Social Security Says I'm Not Eligible for Benefits
Listen to this episode
“In this podcast, Rusty addresses a question from a self-employed business owner who apparently did not have enough Social Security credits to be eligible for retirement benefits. Rusty explains how benefits are earned, especially by self-employed persons, and also how to mitigate that issue.”
Dear Rusty: Help!! The Social Security Administration says I didn’t pay enough into my Social Security account, despite being a business owner and paying taxes. What can I do?” Signed: Self-employed American
Rusty’s answer in brief
Everyone, including the self-employed, needs 40 work credits to qualify for retirement benefits, usually about 10 years of work. In 2026 you earn one credit for each $1,890 of earnings, up to four a year, and for business owners only net self-employment earnings count, as reported to the IRS.
A “my Social Security” account at ssa.gov/myaccount shows how many credits you have and your full earnings record. Someone with 36 or more credits may need only another year of work. Mistakes in the earnings record can be corrected with form SSA-7008.
This recording presents the viewpoints of the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Staff, trained and accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government. To request additional information, contact our Advisory Staff at 888-750-2622, or email us at SSAdvisor@AmacFoundation.org.