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.

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.

age 60 or older. age 50 or older and have a disability. divorced from you, age 60 or older (or age 50 and have a disability), and were married to you for at least 10 years prior to your divorce.

Depending on your income, you can earn up to four credits a year. In 2024, workers earn one Social Security and Medicare credit for $1,730 in covered earnings. Under the five-year rule, people 31 and older must have worked at least five out of the last 10 years to be eligible for SSDI.

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.

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.

Some American workers do not qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Workers who don't accrue the requisite 40 credits (roughly 10 years of employment) are not eligible for Social Security. Some government and railroad employees are not eligible for Social Security.

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.

Just because you don't bring home a paycheck doesn't mean you're not working. A stay-at-home parent can get a Social Security check just like any other worker.

About 4 percent of the aged population never receives Social Security benefits. These never-beneficiaries include higher proportions of women, Hispanics, immigrants, the never-married, and the widowed than the beneficiary population; never-beneficiaries are also comparatively less educated.

Which 3 types of people receive Social Security benefits? ›

Social Security is based on a simple concept: While you work, you pay taxes into the Social Security system, and when you retire or become disabled, you, your spouse, and your dependent children receive monthly benefits that are based on your reported earnings.

What income counts…and when do we count it? If you work for someone else, only your wages count toward Social Security's earnings limits. If you're self-employed, we count only your net earnings from self-employment.

If you haven't worked and paid Social Security taxes for 10 years or more, we'll still see if you're eligible for a monthly benefit based on a current or former spouse's work. The requirements vary based on whether you're married, divorced, or widowed.

Your benefits last as long as you live. Taking benefits before your full retirement age (as early as age 62) lowers the amount you get each month. Delaying benefits past full retirement age (up to age 70) increases the monthly amount for the rest of your life.

When you reach age 70, your monthly benefit stops increasing even if you continue to delay taking benefits. If you decide to delay your retirement, be sure to sign up for Medicare at age 65. In some circ*mstances, medical insurance costs more if you delay applying for it.

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).

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.

You cannot get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits on your own work record if you don't have enough work credits, but you might qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. While the SSDI program requires applicants to meet a work credits requirement, the SSI program does not.