Social Security Disability is a disability insurance program run by the Social Security Administration. If you become disabled before retirement age, you may qualify for a monthly benefit if you have reported earnings to the IRS and paid taxes. Each quarter of each year you work earns you a credit if you make enough money (read this to see how much money is needed to earn a quarter credit). Depending on your age, you have to have earned a certain number of credits to be insured. The rules for how much work you need to qualify for disability benefits are as follows:
Before age 24--You may qualify if you have 6 credits earned in the 3-year period ending when your disability starts.
Age 24 to 31--You may qualify if you have credit for working half the time between age 21 and the time you become disabled. For example, if you become disabled at age 27, you would need credit for 3 years of work (12 credits) out of the past 6 years (between ages 21 and 27).
Age 31 or older--In general, you need to have the number of work credits shown in the chart below. Unless you are blind, you must have earned at least 20 of the credits in the 10 years immediately before you became disabled.
AGE YOU BECOME DISABLED ---------- NUMBER OF CREDITS YOU NEED
31 through 42 | 20 |
44 | 22 |
46 | 24 |
48 | 26 |
50 | 28 |
52 | 30 |
54 | 32 |
56 | 34 |
58 | 36 |
60 | 38 |
62 or older | 40 |
Copyright (c) 2011 by John V. Tucker and Tucker & Ludin, P.A. All rights reserved. For assistance with your Long Term Disability claim, ERISA Disability benefit claim, Florida Social Security Disability claim, Florida SSI Disability claim, or Veterans Disability compensation or pension claim, call Disability Lawyer John Tucker at (866) 282-5260.
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