In the United States, Social Security benefits play an important role in supporting people during retirement. But to receive these benefits, there’s a basic rule everyone needs to understand: you must earn Social Security credits during your working life.
These credits are proof that you’ve worked and paid taxes into the system, and they help decide if you qualify for retirement, disability, Medicare, or survivor benefits. It’s not just about age—it’s about how much you’ve contributed over the years.
To qualify for retirement benefits, you need at least 40 Social Security credits. Most people earn these credits automatically while working, but not everyone realizes how the system works. In simple terms, for every year you work and earn a minimum amount, you can get up to four credits.
You don’t need to work all year round to earn them—you just need to earn enough. In 2025, for example, you get one credit for every $1,810 you earn. So if you make $7,240 or more in that year, you’ll get the full four credits.
Now, it’s important to know that the number of credits you earn doesn’t affect how much money you’ll get from Social Security. These credits are only about eligibility.
What affects your benefit amount is how much you earned over your entire career. The Social Security Administration, or SSA, calculates your monthly benefit based on your highest-earning years. That’s why steady and consistent income can make a big difference when it comes to your final retirement benefit.
To find out how many Social Security credits you have, you can go online and open a free account on the official SSA website. It’s called ‘My Social Security.’ Once you log in, you can check your full earnings record, your current credit count, and even get estimates of how much you’ll receive when you retire.
For people over the age of 60 who can’t use online tools easily, the SSA mails a printed statement around three months before their birthday each year. This statement contains all the key details about their credits and estimated benefits.
The SSA started keeping track of Social Security credits in the current system in 1978. Since then, every working person has had the chance to earn a maximum of four credits per year.
This makes it fairly straightforward—if you work full-time for 10 years and earn the required amount each year, you’ll hit the 40-credit mark. That’s why many people become eligible for benefits even if they stop working at a relatively young age.
Still, just because you hit 40 credits doesn’t mean you’ll get a large benefit. Your payment will still depend on your actual earnings. For example, if you had jobs that paid less or if you had gaps in your working life where you didn’t earn much, your Social Security check may be lower.
On the other hand, someone who earned a good salary over several decades will likely receive higher monthly benefits.
In 2025, retirees who choose to claim their Social Security benefits early, starting at age 62, can expect to receive an average of about $2,831 per month. However, that amount increases if they wait longer.
If they delay retirement until the full retirement age of 67, the monthly benefit goes up to around $3,822. And if they wait until age 70, they can receive a maximum benefit of $5,108 per month. That’s a huge difference and is one reason why many financial advisors suggest waiting longer, if possible, to start collecting Social Security.
Planning for retirement can feel confusing, especially with so many numbers and rules involved. But understanding how credits work is a good starting point.
Think of Social Security credits as stepping stones—once you have enough, you can cross the bridge into eligibility. After that, your lifetime earnings determine the size of your benefit. This makes it important to stay informed and regularly check your SSA account to avoid surprises later.
One thing people often ask is whether Social Security credits ever expire. The short answer is no. Once you earn a credit, it’s yours forever. However, some benefits, like disability, have stricter rules.
To qualify for disability benefits, you may need to have worked more recently. But for retirement benefits, as long as you’ve earned your 40 credits at any point in life, you’re eligible.
Another question is what happens if you worked in jobs that didn’t pay into Social Security. For example, some government employees or teachers may be part of separate retirement systems.
In these cases, you might not earn credits from that job, and your benefits might be affected. The SSA does have rules in place to adjust for this, so it’s a good idea to talk to a Social Security expert if you’re in that situation.
If you’ve worked in multiple jobs, including part-time, self-employment, or gig work like driving for Uber or freelancing online, those earnings can also count toward your credits.
But make sure you report all income properly and pay the right taxes. If your earnings aren’t recorded, you might miss out on credits you’ve earned.
To sum it up, Social Security credits are like your ticket to retirement benefits. You need at least 40 of them to qualify, and you can earn up to four per year based on how much money you make.
These credits don’t decide how much you’ll receive—they just determine whether you’re eligible. The amount you get depends on your average lifetime earnings. You can easily check your credits and benefits online through your SSA account, and staying on top of this information will help you plan better for your future.
So, whether you’re just starting your career or already close to retirement, it’s smart to keep an eye on your Social Security status. Make sure your income is properly reported, try to maintain steady earnings, and decide when to retire based on what will give you the most financial security. With a little effort and planning, you can make the most of your hard-earned benefits.