Not everyone is entitled to Social Security benefits. Rather, these benefits are earned through years of hard work. These years of work will then translate into work credits– and they are getting harder to earn.

More About Work Credits

To earn work credits, individuals must pay the appropriate Social Security taxes while working. To qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, an individual must gather a total of 40 credits.

However, the earnings required to earn a single credit changes each year, and individuals are only able to accumulate up to 4 credits in a year.

This means that individuals must work for at least 10 years to earn enough credits to qualify for retirement benefits from Social Security.

Earning work credits

In order to earn a single credit in 2020, workers needed to earn $1,410. However, for the coming year, this earning is increasing.

To earn a single work credit in 2021, workers need to make $1,470 while paying the appropriate taxes to the Social Security program.

Those wishing to earn 4 credits during 2021 must pay Social Security taxes and earn at least $5,880.

Social Security is not Welfare

It may not seem like huge amount of required earnings but this system requires individuals to commit to a more full-time work schedule. And this required commitment is just one of the many reasons why Social Security is not a “Welfare” program.

Individuals who call Social Security a “Welfare” program belittle the hard work and time beneficiaries provided while in the workforce.

That’s why we are urging politicians in Washington to recognize and pass our bill, The Senior Citizens Bill of Rights.

Right number 7 of our bill ensures that “elected officials and federal employees are forbidden from referring to Social Security as a “Welfare” program.”

The federal government needs to recognize that these benefits are earned, not gifted. Join us now by taking action.