The Social Security Administration (SSA) allows workers to get up to 4 work credits per year. Therefore, you should ensure you receive 4 credits annually so you are getting the maximum number of credits. Otherwise, you will not be maximizing the number you can obtain every year. The thing is, to get them, you must have jobs that pay payroll taxes to the SSA.
If your job does not pay payroll taxes, then you cannot receive these work credits. So, make sure your job is covered by Social Security and that your employer pays the right amount of tax, too. Generally, a 62-year-old needs to have earned 40 work credits to receive retirement benefit payments. So, how long do you need to get this minimum amount?
Social Security work credits
In general, a worker needs ten years to earn 40 work credits. This is because Social Security only gives up to 4 work credits per year. Therefore, 40 divided by 4 is equal to 10.
The thing is, Social Security payments may be too low if you just obtain 40 work credits. The Agency recommends working for a minimum of 35 years because that is the number of years SSA uses to work out your monthly payment amount.
For example, if you have just obtained 40 work credits and you have just worked for 10 years, 25 years will count as 0 in earnings. So, it is advisable to carry on working, if possible, until you have worked and paid taxes for 35 years.
Anyway, if you do not rely on Social Security payments and it is just a small part of your income, you may want to apply for retirement benefits at the age of 62. In fact, this is the only way to ensure you receive as many benefits as possible, even if your payment amount is reduced.
Earnings you need for 1 Social Security credit
For your information, the amount of earnings it takes to obtain 1 single work credit may change every year. Not only does inflation help benefits go up, but it also increases the amount of money a worker needs in covered earnings.
As a matter of fact, you can earn 1 single Social Security credit for every $1,810 in covered earnings in 2025. Actually, it is the same amount for a Medicare credit. This amount has increased in 2025 after the COLA increase.
In 2024, the quarter of coverage was $1,730. Hence, it has increased by 80 dollars in a single year. Keep in mind that in a whole year, you will need $7,240 in covered earnings.
So, if you manage to get $7,240 in covered earnings, you will receive up to 4 work credits in 2025. Unfortunately, if you have more covered earnings, you will not receive additional work credits. Delaying retirement until you are 70 can also help you boost your retirement benefit, so check what suits you best before filing at 62.