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If I earned 40 Social Security credits by age 40, do I get retirement and disability benefits regardless of work and income in the years after I earned the 40 credits? So for example: if by age 40 I earned at least 40 credits and for some reason I didn't work or have income after that, am I still going to get my benefits?

Also, in the Social Security statement, it says that the spouse and child are eligible for a certain amount per month; is it per child? Because it also says "maximum benefit per family" has an X amount of monthly benefit. Does that amount include myself?

Many thanks.

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do I get retirement and disability benefits regardless of work and income in the years after I earned the 40 credits?

For retirement and survivor's benefits, yes. For disability benefits, you must have earned 20 of the credits in the 10 years just prior to your disability, unless your disability is blindness. Source

However, note that the amount you receive can go up with additional years of work, since it's based on the average of the top 35 years of income. If you are under 40, it is near certain that many of those years of income are going to be zero, bringing down the average. (Credit to Dilip Sarwate)

Also, in the Social Security statement, it says that the spouse and child are eligible for a certain amount per month; is it per child?

Without seeing the statement you are referring to specifically, it is likely per child. However, note the family maximum.

Because it also says "maximum benefit per family" has an X amount of monthly benefit. Does that amount include myself?

Again, without seeing the statement, the answer is likely yes. Source

The total depends on your benefit amount and the number of family members who also qualify on your record. The total varies, but generally the total amount you and your family can receive is about 150 to 180 percent of your full retirement benefit.

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    The answer to the first question is downright wrong; Social Security retirement benefits are based on the weighted sum of the earnings during the 35 highest years of earnings. The benefit will increase even after it has started if a person is still earning after the benefit starts, and one of the post-retirement years replaces an earlier year in the 35-highest-years list maintained by Social Security. This is over and above the annual increase in SS benefits. Jan 29, 2018 at 20:22
  • Adjusted to reference that.
    – Magua
    Jan 29, 2018 at 20:56

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