How many credits does a person need to qualify for Social Security benefits?

A person needs to accumulate 40 credits to qualify for Social Security benefits. This requirement is based on the premise that individuals typically accumulate these credits through their work history. In the current system, a person earns one credit for each quarter of work where they meet the income threshold set by the Social Security Administration, up to a maximum of four credits per year. Thus, with a total of 40 credits, it reflects approximately 10 years of work, which aligns well with the duration typically necessary to establish eligibility for retirement, disability, or survivors benefits under Social Security. Attaining these credits signals a degree of substantial and continuous involvement in the workforce, which is deemed necessary to ensure that individuals have contributed meaningfully to the Social Security system.