I am STILL confused. I realize that it takes various amounts to equal a work credit but I met the necessary work credits many years ago. Are you saying that I have to continue to meet 4 credits each and every calendar year to remain insured? If so, where can I find that information. I have researched the SSA site and find nothing to indicate that.

Based on your post, I WILL meet the 4 credits this year and have for the past several years. What is this 5 year limitation you speak of? I did not see anything about that in your link.

You need to have worked and paid Social
Security taxes for a certain length of time to get
Social Security benefits. The amount of time you
need to work depends on your date of birth, but no
one needs more than 10 years of work (40 credits).

The above is a direct quote (copied and pasted) from your link. "But no one needs more than 10 years of work (40 credits).

I have worked a lot more than 10 years and have a lot more than 40 credits.

What is it you want me to note from your link?

There are different rules for SS retirement eligibility and for SSDI eligibility. http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/credits3.htm

I had actually revised my last post on the prior page. Does that help?

Sorry if I'm confusing you.

Here's a link to SS calculators. http://www.ssa.gov/planners/benefitcalculators.htm

What I wanted you to understand from the link was that you apparently have years with no credits and reduced credits. That's likely the ineligibility problem.

Dear Lit Love,

OK, I finally found the 5 years of which you mention in your other posts. Basically it says I must have paid into the system at least 5 of the last 10 years. (In your disability secrets link)

I have paid into the system every year, even AFTER I filed for SSDI. I have met this 5 out of 10 year requirement. I have also met the credits required. I am also below the "substantial" work limitation. I continue to work as much as my health allows which is not very much but every dollar I can earn is one less dollar I have to borrow in order to survive.

Hi Lit Love,

Thanks for the new link. I have more than the 40 credits needed and also meet the last 5 out of 10 year requirement no matter what my year of disability. There are only 2 years that I did not get the full 4 credits for the year and they do not alter anything regardless of year of disability. I meet the criteria required regardless of my onset date whether it be 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, etc. etc. all the way back to 1978. You can pick ANY 10 year period and I meet the 5 out of 10 criteria. I guess they just made my date last insured, the end of the quarter preceeding my application for benefits. Since they did not have the information for calendar 2012 (before I filed my 2012 tax return) at the time I applied, they just used that date. That is all I can figure. But I came to that conclusion by all the bantering we have been having tonight. Thanks. I think you helped me solve the mystery. Sorry to have imposed upon you.

Hi Janke,

This is my second response to your post. Lit Love and I have been posting back and forth tonight and has pointed out some items that explain your questions. Please see our back and forth postings. I think I see where their last date insured was derived.

As I mentioned to Lit Love, I have all the credits required, including enough for any 10 year period of time, earning enough for any 5 out of 10 years no matter which 10 year time frame you choose. If you pick ANY year of onset, the resulting credits are satisfied.

Well, unless you pick an onset date prior to 1978. Lets limit it to any time frame since 1993. Any time within the past 20 years meets the requirements for credits and paying into the system.

Thanks for responding to my original post.

Hi Janke,

Since my original post, I actually looked up my exact earnings, and amounts I paid for SE for the last 15 years and the amounts generalized were off. I actually made more than I thought I had. I indicated more appropriate and accurate amounts in my other response to you. It all went to health insurance premiums so I guess that is why I thought it was less than the actual amounts. It disappears so fast you don't realize you ever had it.

First off, your alleged onset date needs to be prior to your last insured date. Is it???

It doesn't make sense that you've been working very consistently AND collecting 4 credits most years and your date of last insured hit so quickly.

Do you have your Records Earnings from SS? If not, request them. It would be very unusual for your attorney to not verify eligibility before taking on your case.

Look at the sample at the bottom of the page.

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300301148