Under Social Security, a worker under age 24 is considered currently insured for survivor benefits if the worker earned how many credits in the three years before death?

Why A is correct

A worker under age 24 is currently insured for Social Security survivor benefits if the worker earned 6 credits during the three years immediately before death. Being currently insured entitles certain survivors, such as a widow or widower caring for young children, to survivor benefits. This is a lower threshold than the 40 credits, about 10 years of work, required for fully insured status, which is needed for retirement, disability, and certain other survivor benefits. Credits are earned by working and paying Social Security taxes, with up to 4 credits per year.

Why the other options are wrong

• 12 credits exceeds the six-credit requirement for a worker under age 24 and is not a statutory threshold for currently insured status. This answer describes a different situation from the one in the question and is therefore incorrect under the facts given here.
• 40 credits provides fully insured status, a broader qualification than the six-credit currently insured test that applies to young workers. This choice does not fit the arrangement described in the question, so it is clearly not the right option to choose.
• Four credits is the maximum that can be earned in a single year, not the threshold for currently insured status, which requires 6 credits. Accordingly, this option is not correct because it does not match the specific rule or product that is described in the question.

Memory hook

Under age 24, six credits in three years means survivors are covered.