SSDI Work Credits: How Many Do You Need?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is an earned benefit — not a welfare program. To qualify, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes long enough to accumulate a sufficient number of work credits. For Massachusetts residents navigating a disability claim, understanding the work credit system is one of the first and most important steps before filing.

What Are SSDI Work Credits?

Work credits are the Social Security Administration's (SSA) unit for measuring your work history. You earn credits based on your annual income from wages or self-employment. Each year, the SSA sets a dollar threshold required to earn one credit. In 2024, you earn one work credit for every $1,730 in covered earnings, up to a maximum of four credits per year.

These credits accumulate over your lifetime and are never lost, even if you stop working for several years. However, the number of credits you need — and how recently you must have earned them — depends on your age when your disability begins.

How Many Work Credits Are Required for SSDI?

The SSA uses a two-part test to determine whether your work history is sufficient:

• Total Credits Test: You must have earned a minimum number of credits over your lifetime.
• Recent Work Test: A portion of your credits must have been earned recently — generally within the 10 years immediately before you became disabled.

The specific requirements vary by age:

• Before age 24: You need 6 credits earned in the 3-year period ending when your disability begins.
• Ages 24–31: You need credits for half the time between age 21 and the onset of your disability.
• Age 31 or older: You generally need 20 credits earned in the 10 years immediately before your disability — plus a minimum total based on your age at onset.
• Age 62 or older: You need 40 total credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years.

For most working adults in Massachusetts who become disabled in their 40s or 50s, the standard rule applies: 40 total credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years (roughly the equivalent of 5 years of full-time work within the past decade).

The "Date Last Insured" and Why It Matters

Your Date Last Insured (DLI) is the deadline by which your disability must have begun in order to qualify for SSDI under your existing work credits. If you stop working, your insured status does not last indefinitely — it typically expires after five years without covered employment.

This is one of the most common and devastating mistakes Massachusetts claimants make: waiting too long to file. If you became disabled but delayed your application for years, you may find that your DLI has already passed, disqualifying you from SSDI even if your medical condition is severe. An experienced disability attorney can review your Social Security earnings record and calculate your DLI to determine whether you are still within the filing window.

You can find your current work credit balance and estimated DLI by creating a free account at ssa.gov and reviewing your Social Security Statement. Massachusetts residents can also visit a local SSA field office — including offices in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Lowell — for in-person assistance.

What If You Don't Have Enough Work Credits?

Not meeting the work credit threshold does not necessarily mean you have no options. Several alternative pathways exist:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI is a needs-based program that does not require work credits. It is available to disabled individuals with limited income and assets, regardless of work history. The income and asset limits are strict, but many Massachusetts residents who cannot qualify for SSDI receive SSI instead.
• Disabled Adult Child (DAC) Benefits: If you have a disability that began before age 22, you may qualify for benefits on a parent's Social Security record — even if you have never worked yourself.
• Disabled Widow(er) Benefits: If your spouse earned sufficient credits and you are between ages 50–60 with a qualifying disability, you may be eligible for benefits on your late spouse's record.

Massachusetts also offers state-level disability assistance programs through the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) that can provide temporary support while a federal disability claim is pending.

Protecting Your Work Credits While Disabled

If you are currently working in Massachusetts and concerned about an emerging disability, there are strategies to preserve your SSDI eligibility:

• Continue working as long as medically safe to do so. Every quarter of covered work adds another credit and extends your insured period.
• Document your medical condition thoroughly. Even if you file while still technically employed, a well-documented medical record establishes onset date and supports your claim.
• Do not assume part-time work disqualifies you. Working below Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) levels — $1,550/month in 2024 for non-blind individuals — does not automatically bar an SSDI claim.
• File promptly after stopping work. Benefits are generally only retroactive up to 12 months before the application date, so delays cost money even when you ultimately win.

Massachusetts has no separate state-administered SSDI program — all SSDI determinations go through the federal SSA and the state Disability Determination Services (DDS) unit in Worcester, which handles initial medical evaluations on behalf of the SSA.

Getting Your Work Credit Count Right

Work credits are the foundation of any SSDI claim. An error in your Social Security earnings record — caused by an employer failing to properly report wages, a name change, or a clerical mistake — can incorrectly show fewer credits than you actually earned. Before assuming you are ineligible, verify your earnings history directly with the SSA. Correcting a wage reporting error can make the difference between approval and denial.

If the SSA's records show insufficient credits and you believe the record is wrong, you have the right to submit W-2 forms, tax returns, and pay stubs as evidence of your actual earnings. An attorney can assist with gathering and submitting this documentation.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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