Social Security benefits are based on your lifetime earnings. In most cases, you need a minimum of 10 years of work to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. However, there are some situations where you can receive benefits even if you haven’t worked the required 40 quarters (10 years).
Can you get Social Security if you never worked?
The short answer is maybe. While you typically need 10 years of work history to receive your own Social Security retirement benefits, you may still qualify for benefits in certain situations if you have little or no work history. Below are some examples:
You’re married to someone who receives Social Security
If your spouse is entitled to Social Security benefits based on their own work history, you can receive benefits based on their record once you reach age 62. The amount you receive as a spouse will be up to 50% of the amount your spouse gets. So even if you’ve never worked, you can still get Social Security spousal benefits if your spouse qualifies.
You’re a widow or widower
If your deceased spouse worked long enough to qualify for Social Security, you can receive full survivor benefits based on their earnings record as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled). The amount is typically 100% of what your spouse was entitled to receive. So you may get Social Security survivor benefits if your spouse worked at least 10 years, even if you never worked.
You’re caring for a child under 16
If you’re caring for your deceased spouse’s child who is under 16 or disabled, you can receive Social Security mother’s/father’s benefits based on your spouse’s work history. To qualify, you need to be unmarried and care for a child who can receive survivor benefits.
You’re disabled
To receive Social Security disability benefits, you generally need to have earned a minimum number of work credits in the years prior to becoming disabled. However, workers under age 31 can qualify with less work history. For example, workers under 24 need just 1.5 years of work history. So it is possible to get disability benefits if you become disabled despite minimal or no work history.
Work credits needed for Social Security
To understand why you need work credits to receive Social Security, it helps to know how the program calculates your benefit amount. Your basic benefit is based on your average monthly earnings over your 35 highest earning years. Each year you work, you earn up to four credits depending on your income. Most people need 40 credits (10 years of work) to qualify for retirement benefits. These work credits remain on your record even if you later have zero income.
The table below shows the number of credits needed to qualify for Social Security based on your age and situation:
Your situation | Number of credits needed |
---|---|
Retirement benefits at full retirement age | 40 credits |
Disability benefits at age 31 | 20 credits |
Disability benefits at 24 | 6 credits |
Survivor benefits for spouse | 40 credits (based on deceased worker’s record) |
Survivor benefits for children | Deceased parent earned 6 credits in 3 years before death |
As you can see, it’s possible to qualify for certain benefits with minimal or no work history if you meet specific requirements.
Reasons someone may have no work history
There are a few reasons why someone may reach retirement age without any Social Security work credits:
They were a homemaker
Traditional homemakers may devote their lives to unpaid household and childcare duties rather than paid employment. As a result, they would not accrue any of their own work credits. However, they can still get spousal/survivor benefits if their spouse worked enough.
They had long periods of unemployment
Some people may have lengthy gaps in employment due to job loss, family responsibilities, health issues, or other factors. If they worked sporadically or not at all for 10+ years, they could lack the required 40 credits.
They lived/worked outside the U.S.
Years spent living and working in another country generally do not count toward U.S. work credits unless you paid into the U.S. system. So someone without a 10-year U.S. work history would not qualify for their own benefits.
They were raised in poverty
Individuals raised in very poor families may have been unable to complete high school or get decent jobs. As a result, they may have never earned enough to get the required credits.
They became disabled at a young age
Americans who were born with disabilities or became disabled in childhood may lack substantial work histories because of an inability to enter the workforce.
Non-work Social Security benefits
In addition to spouse and survivor benefits, here are a couple other ways to get Social Security if you have limited or no work history:
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI is a separate program from Social Security that provides monthly income to very poor seniors and disabled individuals. You can qualify for SSI at age 65 even with no work history if you meet strict income and asset limits. In 2023, the maximum monthly SSI amount is $914 for individuals and $1371 for couples.
Social Security child dependent benefits
If you are caring for an eligible child under 18 whose parent is deceased or disabled, the child can receive monthly dependent benefits. You can also get benefits as the child’s caregiver if you meet certain criteria.
So while having a work history makes getting Social Security easier, there are still ways to get benefits if you never worked or didn’t earn enough credits.
Conclusion
While regular Social Security retirement benefits are based on your lifetime work history, you can still potentially receive benefits if you never worked. Spouses, widows/widowers, parents of eligible children, and disabled individuals under 31 may qualify with limited or no employment records in certain cases. Non-work Social Security benefits like SSI and child dependent benefits are also available regardless of your work record. Overall, it is possible to get Social Security if you never worked by meeting specific requirements, being related to a qualified worker, or qualifying for special non-work programs.