Question: My company is opting out Jan 1. 2015. I had hoped to work four and a half years to get full Social Security benefits. Can I work an additional part-time job somewhere, along with my regular opt-out job, and stay in Social Security? How much would I need to make? Could I then get a new job somewhere else, while doing this? Then quit my old non-covered job, and start right out contributing and not have to worry about waiting five years?
Answer: In general, you need 40 quarters of covered earnings to qualify to collect Social Security retirement benefits. You can earn this coverage working as many jobs as you want.
In 2015, you receive one credit for each $1,220 of earnings, up to the maximum of four credits per year. So you could earn just $4,880 in, say, a week and nothing else and still be credited with four quarters of earnings.
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