Quarters of Coverage — QC
Quarters of Coverage are the work credits Social Security uses to decide if you have worked enough to qualify for SSDI or retirement benefits.
Official source: ssa.gov
Quarters of Coverage are also called "work credits." You earn them by working and paying Social Security taxes. Each year, you can earn up to four work credits. The amount of money you need to earn for one credit changes each year. For example, in 2024, earning $1,730 gets you one work credit. If you earn $6,920 in 2024, you get the maximum of four credits for that year.
These work credits decide if you can get Social Security benefits like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or retirement money. Most people need 40 work credits to get retirement benefits. For SSDI, the number of credits you need depends on how old you are when you become disabled. Younger people may need fewer credits.
It is important to know about Quarters of Coverage because they decide if you can get money when you retire or if you become too sick or hurt to work. Without enough work credits, you may not be able to get these benefits. These benefits can help you pay for your living costs when you can no longer work.
You can check how many work credits you have earned. Go to the Social Security Administration website, ssa.gov, and create an account. You can see your full work history and how many credits you have.
In real life
- A worker who earned at least the yearly threshold gets all 4 quarters of coverage that year.
- Sarah worked part-time and earned enough money in just two months to get one quarter of coverage. Even though she didn't work the whole year, her earnings counted.
- David took a year off to care for his family and earned no money, so he didn't get any quarters of coverage that year. He needs to earn money again to get more work credits.
Also known as
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Frequently asked questions about Quarters of Coverage
What is Quarters of Coverage?+
Quarters of Coverage are the work credits Social Security uses to decide if you have worked enough to qualify for SSDI or retirement benefits. You can earn up to 4 per year.
Who qualifies for Quarters of Coverage?+
Adults under full retirement age who have a qualifying medical condition expected to last 12+ months and who have earned enough recent work credits.
How do I apply for Quarters of Coverage?+
Apply online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. There's no cost to apply. Official forms and instructions: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/QC.html.
Where can I get help?+
Run the SSDI Filing Success Score to check your readiness, then the SSDI Benefit Estimator to size up your monthly payment. Local Social Security field offices can also help you apply at no cost.
Source: ssa.gov