Have you earned eligibility for social security?

YOUR FIRST STEP toward being eligible for Social Security retirement benefits is working for pay. THE SECOND STEP is paying Social Security taxes. Most older adults can check both of those

steps off their list. But qualifying for Social Security on your own work history also requires some long-term commitment to the workforce, earning a certain amount each quarter and reaching

a certain age. YOU PAY TAXES THROUGH DEDUCTIONS OR INCOME TAX FILINGS You pay the taxes through payroll deductions that are required as part of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act,

which you probably know as FICA. If you are self-employed, you pay your Social Security taxes annually via your federal tax return. The Social Security tax rate is 12.4 percent of income. If

you work for someone else, you pay 6.2 percent each pay period, and your employer puts in 6.2 percent. If you’re self-employed, you pay the full 12.4 percent. An estimated 94 percent of

U.S. workers now contribute to the Social Security system through payroll or self-employment taxes, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER

ADVERTISEMENT YOU’LL NEED 40 SOCIAL SECURITY CREDITS TO QUALIFY As you worked and paid taxes, you’ve accumulated Social Security credits. You can earn up to four credits a year. Once you

chalk up 40 credits after 10 years of work, you qualify for retirement benefits. But the years and the credits don’t have to be consecutive. You can start working, stop for a while, then

return to work on and off and ultimately qualify. Here are some more details about earning credits: * IN 2024, $1,730 in work income for which you paid Social Security taxes equaled one

credit. * IN 2025, you need $1,810 in earnings to get one credit. The dollar amount for credits is adjusted every year based on national wage trends. You could reach your four-credit maximum

for 2025 by earning at least $7,240, using the minimums for each quarter. To get Social Security on your own, you must pay into it. As of 2024, about 93 percent of men and 88 percent of

women age 60 to 69 are considered fully insured based on their own work history, SSA says. You can’t borrow Social Security credits, buy them or transfer them from someone else’s record. 

Working and paying Social Security taxes is the only way to earn credits. That’s because Social Security is an earned benefit. To get it, you must contribute. VIDEO: HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO

WORK TO GET SOCIAL SECURITY? JOIN AARP’S FIGHT TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY You’ve worked hard and paid into Social Security with every paycheck. But recently, we’ve heard from thousands of

worried Americans.   Join us in sending a loud and clear message to lawmakers. YOUR AGE IS A FACTOR TOO The final step in earning eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits is

hitting your 62nd birthday. You must be at least age 62 to begin receiving them. But you won’t receive your full amount if you decide to file so soon. By waiting until your full retirement

age — 67 if you were born Jan. 2, 1960, or later — you’ll get 100 percent of your benefits. If you delay for a little while or even up until age 70 to apply, your eventual monthly benefit

will increase beyond 100 percent. ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER ADVERTISEMENT WHERE TO GET DETAILS ABOUT YOUR ELIGIBILITY Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a

website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. You can check on your eligibility, look at your earnings history and see your estimated

benefits online using your federal My Social Security account. If you aren’t signed up already, you’ll need to go to the Social Security website to create an account. _Contributing: Tracy

Thompson, Patrick J. Kiger and Phil Pruitt_ RELATED ABOUT _Andy Markowitz is an AARP senior writer and editor covering Social Security and retirement. He is a former editor of the _Prague

Post _and_ Baltimore City Paper. _Jammie Lyell is the Social Security program manager for AARP's office of community, state and national affairs. He formerly worked at the Social

Security Administration as a legal administrative specialist and technical expert._ NEXT: When to Apply for Social Security is an Individual Decision