Check your eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits if you have never collected these payments and you would like to start receiving them after the summer. Receiving these monthly checks or direct deposits will be a great way to supplement your income and earnings once you stop working. For your information, the key requirements are several.
In the first place, you must be at least 62 years old to collect Social Security retirement benefits in the United States. Not all 62-year-olds can claim retirement benefits because they need to have paid taxes to the SSA and earned enough work credits. So, if you have never worked, you cannot get these payments on your record.
Years worked to get Social Security
The number of years worked to collect Social Security retirement benefits is at least 10. That means you must have earned a minimum of 40 work credits. Each year, you can earn a maximum of 4 work credits.
To get 1 single work credit, you must have covered earnings. It is necessary to have $1,810 in covered earnings to get one work credit in 2025. This amount of money will increase next year due to inflation and COLA.
Thus, a worker will need to have $7,240 in covered earnings to get 4 work credits in 2025. But how can you know if you qualify for Social Security retirement benefits after the summer?
Social Security online interview
This online interview will only take 10 minutes and it is available at: https://www.ssa.gov/prepare/check-eligibility-for-benefits. Remember that sometimes you may not be able to work due to a disability, thus, you could apply for Disability Insurance instead of retirement benefits because you are not 62 years old yet.
Spouses and children may also get benefits on your record. What is more, if you have a limited income, you may also qualify for Supplemental Security Income. Depending on your answers to the online interview, you will find out the benefits you may qualify for.
Once you click on the “Start” button, select “An Adult (age 18 and over)”. Then, enter your date of birth. This must be done using the month, day, year (MM DD YYYY) format.
Say if you have paid Social Security taxes or not, if you did so for 10 years or more, if you can’t work because of a disability, your marital status, and if you have little or no income.
Finally, this Social Security tool will let you know the benefits you may be eligible for. So, it may not just be retirement. Some recipients may qualify for Medicare or Supplemental Security Income.
Another great way to see the possible payment amounts in retirement is to download an SSA Statement. It will show you a great deal of information about benefits, eligibility, and payment amounts by age.
