Disability Income✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
Under the Social Security disability program, a worker under age 24 must have earned how many credits in the three years before becoming disabled to be currently insured?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
A worker under age 24 is currently insured for Social Security disability purposes with 6 credits earned in the three years before the disability began, roughly one and a half years of work. The under-24 standard is lower than the general standard because young workers have had less time in the labor force. By comparison, 40 credits generally establish fully insured status, which is required for retirement and disability coverage for most workers, and the two insured-status tests must both be satisfied for disability benefits.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) 12 credits is not the under-24 currently insured threshold; the standard is 6 credits in three years.
- C) 20 credits is not a Social Security insured-status threshold.
- D) 40 credits is the fully insured benchmark for most adult workers, not the reduced under-24 standard.
Memory hook
Under 24? 6 credits in 3 years earns currently insured. Young workers get a shorter ladder.