Reply to Graduate students and paying into Social Security (disability related question)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If person is that concerned they should leave grad school and get FICA jobs. Seriously one or the other.
Person can look at SSA records and see what they have. 
Everybody ought to check that periodically.

https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/statement.html#:~:text=Your%20Social%20Security%20Statement%20(Statement,benefits%20and%20current%20earnings%20history.[/quote]

Yeah - "Person" is currently 24 has has three credits. His work history was all jobs that didn't pay into FICA.

If he goes to graduate school for the next 5+ years, at age 29, he will still have only 3 credits. 
I'm of course thrilled that he got into graduate school. And he will be paid a very good stipend and doesn't have to pay tuition of course. So that's all good.

But I'm still concerned about the lack of paying into Social Security until he is almost 30. That just doesn't seem like a good system, basically.

I wish he *did* have to pay FICA taxes. I guess I don't understand why graduate students in college earn a decent stipend now (again - that part is great!) but it isn't considered a salary and it isn't taxed as salary would be. I know it feels like that's a good thing (pay less in taxes! Great!) but it really isn't so great if you aren't contributing to the safety net and therefore won't be able to benefit from it, if you god forbid ever need it.[/quote]

OP, explain this to him once and then back off. It reads like you are going to try to convince him not to go to graduate school so he can, IF disabled, and IF meeting the SSA criteria, PERHAPS collect SSDI at a very low dollar amount. That is ridiculous. Cheer him
on and help him find summer work that is subject to FICA tax.[/quote]

No - you have a bad read on what I am saying.

I want him to go to graduate school, but I think it would be a good idea for him to earn the minimum credits needed (the $8,000 annually) in some kind of job that pays into SSDI for the next 5 years.

I feel the same way for anyone who steps out of the workforce (like a stay-at-home parent) before they actually retire. [/quote]

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