Social Security is a vital financial lifeline for millions of Americans, providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. But to receive payments, most individuals must meet specific work and contribution requirements.
How Social Security eligibility works
Social Security is primarily an earned benefit system. Workers qualify by paying payroll taxes over their careers. Typically, a worker needs 40 credits—earned by working and paying taxes for about 10 years—to be eligible for retirement benefits.
Credits accumulate based on earnings. In 2024, workers earned one credit for every $1,730 in income, up to four credits per year. Benefits depend not only on the number of credits but also on lifetime earnings and the age benefits are claimed.
Family members may qualify without working
Certain family members can receive benefits based on someone else’s work record, even if they never paid into Social Security themselves. These include:
- Spouses: A nonworking spouse may receive up to 50% of a working spouse’s full retirement benefit.
- Divorced spouses: Eligible if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and the applicant has not remarried.
- Survivors: Widows, widowers, children, and in some cases dependent parents may receive survivor benefits based on a deceased worker’s earnings.
These payments help families maintain financial stability even if some members have no work history.
Immigrants and Social Security eligibility
Legal immigrants who live and work in the U.S. are eligible for Social Security benefits once they meet the same credit requirements as citizens. They contribute through payroll taxes and can claim benefits after earning enough credits.
Undocumented workers, despite often paying payroll taxes with invalid or borrowed Social Security numbers, are not eligible to receive benefits. A 2024 report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found undocumented workers contributed $25.7 billion to the Social Security trust fund in 2022 without access to future benefits.
Special rules for disabled workers
Younger individuals who become disabled may qualify for benefits with fewer credits. For example, a worker who becomes disabled at age 24 may need only six credits earned over the prior three years.
Key takeaway
While most Social Security recipients must have a work history, certain family members and disabled workers can still qualify under special rules. Social Security remains an earned benefit, designed to protect not only workers but also their families.