Earned Income Tax Credit Application: How to Claim the EITC on Your Tax Return
Could claiming at 62 cost a retiree more income for life? The answer depends on work history, filing age, and household needs. This guide explains how monthly payments work for eligible retirees, people with disabilities, survivors, and certain family members in the United States.
Most retirement applicants need 40 work credits, usually earned over at least 10 years. The Social Security Administration also reviews a worker’s 35 highest-earning years. Claiming before full retirement age can permanently reduce the monthly benefit.
More than 71 million people receive these payments today. For two in five recipients age 65 and older, they provide more than half of total income. Without the program, nearly 23.5 million Americans could fall below the poverty line, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Retirement age matters in another way. A person who waits beyond full retirement age may raise their payment by 8 percent each year until age 70. AARP updated its Social Security frequently asked questions on May 27, 2026, offering timely context as workers weigh their choices.
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This federal program provides inflation-adjusted monthly payments for retirement, disability, and survivor needs. It helps replace part of a worker’s income, but it does not cover every household expense. The program is separate from Supplemental Security Income, which serves people with limited income and resources.
Retirees made up 76.4 percent of beneficiaries in April 2026. Spouses, ex-spouses, and children of retirees accounted for 4 percent. People with disabilities and their families represented 11.4 percent, while survivors of deceased workers made up 8.2 percent.
Eligibility may connect to a worker’s earnings record. As a result, a spouse, child, or survivor may receive payments even without the same work history.
Employees and employers each pay 6.2 percent of covered wages in taxes. In return, the program replaces about 40 percent of average pre-retirement earnings. That steady income can help retirees manage housing, food, and health costs as they age.
Eligibility often depends on whose work record supports the claim. The rules differ for retirement, disability, spouses, and survivors. Knowing the basic tests can help a person decide when to apply and what income to expect.
Most workers need 40 credits, earned over about 10 years, to qualify for retirement payments. A worker may earn up to four credits each year. The Social Security Administration may allow fewer credits for disability or survivor claims, based on the applicant’s age and work history.
A spouse may qualify without a personal job covered by the program. Usually, the higher-earning spouse must claim first. The agency generally pays the higher applicable amount, rather than adding a personal benefit to a spouse’s amount.
A divorced spouse may qualify after a marriage lasting at least 10 years if unmarried and the former spouse is at least 62 and eligible. A surviving spouse may receive reduced payments at age 60, or full payments at full retirement age. Earlier eligibility may apply when caring for a minor or disabled child.
Payroll records turn covered work into credits that can support future retirement payments. The amount needed changes each year, so workers should review their earnings history and credit total.
In 2025, one credit required $1,810 in covered earnings. A worker could earn up to four credits during the year, reaching the limit at $7,240. In 2024, the figures were $1,730 for one credit and $6,920 for four.
Employees and employers each contribute 6.2% of covered wages through Social Security taxes. Self-employed workers generally pay the full 12.4% rate. These taxes help finance the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance trust funds, which support current benefits.
Earnings above that cap do not create extra credits or raise the earnings figure used in the benefit formula. Building enough credits over several years can help a worker qualify for retirement or other income support.
A retirement filing date can shape a worker’s monthly income for many years. Full retirement age means the point when a person qualifies for 100% of the unreduced retirement benefit. The right choice depends on health, savings, work plans, and household needs.
People born in 1957 or earlier have reached this milestone. It is 66 years and 8 months for those born in 1958, and 66 years and 10 months for those born in 1959. Anyone born in 1960 or later reaches full retirement age at 67.
A worker can claim Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, even when the full retirement age is later. Filing early usually lowers the payment amount permanently. Waiting can protect a larger benefit, and delayed retirement credits may increase payments until age 70.
A spouse’s eligibility and filing age may also change the timing and total household income. Comparing both records can support a more informed retirement decision.
A worker’s payment grows from a long record of covered earnings, not from one final paycheck. The Social Security Administration reviews each year, adjusts older wages for wage growth, and applies the retirement formula. This process compares income earned at different points in a career.
The agency uses earnings up to the taxable cap. For 2025, income above $176,100 does not raise the calculation. Payroll taxes support the record, but money earned beyond that limit does not add to the payment amount.
The formula uses a worker’s 35 highest-earning years. Missing years count as zero, so a shorter career can lower the monthly benefit. More years of steady, covered work may replace those zeros and strengthen retirement income.
In 2026, the highest payment at full retirement age is $4,152. The estimated average was $2,081 in April 2026, compared with $3,822 at that age in 2024.
Claiming age, earnings, taxes, and work years all shape lifelong Social Security benefits.
The filing date can affect a retiree’s monthly income for life. Retirement payments may start at age 62, but an early choice can reduce the amount permanently. For people born in 1960 or later, claiming at 62 provides about 70% of the payment available at the full retirement age.
For example, a $2,000 payment at full retirement age could equal about $1,400 at 62. Waiting beyond that milestone raises the payment by about 8% for each year through age 70. The same estimate could reach roughly $2,480 at age 70.
A break-even review can add context. In this example, waiting until full retirement age overtakes filing at 62 at about age 78. Health, expected longevity, work plans, household income, and the need for money all matter. Someone with limited savings may prefer earlier income, while another person may value a larger lifelong payment.
After filing, a person may withdraw the application within 12 months. However, he or she must repay all payments received. Reviewing the retirement age rules and official estimates can help a worker choose a sound approach.
A family connection can open another path to monthly retirement income. Social Security rules may help a spouse, former spouse, or survivor receive payments based on a worker’s earnings record.
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A spouse may receive up to 50% of the worker’s full retirement amount. The actual payment depends on claiming age and the spouse’s own retirement record. The agency generally pays the higher eligible amount, not two full payments.
A divorced spouse may qualify if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, he or she is unmarried, and the former spouse is at least 62 and eligible. In some cases, the former spouse does not need to have filed after the divorce has lasted two years.
A surviving spouse can usually apply at age 60. Full payments generally begin at full retirement age. Eligible family members may include a spouse, ex-spouse, child, or dependent parent.
Choosing the right filing channel can make an application easier and reduce delays. The Social Security Administration accepts retirement and spouse applications online, by phone at 800-772-1213, or at a local office. Anyone filing in person should schedule an appointment first.
Survivor applicants cannot apply online. They must call 800-772-1213 or arrange an office visit. Having key records ready can help the agency review the claim and confirm the correct payment amount.
A My Social Security account gives a worker a clear view of current records. It shows the latest statement, reported earnings, and estimated payments at different claiming ages. This information can help a person compare early retirement with a later filing date.
To open an account, the user must be at least 18, have a Social Security number, and provide a valid email address. Tax planning also matters. Up to 85% of payments may be taxable, based on combined income, adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest, and half of the payments.
Retirement income planning reaches beyond retired workers. The program may support disabled people, survivors, spouses, and families. Eligibility can rest on work credits, payroll taxes, age, family ties, or a deceased worker’s record.
Claiming Social Security at the right time matters. The Social Security Administration uses the highest 35 earning years and filing age to set a retirement payment. Waiting until full retirement age avoids the cut tied to age 62. Delaying to 70 can raise the amount by about 8% per year.
An online account offers personal estimates. Retirees can compare income, work plans, taxes, spouse and survivor needs, and Medicare costs. Health, life expectancy, employment, and available money should guide the choice. A careful review can help protect income throughout retirement.
