You Can Collect Social Security Benefits Even If You’ve Never Worked | Greeman Toomey, PLLC (2024)

FAQs

Do you qualify for Social Security if you never worked? ›

But even if you never worked and therefore don't have an earnings record, you're not necessarily out of luck. If you're married (or were married) to someone who's entitled to Social Security, you can collect spousal benefits equal to 50% of your husband or wife's benefits at full retirement age.

People who have never worked may worry that they can't get disability payments through social security. They are correct in that they will not qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI. SSDI is available and intended for people who earned credits by working and paying Social Security taxes.

In 2022, you can earn one credit for each $1,510 in income, and you can receive a maximum of four credits per year. Since you must work to pay into the program, you can't claim SSDI benefits if you have never worked.

Learn more about credits at www.ssa.gov/planners/credits.html. Although you need at least 10 years of work (40 credits) to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, we base the amount of your benefit on your highest 35 years of earnings.

For a spouse who is not entitled to benefits on his or her own earnings record, this reduction factor is applied to the base spousal benefit, which is 50 percent of the worker's primary insurance amount.

If you've never worked, you may still be eligible for free Medicare through your spouse or if you have certain medical conditions or disabilities. You may also get coverage by paying monthly premiums. Most Medicare beneficiaries don't pay a premium for Medicare Part A (hospital coverage).

Social Security's special minimum benefit pays at least $49.40 per month in 2023 and $50.90 in 2024. Social Security's special minimum benefit tops out at $1,033.50 per month in 2023 and $1,066.50 in 2024. You'll receive 100% of the benefit if you file at full retirement age or later.

The number of credits does not affect the amount of benefits you receive. We use the number of credits you've earned to determine your eligibility for retirement or disability benefits, Medicare, and your family's eligibility for survivors benefits. We cannot pay benefits to you if you don't have enough credits.

What Is the Most Approved Disability? Arthritis and other musculoskeletal system disabilities make up the most commonly approved conditions for social security disability benefits.

Some government and railroad employees are not eligible for Social Security. American expatriates retiring in certain countries—and some retired immigrants to the U.S.—can't collect Social Security benefits. Divorced spouses married for fewer than 10 years cannot claim benefits based on the earnings of their ex-spouse.

At what age do you get 100% of your Social Security? ›

The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960 until it reaches 67. For anyone born 1960 or later, full retirement benefits are payable at age 67.

If you become disabled before your full retirement age, you might qualify for Social Security disability benefits. You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five of the last 10 years.

The only people who can legally collect benefits without paying into Social Security are family members of workers who have done so. Nonworking spouses, ex-spouses, offspring or parents may be eligible for spousal, survivor or children's benefits based on the qualifying worker's earnings record.

A stay-at-home parent can get a Social Security check just like any other worker. Here's how. In order to qualify for a full Social Security benefit, you have to have worked 40 quarters, which equates to 10 years, earning a minimum of at least $1,640 per quarter.

The average response time for the SSA to reach a decision after you apply for SSDI benefits is three to four months, but this time period could be extended to up to eight months. Reconsideration. If the SSA denies your request for benefits, you will need to file a request for reconsideration of their decision.

If you stop work before you start receiving benefits and you have less than 35 years of earnings, your benefit amount is affected. We use a zero for each year without earnings when we calculate the amount of retirement benefits you are due. Years with no earnings reduces your retirement benefit amount.

If you've recently lost your job and are nearing retirement age, you may be eligible to collect benefits. You could apply for unemployment and Social Security and receive both at the same time. Unemployment benefits are distributed to workers who have lost their financial support and meet certain requirements.

If you don't have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits on your spouse's record. To qualify for spouse's benefits, you must be one of the following: 62 years of age or older.