Work Credits Explained by a Disability Attorney
Some people think Social Security disability is a simple process, but the process often entails hiring a disability attorney, filing a Social Security disability appeal, proving eligibility to work, and earning enough work credits prior to applying. Work credits are a vital piece of Social Security, and you don’t need to be a qualified disability attorney to understand how they work. Once you understand the general purpose of work credits, they make a lot of sense. They are a crucial but easy to understand part of the disability application process.
What Are Work Credits?
If you have already spoken to a disability attorney, you have probably heard him or her make references to your work credits. Social Security needs money in order to supplement people’s incomes after they become disabled. The government pulls Social Security from every working American’s paycheck, and in order to keep enough funds in the program, the Social Security Administration only grants disability benefits to people who have put a certain amount of money into the Social Security system. Work credits are a way of the Social Security Administration to determine if someone has paid their fair share of the benefit funds they will be withdrawing from.
One work credit equals $1,300 of earned income. An employed American can earn up to 4 credits per year. For every year that you earn more than $5,200, you get the maximum amount of work credits. The Social Security Administration sets the minimum amount of work credits you must earn by a certain age before you can get disabilities. Between the ages of 24 and 30, a person must have worked half the time since you turned 21. A person aged 29 would need 16 work credits or 4 years of work to qualify, but a person aged 24 would need only 6 credits or 1.5 years of work.
Credits Necessary to Qualify
The older you get, the more credits you need before you can qualify for disability benefits. Unique rules apply to how many work credits the first three age groups need. After that, you need to only earn 1 work credit per year to qualify.
- Aged 21-24: must have 6 credits
- Aged 24-31: must have between 6 and 18 credits
- Aged 31-42: must have 20 credits
- Aged 44: must have 22 credits
- Aged 44-60: must earn 1 credit per year
- Aged 62 and older: must have 40 credits
Contact a Disability Attorney at RGG Law Firm
If you don’t have the work credits necessary, you should still contact a disability attorney. The professionals at RGG Law can look over your case and see if you qualify for Supplemental Security Income. Either way, a disability attorney at our law firm will present all your options to you. Contact RGG Law today to discover what benefits work for you.