Most American workers look forward to retiring, and receiving a monthly Social Security check to get ahead financially is an important part of that plan.
Some plan on using that check to supplement their savings, while others count on it to make ends meet. But before you start factoring Social Security into your retirement budget, you need to know if you qualify to receive it.
Here are nine categories of American citizens who don't qualify for Social Security payments in retirement.
Earn cash back on everyday purchases with this rare account
Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover®️ Cashback Debit Checking account (member FDIC), you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!1 <p>See website for details.</p>
With no credit check to apply and no monthly fees to worry about, you can earn nearly passive income on purchases you’re making anyway — up to an extra $360 a year!
This rare checking account has other great perks too, like access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with Early Pay, no minimum deposit or monthly balance requirements, over 60K fee-free ATMs, and the ability to add cash to your account at Walmart stores nationwide.
Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.
Apply for a Discover Cashback Checking account today
Americans who worked too few years to earn 40 work credits
/images/2023/09/10/social-security-cards-with-statements.jpeg)
To receive Social Security benefits, you must have earned a certain number of "work credits" throughout your working life.
Typically, you'll earn one credit for every financial quarter you work, which means you can earn up to four credits a year. To earn your credits in 2024, you must make at least $1,730 per quarter, but the minimum earnings requirement changes from year to year.
Since you can earn four credits a year, most Americans must work for at least 10 years to be eligible to receive Social Security benefits in retirement.
Some ex-spouses who were married for fewer than 10 years
/images/2023/09/10/couple-sitting-with-divorce-documents.jpeg)
Many ex-spouses still qualify to receive at least some of the spousal benefit they were entitled to based on their former spouse's working income.
However, if you were married to someone who qualifies for Social Security but divorced before you'd been married for a decade, you likely won't qualify for the spousal benefit.
There are some exceptions to this rule, though, including ex-spouses who may receive spousal benefits from their former partners if they're taking care of a child they had together.
Railroad workers who get their retirement through the Railroad Retirement Board
/images/2023/09/10/engineers-inspecting-railway-switches.jpeg)
If you worked in the railroad industry for 10 years before 1995 or for five years after 1995, you likely qualify to receive retirement benefits through the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).
This federal agency's benefits plan replaces Social Security benefits. However, your RRB retirement credits will carry over into Social Security if you worked for fewer than 10 or five years (depending on your hiring date).
If you’re over 50, take advantage of massive discounts and financial resources
Over 50? Join AARP today — because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks. When you start your membership today, you can get discounts on things like travel, meal deliveries, eyeglasses, prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance and more.
How to become a member today:
- Go here, select your free gift, and click “Join Today”
- Create your account (important!) by answering a few simple questions
- Start enjoying your discounts and perks!
You’ll also get insider info on social security, job listings, caregiving, and retirement planning. And you’ll get access to AARP’s Fraud Watch Network to help you protect your money, as well as tools to help you plan for retirement.
Important: Start your membership by creating an account here and filling in all of the information (Do not skip this step!) Doing so will allow you to take up 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal.
Americans who never worked
/images/2023/09/10/social-security-and-retirement-income.jpeg)
If you didn't work between the start of adulthood and retirement age, you didn't contribute any portion of your paychecks to the Social Security tax. That means you won't get any of that money back in a monthly stipend once you retire.
This rule doesn't apply to non-working spouses of working adults. For instance, if you were a stay-at-home parent while your spouse worked and contributed to Social Security, you likely qualify for spousal Social Security benefits based on your partner's income.
Immigrants who arrived in America after age 50
/images/2023/09/10/immigration-law-file-with-gavel.jpeg)
Some immigrants may not earn enough work credits to qualify for Social Security, depending on when they immigrated to the United States.
However, governments in 30 countries have totalization agreements with the United States government, meaning the two governments coordinate retirement benefits for immigrants who move to the United States and vice versa.
Don't assume that you won't receive retirement benefits because you immigrated after a certain age. Instead, talk to your lawyer and financial advisor about which benefits you can expect, if any.
Trending Stories
Americans who immigrate to one of nine restricted countries
/images/2022/09/30/cuba.jpg)
Due to government sanctions and other restrictions on foreign governments, Americans who retire to one of 10 foreign countries can't receive monthly Social Security payments.
Exceptions are available to qualifying immigrants in seven of the nine countries, including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Azerbaijan.
Exceptions cannot be made for American immigrants to North Korea or Cuba.
Teachers in certain states and school districts
/images/2023/09/10/smiling-school-teacher-in-class.jpeg)
Per the original Social Security Act, government workers wouldn't receive Social Security benefits because they retired with government-sponsored pension plans instead.
However, as pension plans became less common and less comprehensive over time, the act was eventually amended. It's now up to individual states to opt in or out of the Social Security program for public servants, including teachers.
If you're a teacher, look into your state's Social Security laws to ensure you aren't paying into a system that won't pay you benefits post-retirement.
Americans who started working for the federal government before 1984
/images/2021/12/14/government-workers.png)
Most individuals hired by the federal government in or before 1983 were part of the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), a pension plan for federal workers that serves as an alternative to Social Security.
Now, federal employees receive their retirement through the Federal Employees Retirement System. The new system includes Social Security retirement benefits and applies to federal employees hired from 1987 onwards.
Workers who participated in the CSRS are still eligible for Medicare.
Americans who don't live through age 62
/images/2023/09/10/happy-senior-woman-reviewing-bills.jpeg)
American workers who have paid into the Social Security system for decades can't apply to start receiving their benefits until age 62 (though they can delay receiving benefits until age 70).
As a result, those who die before age 62 won't see any of that money, though their spouse and dependents may be entitled to receive survivor benefits.
However, those diagnosed with a terminal condition can likely apply for Social Security Disability Insurance, which can support Americans unable to work (including those who haven't reached their 62nd birthday).
In 2023 Americans lost over $10 billion to identity theft and fraud
That's right. According to the FTC, Americans lost over $10 Billion to fraud and identity theft in 2023.
But you can safeguard your data with all-in-one identity theft protection services from Aura which comes with $1,000,000.00 in identity theft insurance2 <p>Identity Theft Insurance underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group‚ Inc. The description herein is a summary and intended for informational purposes only and does not include all terms‚ conditions and exclusions of the policies described. Please refer to the actual policies for terms‚ conditions‚ and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions.</p> per adult, to cover you should you have eligible identity theft-related losses.
An individual plan starts at $9 per month, and you can choose a family plan that outmatches most others - includes Dark Web monitoring to scour data breaches and leaks for your sensitive personal data — such as Social Security numbers (SSN), Medicare information, and phone numbers.
Before you make your next online purchase, protect what you’ve built for a fraction of what it could cost you if your data were compromised.
Bottom line
/images/2023/09/08/senior_woman_shows_thumbs_up.jpg)
Fortunately, only around 3.5% of American citizens don't qualify for Social Security, so the odds are that you'll receive a monthly check once you retire.
Still, knowing for sure can help relieve some financial stress, so talk to your retirement planner or tax professional to understand what retirement benefits you can expect.
FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.
Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.1 <p>See website for details.</p> No minimum deposit or balance. FDIC Insured.
Become a member and enjoy discounts on things like travel, meal deliveries, eyeglasses, and more.
Helps to identify and prevent fraud in real-time with 24/7 U.S.-based support.
Subscribe Today
Unlock the Best Banking Deals and Bonuses
From high-yield savings accounts to cashback checking and sign-up bonuses, we bring you the best banking offers to grow your money smarter.