When you apply for SSDI, one of the eligibility criteria you must meet includes having sufficient work credits. Here’s what you need to know about this requirement.
Understanding Work Credits
Work credits represent one eligibility criterion for Social Security benefits, including retirement and disability insurance benefits. A person earns work credits when they work in a job that pays income taxable by Social Security, earning a credit when they receive a minimum amount of taxable income. The income needed to earn a work credit increases annually to reflect inflation. However, people may only earn a maximum of four work credits annually.
How Many Credits Do You Need for SSDI?
The number of credits you need to qualify for SSDI in New York depends on your age when your disability begins. Most workers will need at least 40 work credits to qualify for SSDI, although younger workers may need fewer credits. Workers who become disabled before age 24 need six work credits earned in the three years before the onset of disability, and workers between ages 24 and 30 need credits for half the time between age 21 and the onset of disability. Furthermore, workers 31 and older must have earned at least 20 work credits in the ten years preceding the onset of disability.
Calculating Work Credits
In 2025, a person can earn one work credit when they receive $1,810 in Social Security taxable earnings. This threshold usually increases annually in response to inflation. Special rules for earning work credits apply to self-employed individuals, military servicemembers, domestic workers, agricultural workers, and employees of nonprofit or religious organizations that do not pay Social Security taxes.
The Role of Work Credits in an SSDI Claim
An SSDI applicant’s work history represents one of the factors that the Social Security Administration will consider in evaluating the applicant’s eligibility for SSDI benefits. When an applicant has insufficient total work credits or insufficient recent work history (for workers 31 and older, that means earning at least 20 credits in the ten years preceding the onset of disability), the Social Security Administration will deny the applicant’s SSDI claim.
What to Do If You Don’t Have Enough Work Credits
If you don’t have enough work credits or recent work history to qualify for SSDI at your age, you have options for seeking the financial assistance you need due to your disability. First, you can look for other federal and state disability benefit programs with less strict eligibility benefits, such as the Supplemental Security Income.
You may also consider returning to part-time work that you can perform, given the limitations caused by your disability, to earn enough credits to qualify for SSDI. However, returning to work may have adverse consequences for a subsequent SSDI claim. If you return to work after your disability allegedly began, the Social Security Administration may determine that you do not qualify as “disabled.” You should consult a Social Security disability lawyer before choosing to return to work after the onset of a disabling medical condition.
Contact a Social Security Disability Lawyer Today
Before you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance, you should understand the eligibility requirements, including the work credits system. A knowledgeable Social Security disability attorney can help you determine whether you may qualify for SSDI. Contact Fessenden Laumer & DeAngelo, PLLC, today for an initial consultation with our experienced legal team to learn more about the Social Security disability program.
