Greenville SSDI Work Credit Requirements
Social Security law and regulations set forth certain eligibility requirements for receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits. Not only must you meet Social Security’s definition of disability, but you also must meet certain Greenville SSDI work credit requirements.
These work credits also are required for your dependents to receive any benefits as a result of your disability. The rules for earning work credits for the purposes of Social Security can be complicated and have various exceptions that may apply to your situation, therefore, it is important to talk to a knowledgeable SSDI attorney.
Defining Work Credits for the Purposes of SSDI
In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, individuals must have worked long enough and recently enough under jobs covered by Social Security. Greenville SSDI work credit requirements are based on a person’s total yearly employment income, whether through wages, salary, or self-employment income.
People are eligible to earn up to four work credits per year; the amount of earnings needed to earn a work credit increases slightly each year. For example, for 2018, individuals must earn $1,320 to earn one work credit for Social Security.
Not every type of work allows you to earn work credits that count toward SSDI benefits. Federal employees hired prior to 1984, railroad employees who have more than 10 years of service, employees of state and local governments who choose not to participate in Social Security, and children younger than the age of 21 who perform household chores for their parents all have jobs that are not covered by Social Security.
Required Work Credits in Greenville
As a general rule, individuals need 40 work credits or 10 years of work to qualify for SSDI, with 20 of those work credits being earned during the 10 years ending with the year that they became disabled.
However, the number of work credits that individuals need to be eligible for SSDI benefits can differ according to their ages. This means that someone potentially can qualify for SSDI benefits without earning 40 work credits if they become disabled at a younger age. For example, a person who becomes disabled before the age of 24 generally needs six credits, or one and one-half years of work in the three years prior to them becoming disabled.
For many people, it is likely that they will earn more than 40 work credits throughout their working lives. However, excess work credits do not entitle individuals to increased SSDI benefits. Rather, it is their earnings that determine the amount of monthly SSDI benefits to which they are entitled.
Earning Credits
Self-employed individuals and people who are in the military earn work credits for the purposes of Social Security just like other person employed by others. There are special rules for earning work credits in certain kinds of jobs, including:
- Domestic work
- Farm work
- Work for churches or church-controlled organizations that do not pay Social Security taxes
Once someone earns work credits, those credits remain on their Social Security record, even if they later change jobs or do not work for a period of time.
Let an Experienced Attorney Explain Greenville SSDI Work Credit Requirements
Determining whether you meet Greenville SSDI work credit requirements is not always an easy task. These determinations of eligibility vary widely based on your individual work history, earnings, and the date on which you become disabled.
Therefore, you may want to sit down with a skilled attorney in Greenville to discuss your potential eligibility for SSDI benefits and any other disability-related benefits that may be available to you in your particular circumstances.
