How Do I Qualify for Social Security?

To qualify for a benefit you need what Social Security calls 40 credits. You can gain a maximum of 4 credits a year and in 2017 you have to have earned and paid taxes Social Security taxes on at least $5,200. The full retirement age is determined by the year you were born. It's 35 highest years of earnings and if you don't have 35 Social Security gives you a 0. So it behooves people if they can to work and work 35 years where they've paid into the system.