Navigating the world of Social Security work credits can be confusing, especially when it comes to understanding how they impact your eligibility for disability benefits.
Work credits play a crucial role in determining whether you qualify for Social Security Disability or retirement benefits. The rules for earning these credits vary depending on whether you work in the U.S. or abroad, are self-employed, or work for the federal government.
In this article, we’ll break down how Social Security work credits work, how you can earn them, and the different factors that can affect your eligibility.
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In this article about Social Security work credits:
What are Social Security work credits?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses work credits to keep track of how much you’ve worked and paid into Social Security through your payroll taxes. The SSA also uses your work credits to determine whether you’ve worked long enough to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. You earn these credits as you work and pay Social Security taxes.
In 2025, you can earn one work credit for every $1,810 that you earn, with a maximum of four credits per year. After you’ve earned $7,240, you’ve hit the cap for the year.
The amount of earnings needed for credits rises with inflation each year. However, the work credits you’ve already earned will remain on your record regardless of job changes or temporary lack of income.
Understanding work credits is only a part of the big picture. You earn those credits by paying into the system. That’s where Social Security payroll taxes, also called FICA, come in. These taxes fund the program and play a key role in determining your eligibility for benefits.
What are Social Security payroll taxes?
Your employer takes Social Security payroll taxes from your paycheck and sends them to the Social Security trust fund. You’ll see this deduction labeled as “FICA” on your pay stubs.
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) requires employers to withhold taxes from your paycheck to help fund both Social Security and Medicare. These programs provide benefits for retirees, people with disabilities, and children. In 2025, approximately 6.2% of your gross wages go to this Social Security tax, while about 1.45% goes toward Medicare tax. Typically, your employer will match these percentages for a total of 15.3%, or broken down more, 12.4% for Social Security tax and 2.9% for Medicare.
What type of work counts toward earning Social Security work credits?
Most jobs that deduct federal taxes will also count toward earning Social Security work credits. However, some types of employment follow different rules. The SSA has special guidelines for certain professions, including federal employees, self-employed individuals, and people working abroad.
Federal employees
For federal employees, the federal government offers its own retirement program. Working for the government may affect how much you receive in Social Security benefits.
If you worked for the federal government before 1984, your Social Security record likely doesn’t include those earnings. At the time, the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) covered most federal workers and didn’t require them to pay Social Security taxes.
Since 1984, the federal government has covered most employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), which includes Social Security. So, if you’re under FERS, your federal work counts toward your Social Security benefits.
Self-employed workers
If you’re self-employed, you must report your net earnings to the SSA and the IRS. For Social Security purposes, your net earnings are your total income from your business minus any allowable business expenses and depreciation.
When calculating your net earnings for Social Security, do not include:
- Dividends or bond interest, unless you’re in the business of dealing in stocks or securities
- Interest from loans, unless your primary business is lending money
- Rental income, unless you’re a real estate dealer or you provide substantial services for tenants
- Income from a limited partnership
For more information on reporting your self-employment earnings, click here.
U.S. citizens working abroad
If you worked outside the United States during your career, both the U.S. and a foreign social security system may cover your employment. Normally, this would mean paying Social Security taxes to both countries. However, the U.S. has agreements with many countries to avoid this kind of double taxation, so you only pay into one system. These agreements can also help with earning Social Security credits while working abroad, which may count toward your eligibility for U.S. benefits.
These international agreements are especially helpful for people who have worked in both countries but haven’t earned enough credits in either system to qualify for benefits on their own. In these cases, the U.S. can count your foreign work credits to help you meet the requirements for Social Security benefits.
If you already have enough U.S. credits to qualify, the SSA won’t use your foreign credits. But if needed, the SSA will use your combined work history to calculate a partial U.S. benefit based on how long you paid into the U.S. system.
Foreign work credits don’t transfer to the U.S. — they remain in your record with the other country. As a result, you may be eligible to receive separate benefit payments from both countries.
How many work credits do I need to be eligible for SSDI?
The number of work credits you’ll need for SSDI is based on your age and when you became disabled. You must also meet the requirements for a recent work test and a duration work test.
The number of work credits you need to meet the recent work test depends on the age at which you become disabled. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Before age 24: You may qualify if you’ve earned six credits in the three years before your disability began.
- Ages 24 to 31: You generally need to have worked and earned credits for about half the time between age 21 and the age you became disabled. For example, if you become disabled at age 27, you would need 12 credits (equivalent to three years of work) earned within the past six years.
- Age 31 or older: You typically need at least 20 credits earned in the 10 years immediately before your disability began.
The table below shows how many years of work an applicant generally needs to meet the duration of work test, based on the age at which their disability began. You can earn these credits at any time during your work history, and they don’t need to fall within a specific period, unlike the recent work test.
| Age you developed a disability | Years of work you will need |
|---|---|
| 30 | 2 |
| 34 | 3 |
| 38 | 4 |
| 42 | 5 |
| 44 | 5.5 |
| 46 | 6 |
| 48 | 6.5 |
| 50 | 7 |
| 52 | 7.5 |
| 54 | 8 |
| 56 | 8.5 |
| 58 | 9 |
| 60 | 9.5 |
| 62 and older | 10 |
How Woods & Woods can help
Having a disability shouldn’t mean losing your peace of mind. At Woods & Woods, we help individuals with disabilities connect with legal help. If you’re seeking SSDI benefits, call us today for a free case evaluation.
Claim what you worked for.
Frequently asked questions
The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses your work credits to track your work history and determine your eligibility for benefits like SSDI or retirement. The number of work credits you earn depends on your income and how long you’ve paid into the system through payroll taxes.
You can earn Social Security work credits while working abroad if a U.S. agreement covers your employment in that foreign country. These international agreements allow you to use your foreign work credits toward your eligibility for U.S. Social Security benefits.
Lori Underwood
Lori Underwood received her law degree from Northern Kentucky University. She previously practiced Social Security disability and personal injury law and was a juvenile court attorney.
She has been an attorney at
Woods & Woods since 2014.
