covered by SSA.
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That is why it is so important to know how Social Security works. Citizens who did not earn enough money in 10 years of work may not qualify for retirement benefits either.
EARN 40 WORK CREDITS
The Social Security Administration requires workers to earn at least 40 work credits. Otherwise, they cannot qualify for payments as a retiree. Then, they must apply for alternative benefits like SNAP or SSI.
For your information, a worker can earn 4 work credits per year. To get 1 single work credit in 2024, you must have $1,730 of earnings. In total, a worker will need to earn $6,920 in 2024 to get the maximum number of credits per year.
Do not forget that getting work credits becomes more expensive over time. Inflation and the Cost of Living Adjustment affect the quarter of coverage amount.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I QUALIFY FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS IN THE USA?
The easiest way to know if you qualify for Social Security is to download an annual Statement. Once you get it, you can learn the possible future amounts at different ages.
What is more, you may be eligible for SSDI disability benefits. Sometimes your spouse or children may be eligible for benefits on your record. That information will be provided on your annual Statement.
Another possibility is to use a retirement benefit calculator tool, but you could make mistakes if the information you enter is not accurate. To get your statement you will need a my Social Security account. Visit https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/statement.html to get one.