Can you get Social Security disability if you never paid taxes?

Asked by: Dr. Curtis Kilback II  |  Last update: December 9, 2025
Score: 5/5 (57 votes)

If you don't pay taxes, you can't qualify for SSDI. In particular, you must pay Social Security taxes to be eligible. How much income you need to earn and pay tax on is based on your work credits. However, you can still get SSI if you haven't paid taxes.

Can you get Social Security disability if you never paid into it?

Answer: The short answer is "No" for SSDI and "Yes" for SSI! If the applicant has never worked, they will not be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSDI eligibility criteria require that you have worked long enough and recently enough to be insured for Social Security disability.

Can you get Social Security disability if you owe back taxes?

As long as you meet the Social Security disability requirements or income requirements, you can collect your SSDI and SSI when you owe taxes.

Can you get Social Security if you don't pay taxes?

If you have no record of paying into the system, you will not receive payouts. If you have not reported income and evaded taxes for a lifetime, then you will receive no Social Security benefits.

Can someone who never paid into Social Security get benefits?

The only people who can legally collect benefits without paying into Social Security are family members of workers who have done so. Nonworking spouses, ex-spouses, offspring or parents may be eligible for spousal, survivor or children's benefits based on the qualifying worker's earnings record.

Do People Get Social Security If They Never Worked or Paid Into The System

40 related questions found

What illness automatically qualifies for disability?

It includes:
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and back pain.
  • Special Senses and Speech, such as blindness and hearing loss.
  • Respiratory Disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and respiratory failure.
  • Cardiovascular System, such as hypertension and heart disease.

What is the 5 year rule for Social Security disability?

The so-called “five-year rule” for Social Security disability allows people who have already received disability benefits to skip a required waiting period in the re-application process after they've returned to work.

What happens if you don't have enough credits for Social Security disability?

You cannot get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits on your own work record if you don't have enough work credits, but you might qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. While the SSDI program requires applicants to meet a work credits requirement, the SSI program does not.

Who is exempt from paying Social Security taxes?

These include public workers who participate in a government pension plan comparable to Social Security. In addition, federal workers, including members of Congress, who have been serving consistently since before 1984 are covered under another retirement plan, so they're also exempt from Social Security taxes.

Do stay at home moms get Social Security?

Just because you don't bring home a paycheck doesn't mean you're not working. A stay-at-home parent can get a Social Security check just like any other worker.

Can I get disability if I don't pay taxes?

If you don't pay taxes, you can't qualify for SSDI. In particular, you must pay Social Security taxes to be eligible. How much income you need to earn and pay tax on is based on your work credits. However, you can still get SSI if you haven't paid taxes.

Who is eligible for the IRS hardship program?

The IRS may agree that you have a financial hardship (economic hardship) if you can show that you cannot pay or can barely pay your basic living expenses. For the IRS to determine you are in a hardship situation, the IRS will use its collection financial standards to determine allowable basic living expenses.

How often does the IRS forgive tax debt?

The IRS has a limited window to collect unpaid taxes — which is generally 10 years from the date the tax debt was assessed. If the IRS cannot collect the full amount within this period, the remaining balance is forgiven. This is known as the "collection statute expiration date" (CSED).

Why do most people get denied for disability?

The most common nonmedical reason for denying a claim is insufficient number of recent work credits.

What to say and not to say at a disability doctor?

Do not tell the doctor you are “okay,” “fine,” or “pretty good” when you are there for an assessment of your condition. Even saying this out of habit could jeopardize your claim. Be honest about your complaints, symptoms, and other details of your condition.

Can you get Social Security if you never paid taxes?

You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five of the last 10 years. If you also get a pension from a job where you didn't pay Social Security taxes (e.g., a civil service or teacher's pension), your Social Security benefit might be reduced.

Who is exempt from federal income tax?

Who Does Not Have to Pay Taxes? You generally don't have to pay taxes if your income is less than the standard deduction or the total of your itemized deductions, if you have a certain number of dependents, if you work abroad and are below the required thresholds, or if you're a qualifying non-profit organization.

What age can you stop filing income taxes?

Taxes aren't determined by age, so you will never age out of paying taxes. People who are 65 or older at the end of 2024 have to file a return for tax year 2024 (which is due in 2025) if their gross income is $16,550 or higher. If you're married filing jointly and both 65 or older, that amount is $32,300.

What diagnosis qualifies for Social Security disability?

  • Mental Disorders. Intellectual Disabilities. Affective Disorders. Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders.
  • Physical Disorders. Immune System Disorders. Cancer Diagnosis. Neurological Disorders. Congenital Disorders. Cardiovascular Disabilities and Disorders. Respiratory Disorders. Musculoskeletal Disorders.

What is the minimum Social Security disability payment?

For those with less work history and less consistent work history, the amount of approval for social security disability (SSDI) will be lower. For 2021, monthly payments can range all the way from $100 per month to $3,148 per month.

What is the easiest condition to get disability?

What Is the Most Approved Disability? Arthritis and other musculoskeletal system disabilities make up the most commonly approved conditions for social security disability benefits. This is because arthritis is so common. In the United States, over 58 million people suffer from arthritis.

What gives 100% disability?

What Is a 100% Disability Rating? A 100 percent disability rating, or total disability rating, is the highest rating VA can assign for service-connected compensation purposes. VA reserves this rating for veterans with extremely debilitating service-connected conditions.

What should you not say when applying for disability?

Ten Things You Should Never Say When Applying For Social Security Disability
  • “It's not that bad. ...
  • “I'm getting better.” ...
  • “I can work, but no one will hire me.” ...
  • “It hurts.” ...
  • “I'm not being treated.” or “I stopped treatment.” ...
  • “I have a history of drug use/criminal activity.” ...
  • “My relative gets disability.”

What is the $943 Social Security payment?

Generally, the maximum Federal SSI benefit amount changes yearly. SSI benefits increased in 2024 because there was an increase in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. Effective January 1, 2024 the Federal benefit rate is $943 for an individual and $1,415 for a couple.