How Long Do You Have To Work To Draw Social Security

Most retirees depend on Social Security for at least some of their income. Retirement benefits go available every bit early equally age 62 and are meant to replace about 40% of the money you earned while working. Simply not every senior is automatically entitled to receive them since they're an earned do good.

Social Security benefits are based on your work tape, so you may not qualify for them if you haven't worked and paid into the Social Security system. All current workers demand to know whether they qualify or non, so it'due south helpful to know how long you accept to work to become eligible.

Yous should also know in that location are some circumstances where you can get benefits without the requisite work record, or even if you've never worked at all.

Older working woman stocking shelves.

Prototype source: Getty Images.

How long you must work for Social Security retirement benefits

To qualify for Social Security, you demand to earn xl work credits. You earn a work credit when you pay Social Security taxes on a set corporeality of money. In 2020, for example, you become one credit for each $1,410 in earnings subject to Social Security tax.

You're allowed to earn a maximum of four credits per year, regardless of how high your total bacon is. That means you lot have to work for at to the lowest degree 10 years and earn the maximum number of work credits during each of them to qualify for Social Security retirement income.

If you work for the minimum x years, your benefits likely won't be very high, since the amount you receive is based on boilerplate wages over your 35 highest-earning years after adjusting for inflation. You lot'd have 25 years of $0 wages factored in if yous worked for only a decade. Only there is a Social Security minimum do good to ensure most retirees get at least enough coin to stay out of poverty.

Y'all may be able to qualify on a spouse's work history if non your own

If you don't have a long enough work history to go benefits, it's possible you'll be entitled to receive Social Security on your spouse'due south work history.

Spousal benefits are available if you lot're married, or divorced afterwards at least 10 years of wedlock. They entitle you to receive up to 50% of your spouse'due south do good. If your current or former spouse has passed away, you lot may besides be able to merits survivors benefits.

Don't assume you won't become benefits just because you lot didn't work. Spousal or survivors benefits tin provide thousands of dollars a yr in almanac income if you're entitled to them every bit a retiree.

Make sure you lot understand how Social Security benefits piece of work

If you'll need to claim Social Security benefits on your own work history, it'southward very important yous piece of work long plenty (and pay into the system long enough) to earn a sufficient number of work credits.

If y'all tin't qualify on your ain record, you lot should also know your rights when it comes to spousal and survivors benefits so you don't turn down retirement income that could be available to you.

Y'all tin can check with the Social Security Administration to find out about your options for claiming benefits and can review your work record online at mySocialSecurity. If you're still not sure what benefits you're entitled to, talking to a financial adviser may be worth it.