What is required for someone to qualify for Social Security Retirement Benefits?

To qualify for Social Security Retirement Benefits, individuals need to have worked and paid Social Security taxes. This requirement ensures that they have contributed to the system through payroll taxes over their working years, accumulating enough work credits to be eligible for benefits. Typically, a person needs 40 work credits, which generally equates to about 10 years of work where they have paid Social Security taxes.

The other options do not align with the requirements for qualifying for these benefits. For example, investing in stocks or being a government employee does not directly influence eligibility for Social Security retirement benefits, nor does age alone determine qualification—while individuals can begin receiving benefits as early as age 62, they do not have to wait until age 70 to qualify.