The Basic Credit Requirement
To receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must have earned enough work credits during your working years. A work credit is a record that you worked and paid Social Security taxes. You earn one credit for every $1,550 of wages you earned in 2024 (this amount changes each year). You can earn a maximum of four credits per year, no matter how much you earn.
The total number of credits you need depends on your age when your disability began. Most people under 62 need 40 credits total, with at least 20 of those credits earned in the 10 years before you became disabled. If you became disabled before age 24, the rules are different and require fewer credits.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps a record of your work credits based on the taxes you and your employers paid. You do not have to do anything to "earn" a credit beyond working and having taxes withheld — the SSA tracks this automatically.
Key Takeaways
- Most people need 40 work credits total, with at least 20 earned in the 10 years before disability began.
- You earn one credit for every $1,550 of wages in 2024, and you can earn up to four credits per year.
- The dollar amount needed per credit increases each year, so the threshold will be higher in 2025 and beyond.
- If you became disabled before age 24, you may need as few as 6 credits, depending on your exact age.
- You can check your work credit record by creating a my Social Security account or requesting a Statement of Earnings from SSA.
Credit Requirements by Age at Disability
The number of credits you need is tied to how old you were when your disability started. This is because the SSA assumes younger workers have had less time to build up a work history.
| Age When Disability Began | Total Credits Needed | Credits Needed in Last 10 Years |
|---|---|---|
| 31 or older | 40 | 20 |
| 24 to 30 | 20 | 20 |
| 22 to 23 | 12 | 12 |
| 20 to 21 | 8 | 8 |
| Before age 20 | 6 | 6 |
The "last 10 years" means the 10-year period ending when your disability began. If you were 35 when you became disabled, you need 20 of your 40 credits to have been earned between ages 25 and 35. Credits earned before age 25 do not count toward this requirement, even though they count toward your total of 40.
How the Dollar Amount Per Credit Changes Each Year
The amount of wages you must earn to get one credit is adjusted annually based on the national average wage. In 2024, you need $1,550 in wages to earn one credit. In 2023, it was $1,470. In 2022, it was $1,510.
This means the threshold will be different in 2025 and beyond. The SSA announces the new amount each October for the following year. If you are working now, you should know the current year's amount so you can track your progress toward four credits. If you worked in past years, the SSA uses the threshold that was in effect during the year you earned those wages.
You do not need to calculate this yourself. The SSA maintains your complete record and will tell you exactly how many credits you have earned when you request a Statement of Earnings or check your my Social Security account.
Checking Your Work Credit Record
Before you file for SSDI, you should verify that the SSA has your work credits on record correctly. Errors can happen — a former employer may have reported your wages under the wrong name or Social Security number, or wages may not have been reported at all.
The fastest way to check is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Once you log in, you can view your Statement of Earnings, which lists every year you worked and how much you earned. This statement also shows how many credits you have earned to date. You can print it or save it as a PDF.
If you do not want to create an online account, you can request a Statement of Earnings by mail. Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask them to mail you a form SSA-7050-F4. Fill it out and mail it back. The SSA will send you your statement in the mail within two to four weeks.
If you find an error — missing wages, wages under the wrong name, or a year that should have been reported but was not — contact the SSA when ready. You will need to provide proof of the wages, such as old tax returns, W-2 forms, or a letter from your former employer. The SSA can correct the record, but you must report the error within a certain time frame, so do not delay.
What Happens If You Do Not Have Enough Credits
If you do not have enough work credits when you file for SSDI, your case will be denied. The SSA will send you a notice explaining how many credits you have and how many you need. You cannot receive SSDI until you have earned the required number of credits.
If you are still working, you may be able to earn more credits and reapply later. Each year you work and earn the threshold amount, you add up to four more credits to your record. If you become disabled again in the future after earning more credits, you could then meet the requirement.
If you cannot work and do not have enough credits for SSDI, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead. SSI is a needs-based program that does not require work credits — it is based on your current income and resources. You can explore whether SSI might be available to you by contacting the SSA or visiting ssa.gov.
Credits for Self-Employed Workers
If you are self-employed, you earn work credits the same way as wage earners — based on the net profit from your business. You must pay self-employment tax to earn credits. For 2024, you need $1,550 in net self-employment income to earn one credit, the same threshold as wage earners.
Self-employed workers often have irregular income, so it is especially important to keep good records of your business earnings. When you file your federal income tax return, you report your net profit on Schedule C (or Schedule C-EZ). The SSA uses your tax return to determine how many credits you earned that year.
If you had a year with very low or no net profit, you will not earn credits for that year, even if you were working. This is why self-employed workers sometimes have gaps in their credit record. When you check your Statement of Earnings, you will see which years had reported income and which did not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use credits from work I did outside the United States?
Yes, if you worked in a country that has a Social Security agreement with the United States, those credits may count. The SSA has agreements with about 30 countries. You will need to provide proof of your work history in that country, such as tax records or a letter from your former employer. Contact the SSA to find out whether your country has an agreement.
What if I worked for a railroad instead of regular employment?
Railroad workers have a separate system called the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). If you worked for a railroad, your credits are tracked by the RRB, not the SSA. You will need to contact the RRB directly to check your record and file for disability benefits. The credit requirements are similar but not identical to SSDI.
Do credits expire or go away after a certain time?
No. Once you earn a work credit, it stays on your record permanently. You do not lose credits if you stop working or if many years pass. However, the "20 credits in the last 10 years" requirement means that recent work is what matters most for SSDI purposes.
If I was born before 1929, are the credit rules different?
Yes. If you were born before January 2, 1929, you may be able to receive SSDI with fewer credits than the standard rules require. Contact the SSA directly to learn what applies to you, as these rules are complex and vary by birth year.
Can my spouse's or parent's work credits count toward my SSDI?
No. SSDI is based only on your own work record. However, if you do not have enough credits for SSDI, you may be able to receive benefits on a family member's record if they are receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits. This is a different program and has different rules — contact the SSA to explore whether this might explore to you.