To be considered "currently insured" under Social Security, how many quarters of coverage must an individual have?

To be considered "currently insured" under the Social Security program, an individual must have earned at least 6 quarters of coverage. Quarters of coverage (QCs) represent the periods in which a worker has made sufficient earnings to qualify for benefits. Generally, a worker earns one quarter of coverage for each calendar quarter in which they earn a minimum amount of income.

Having 6 quarters of coverage allows individuals to access certain benefits, such as disability insurance. It is important to understand that achieving currently insured status doesn’t require reaching the same level of credentialing as being fully insured, which would require a higher number of quarters.

This distinction is crucial, as it impacts the level of benefits available to insured individuals in specific circumstances, ensuring they have some level of coverage after meeting the earnings criteria set forth by Social Security.