Every worker in the United States helps contribute to certain social programs. Both federal and state tax contributions help fund programs like Medicaid for the protection of the general public. One of the most expensive deductions from a worker’s paycheck every week will typically be their contributions to the Social Security program.
Social Security contributions typically result in retirement benefits claims when someone is old enough. However, workers under the age of retirement sometimes require financial support. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are a crucial social safety net for employed Americans who develop medical conditions that keep them from working anymore.
Given that you might be much younger than retirement age when you need to make use of SSDI benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will review how many credits you have accrued when you file a claim. How many credits do most workers need to get benefits?
Most workers need 40 credits
You can accumulate up to four credits a year based on your income. Higher-earning individuals will not have an opportunity of accruing more than four credits in any given ear. To accrue 40 credits, you will typically need to have at least 10 years of work experience and four credits from each year.
The SSA also typically expects that at least half of your credits will be from the last 10 years before you apply. What if you do not have 40 credits yet?
Younger workers can qualify with fewer credits
Someone in their early twenties could suffer a debilitating injury in a car crash or get diagnosed with terminal cancer just like someone in their 50s or early 60s could. Those who are still early in their careers cans potentially qualify for SSDI benefits. Workers under the age of 24 generally only need six credits. Applicants under the age of 31 will typically need to show that they have worked at least half of the time since turning 21 to qualify for SSDI benefits.
The longer you have worked and the more you work each year, the better your chances of qualifying for SSDI benefits when you can no longer perform your job anymore. Learning more about how Social Security disability benefits work can help those who think they need to apply.