[Title 20 CFR B]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - April 1, 1996 Edition]
[Title 20 - EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS]
[Chapter III - SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION]
[Part 404 - FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- )]
[Subpart B - Insured Status and Quarters of Coverage]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




  20
  EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS
  2
  1996-04-01
  1996-04-01
  false
  Insured Status and Quarters of Coverage
  B
  Subpart B
  
    EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS
    SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
    FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- )
  


Subpart B--Insured Status and Quarters of Coverage


Sec. 404.101  Introduction.

    (a) Insured status. This subpart explains what we mean when we say 
that a person has insured status under the social security program. It 
also describes how a person may become fully insured, currently insured 
or insured for disability benefits. Your insured status is a basic 
factor in determining if you are entitled to old-age or disability 
insurance benefits or to a period of disability. It is also a basic 
factor in determining if dependents' or survivors' insurance benefits or 
a lump-sum death payment are payable based on

[[Page 32]]

your earnings record. If you are neither fully nor currently insured, no 
benefits are payable based on your earnings. (Subpart D of this part 
describes these benefits and the kind of insured status required for 
each.) In Secs. 404.110 through 404.120 we tell how we determine if you 
are fully or currently insured. The rules for determining if you are 
insured for purposes of establishing a period of disability or becoming 
entitled to disability insurance benefits are in Secs. 404.130 through 
404.133. Whether you have the required insured status depends on the 
number of quarters of coverage (QCs) you have acquired.
    (b) QCs. This subpart also sets out our rules on crediting you with 
QCs. QCs are used in determining insured status. In general, you are 
credited with QCs based on the wages you are paid and the self-
employment income you derive during certain periods. (See subpart K of 
this part for a definition of wages and self-employment income.) Our 
rules on how and when you acquire a QC are contained in Secs. 404.140 
through 404.146.



Sec. 404.102  Definitions.

    For the purpose of this subpart--
    Act means the Social Security Act, as amended.
    Age means how many years old you are. You reach a particular age on 
the day before your birthday. For example, if your sixty-second birthday 
is on July 1, 1979, you became age 62 on June 30, 1979.
    Quarter or calendar quarter means a period of three calendar months 
ending March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31 of any year.
    We, our, or us means the Social Security Administration.
    You or your means the worker whose insured status is being 
considered.

                          Fully Insured Status



Sec. 404.110  How we determine fully insured status.

    (a) General. We describe how we determine the number of quarters of 
coverage (QCs) you need to be fully insured in paragraphs (b), (c), and 
(d) of this section. The table in Sec. 404.115 may be used to determine 
the number of QCs you need to be fully insured under paragraph (b) of 
this section. We consider certain World War II veterans to have died 
fully insured (see Sec. 404.111). We also consider certain employees of 
private nonprofit organizations to be fully insured if they meet special 
requirements (see Sec. 404.112).
    (b) How many QCs you need to be fully insured. (1) You need at least 
6 QCs but not more than 40 QCs to be fully insured. A person who died 
before 1951 with at least 6 QCs is fully insured.
    (2) You are fully insured for old-age insurance benefits if you have 
one QC (whenever acquired) for each calendar year elapsing after 1950 
or, if later, after the year in which you became age 21, and before the 
year you reach retirement age, that is, before--
    (i) The year you become age 62, if you are a woman;
    (ii) The year you become age 62, if you are a man who becomes age 62 
after 1974;
    (iii) The year 1975, if you are a man who became age 62 in 1973 or 
1974; or
    (iv) The year you became age 65, if you are a man who became age 62 
before 1973.
    (3) A person who is otherwise eligible for survivor's benefits and 
who files an application will be entitled to benefits based on your 
earnings if you die fully insured. You will be fully insured if you had 
one QC (whenever acquired) for each calendar year elapsing after 1950 
or, if later, after the year you became age 21, and before the earlier 
of the following years:
    (i) The year you die; or
    (ii) The year you reach retirement age as shown in paragraph (b)(2) 
of this section.
    (c) How a period of disability affects the number of QCs you need. 
In determining the number of elapsed years under paragraph (b) of this 
section, we do not count as an elapsed year any year which is wholly or 
partly in a period of disability we established for you. For example, if 
we established a period of disability for you from December 5, 1975 
through January 31, 1977, the three years, 1975, 1976 and 1977, would 
not be counted as elapsed years.
    (d) How we credit QCs for fully insured status based on your total 
wages before 1951--(1) General. For purposes of paragraph (b) of this 
section, we may use

[[Page 33]]

the following rules in crediting QCs based on your wages before 1951 
instead of the rule in Sec. 404.141(b)(1).
    (i) We may consider you to have one QC for each $400 of your total 
wages before 1951, as defined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if 
you have at least 7 elapsed years as determined under paragraph (b)(2) 
or (b)(3) of this section; and the number of QCs determined under this 
paragraph plus the number of QCs credited to you for periods after 1950 
make you fully insured.
    (ii) If you file an application in June 1992 or later and you are 
not entitled to a benefit under Sec. 404.380 or section 227 of the Act 
in the month the application is made, we may consider you to have at 
least one QC before 1951 if you have $400 or more total wages before 
1951, as defined in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, provided that the 
number of QCs credited to you under this paragraph plus the number of 
QCs credited to you for periods after 1950 make you fully insured.
    (2) What are total wages before 1951. For purposes of paragraph 
(d)(1) of this section, your total wages before 1951 include--
    (i) Remuneration credited to you before 1951 on the records of the 
Secretary;
    (ii) Wages considered paid to you before 1951 under section 217 of 
the Act (relating to benefits in case of veterans);
    (iii) Compensation under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937 before 
1951 that can be credited to you under title II of the Social Security 
Act; and
    (iv) Wages considered paid to you before 1951 under section 231 of 
the Act (relating to benefits in case of certain persons interned in the 
United States during World War II).
    (e) When your fully insured status begins. You are fully insured as 
of the first day of the calendar quarter in which you acquire the last 
needed QC (see Sec. 404.145).

[45 FR 25384, Apr. 15, 1980, as amended at 50 FR 36573, Sept. 9, 1985; 
57 FR 23156, June 2, 1992]



Sec. 404.111  When we consider a person fully insured based on World War II active military or naval service.

    We consider that a person, who was not otherwise fully insured, died 
fully insured if--
    (a) The person was in the active military or naval service of the 
United States during World War II;
    (b) The person died within three years after separation from service 
and before July 27, 1954; and
    (c) The conditions in Sec. 404.1350 that permit us to consider the 
person fully insured are met.
    (d) The provisions of this section do not apply to persons filing 
applications after May 31, 1992, unless a survivor is entitled to 
benefits under section 202 of the Act based on the primary insurance 
amount of the fully insured person for the month preceding the month in 
which the application is made.

[45 FR 25384, Apr. 15, 1980, as amended at 57 FR 23157, June 2, 1992]



Sec. 404.112  When we consider certain employees of private nonprofit organiations to be fully insured.

    If you are age 55 or over on January 1, 1984, and are on that date 
an employee of an organization described in Sec. 404.1025(a) which does 
not have in effect a waiver certificate under section 3121(k) of the 
Code on that date and whose employees are mandatorily covered as a 
result of section 102 of Pub. L. 98-21, we consider you to be fully 
insured if you meet the following requirements:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 QC's   
                                                               acquired 
              Your age on January 1, 1984 is--                after Dec.
                                                               31, 1983 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
60 or over.................................................            6
59 or over but less than age 60............................            8
58 or over but less than age 59............................           12
57 or over but less than age 58............................           16
55 or over but less than age 57............................           20
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[50 FR 36573, Sept. 9, 1985]



Sec. 404.115  Table for determining the quarters of coverage you need to be fully insured.

    (a) General. You may use the following table to determine the number 
of

[[Page 34]]

quarters of coverage (QCs) you need to be fully insured under 
Sec. 404.110. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section tell you how to use 
this table.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Worker who reaches retirement age as described in Sec.  404.110(b)(2)       Worker who dies before reaching  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  retirement age as described in Sec.
                                                          Col. II\1\                    404.110(b)(2)           
                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Col. V\4\--
               Col. I--Date of birth                                        Col. III\2\--               Age in  
                                                        Men        Women       Year of    Col. IV\3\    year of 
                                                                                death                    death  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan. 1, 1893 or earlier...........................           6           6      \5\1957            6       \6\28
Jan. 2, 1893 to Jan. 1, 1894......................           7           6         1958            7          29
Jan. 2, 1894 to Jan. 1, 1895......................           8           6         1959            8          30
Jan. 2, 1895 to Jan. 1, 1896......................           9           6         1960            9          31
Jan. 2, 1896 to Jan. 1, 1897......................          10           7         1961           10          32
Jan. 2, 1897 to Jan. 1, 1898......................          11           8         1962           11          33
Jan. 2, 1898 to Jan. 1, 1899......................          12           9         1963           12          34
Jan. 2, 1899 to Jan. 1, 1900......................          13          10         1964           13          35
Jan. 2, 1900 to Jan. 1, 1901......................          14          11         1965           14          36
Jan. 2, 1901 to Jan. 1, 1902......................          15          12         1966           15          37
Jan. 2, 1902 to Jan. 1, 1903......................          16          13         1967           16          38
Jan. 2, 1903 to Jan. 1, 1904......................          17          14         1968           17          39
Jan. 2, 1904 to Jan. 1, 1905......................          18          15         1969           18          40
Jan. 2, 1905 to Jan. 1, 1906......................          19          16         1970           19          41
Jan. 2, 1906 to Jan. 1, 1907......................          20          17         1971           20          42
Jan. 2, 1907 to Jan. 1, 1908......................          21          18         1972           21          43
Jan. 2, 1908 to Jan. 1, 1909......................          22          19         1973           22          44
Jan. 2, 1909 to Jan. 1, 1910......................          23          20         1974           23          45
Jan. 2, 1910 to Jan. 1, 1911......................          24          21         1975           24          46
Jan. 2, 1911 to Jan. 1, 1912......................          24          22         1976           25          47
Jan. 2, 1912 to Jan. 1, 1913......................          24          23         1977           26          48
Jan. 2, 1913 to Jan. 1, 1914......................          24          24         1978           27          49
Jan. 2, 1914 to Jan. 1, 1915......................          25          25         1979           28          50
Jan. 2, 1915 to Jan. 1, 1916......................          26          26         1980           29          51
Jan. 2, 1916 to Jan. 1, 1917......................          27          27         1981           30          52
Jan. 2, 1917 to Jan. 1, 1918......................          28          28         1982           31          53
Jan. 2, 1918 to Jan. 1, 1919......................          29          29         1983           32          54
Jan. 2, 1919 to Jan. 1, 1920......................          30          30         1984           33          55
Jan. 2, 1920 to Jan. 1, 1921......................          31          31         1985           34          56
Jan. 2, 1921 to Jan. 1, 1922......................          32          32         1986           35          57
Jan. 2, 1922 to Jan. 1, 1923......................          33          33         1987           36          58
Jan. 2, 1923 to Jan. 1, 1924......................          34          34         1988           37          59
Jan. 2, 1924 to Jan. 1, 1925......................          35          35         1989           38          60
Jan. 2, 1925 to Jan. 1, 1926......................          36          36         1990           39          61
Jan. 2, 1926 to Jan. 1, 1927......................          37          37      \7\1991           40          62
Jan. 2, 1927 to Jan. 1, 1928......................          38          38  ............  ..........  ..........
Jan. 2, 1928 to Jan. 1, 1929......................          39          39  ............  ..........  ..........
Jan. 2, 1929 or later.............................          40  ..........  ............  ..........            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Number of QCs required for fully insured status; living worker or worker who dies after reaching retirement  
  age.                                                                                                          
\2\Worker born before Jan. 2, 1930 who dies before reaching retirement age.                                     
\3\Number of QCs required for fully insured status.                                                             
\4\Worker born Jan. 2, 1930 or later, who dies before reaching retirement age.                                  
\5\Or earlier.                                                                                                  
\6\Or younger.                                                                                                  
\7\Or later.                                                                                                    

    (b) Number of QCs you need. The QCs you need for fully insured 
status are in column II opposite your date of birth in column I. If a 
worker dies before reaching retirement age as described in 
Sec. 404.110(b)(2), the QCs needed for fully insured status are shown in 
column IV opposite--
    (1) The year of death in column III, if the worker was born before 
January 2, 1930; or
    (2) The age in the year of death in column V, if the worker was born 
after January 1, 1930.
    (c) How a period of disability affects the number of QCs you need. 
If you had a period of disability established for you, it affects the 
number of QCs you need to be fully insured (see Sec. 404.110(c)). For 
each year which is wholly or partly in a period of disability, subtract 
one QC from the number of QCs shown in the appropriate line and column 
of the

[[Page 35]]

table as explained in paragraph (b) of this section.

                        Currently Insured Status



Sec. 404.120  How we determine currently insured status.

    (a) What the period is for determining currently insured status. You 
are currently insured if you have at least 6 quarters of coverage (QCs) 
during the 13-quarter period ending with the quarter in which you--
    (1) Die;
    (2) Most recently became entitled to disability insurance benefits; 
or
    (3) Became entitled to old-age insurance benefits.
    (b) What quarters are not counted as part of the 13-quarter period. 
We do not count as part of the 13-quarter period any quarter all or part 
of which is included in a period of disability established for you, 
except that the first and last quarters of the period of disability may 
be counted if they are QCs (see Sec. 404.146(d)).

                        Disability Insured Status



Sec. 404.130  How we determine disability insured status.

    (a) General. We have four different rules for determining if you are 
insured for purposes of establishing a period of disability or becoming 
entitled to disability insurance benefits. To have disability insured 
status, you must meet one of these rules and you must be fully insured 
(see Sec. 404.132 which tells when the period ends for determining the 
number of quarters of coverage (QCs) you need to be fully insured).
    (b) Rule I--You must meet the 20/40 requirement. You are insured in 
a quarter for purposes of establishing a period of disability or 
becoming entitled to disability insurance benefits if in that quarter--
    (1) You are fully insured; and
    (2) You have at least 20 QCs in the 40-quarter period (see paragraph 
(f) of this section) ending with that quarter.
    (c) Rule II--You become disabled before age 31. You are insured in a 
quarter for purposes of establishing a period of disability or becoming 
entitled to disability insurance benefits if in that quarter--
    (1) You have not become (or would not become) age 31;
    (2) You are fully insured; and
    (3) You have QCs in at least one-half of the quarters during the 
period ending with that quarter and beginning with the quarter after the 
quarter you became age 21; however--
    (i) If the number of quarters during this period is an odd number, 
we reduce the number by one; and
    (ii) If the period has less than 12 quarters, you must have at least 
6 QCs in the 12-quarter period ending with that quarter.
    (d) Rule III--You had a period of disability before age 31. You are 
insured in a quarter for purposes of establishing a period of disability 
or becoming entitled to disability insurance benefits if in that 
quarter--
    (1) You are disabled again at age 31 or later after having had a 
prior period of disability established which began before age 31 and for 
which you were only insured under paragraph (c) of this section; and
    (2) You are fully insured and have QCs in at least one-half the 
calendar quarters in the period beginning with the quarter after the 
quarter you became age 21 and through the quarter in which the later 
period of disability begins, up to a maximum of 20 QCs out of 40 
calendar quarters; however--
    (i) If the number of quarters during this period is an odd number, 
we reduce the number by one;
    (ii) If the period has less than 12 quarters, you must have at least 
6 QCs in the 12-quarter period ending with that quarter; and
    (iii) No monthly benefits may be paid or increased under Rule III 
before May 1983.
    (e) Rule IV--You are statutorily blind. You are insured in a quarter 
for purposes of establishing a period of disability or becoming entitled 
to disability insurance benefits if in that quarter--
    (1) You are disabled by blindness as defined in Sec. 404.1581; and
    (2) You are fully insured.
    (f) How we determine the 40-quarter or other period. In determining 
the 40-quarter period or other period in paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of 
this section, we do not count any quarter all or part of

[[Page 36]]

which is in a prior period of disability established for you, unless the 
quarter is the first or last quarter of this period and the quarter is a 
QC. However, we will count all the quarters in the prior period of 
disability established for you if by doing so you would be entitled to 
benefits or the amount of the benefit would be larger.

[49 FR 28547, July 13, 1984, as amended at 55 FR 7313, Mar. 1, 1990]



Sec. 404.131  When you must have disability insured status.

    (a) For a period of disability. To establish a period of disability, 
you must have disability insured status in the quarter in which you 
become disabled or in a later quarter in which you are disabled.
    (b) For disability insurance benefits. (1) To become entitled to 
disability insurance benefits, you must have disability insured status 
in the first full month that you are disabled as described in 
Sec. 404.1501(a), or if later--
    (i) The 17th month (if you have to serve a waiting period described 
in Sec. 404.315(d)) before the month in which you file an application 
for disability insurance benefits; or
    (ii) The 12th month (if you do not have to serve a waiting period) 
before the month in which you file an application for disability 
insurance benefits.
    (2) If you do not have disability insured status in a month 
specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, you will be insured for 
disability insurance benefits beginning with the first month after that 
month in which you do meet the insured status requirement and you also 
meet all other requirements for disability insurance benefits described 
in Sec. 404.315.



Sec. 404.132  How we determine fully insured status for a period of disability or disability insurance benefits.

    In determining if you are fully insured for purposes of paragraph 
(b), (c), (d), or (e) of Sec. 404.130 on disability insured status, we 
use the fully insured status requirements in Sec. 404.110, but apply the 
following rules in determining when the period of elasped years ends:
    (a) If you are a woman, or a man born after January 1, 1913, the 
period of elapsed years in Sec. 404.110(b) used in determining the 
number of quarters of coverage (QCs) you need to be fully insured ends 
as of the earlier of--
    (1) The year you become age 62; or
    (2) The year in which--
    (i) Your period of disability begins;
    (ii) Your waiting period begins (see Sec. 404.315(d)); or
    (iii) You become entitled to disability insurance benefits (if you 
do not have to serve a waiting period).
    (b) If you are a man born before January 2, 1913, the period of 
elapsed years in Sec. 404.110(b) used in determining the number of QCs 
you need to be fully insured ends as of the earlier of--
    (1) The year 1975; or
    (2) The year specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

[45 FR 25384, Apr. 15, 1980, as amended at 49 FR 28547, July 13, 1984]



Sec. 404.133  When we give you quarters of coverage based on military service to establish a period of disability.

    For purposes of establishing a period of disability only, we give 
you quarters of coverage (QCs) for your military service before 1957 
(see subpart N of this part). We do this even though we may not use that 
military service for other purposes of title II of the Act because a 
periodic benefit is payable from another Federal agency based in whole 
or in part on the same period of military service.

                          Quarters of Coverage



Sec. 404.140  What is a quarter of coverage.

    (a) General. A quarter of coverage (QC) is the basic unit of social 
security coverage used in determining a worker's insured status. We 
credit you with QCs based on your earnings covered under social 
security.
    (b) How we credit QCs based on earnings before 1978 (General). 
Before 1978, wages were generally reported on a quarterly basis and 
self-employment income was reported on an annual basis. For the most 
part, we credit QCs for calendar years before 1978 based on your 
quarterly earnings. For these years, as explained in Sec. 404.141, we 
generally credit you with a QC for each calendar quarter in which you 
were

[[Page 37]]

paid at least $50 in wages or were credited with at least $100 of self-
employment income. Section 404.142 tells how self-employment income 
derived in a taxable year beginning before 1978 is credited to specific 
calendar quarters for purposes of Sec. 404.141.
    (c) How we credit QCs based on earnings after 1977 (General). After 
1977, both wages and self-employment income are generally reported on an 
annual basis. For calendar years after 1977, as explained in 
Sec. 404.143, we generally credit you with a QC for each part of your 
total covered earnings in a calendar year that equals the amount 
required for a QC in that year. Section 404.143 also tells how the 
amount required for a QC will be increased in the future as average 
wages increase. Section 404.144 tells how self-employment income derived 
in a taxable year beginning after 1977 is credited to specific calendar 
years for purposes of Sec. 404.143.
    (d) When a QC is acquired and when a calendar quarter is not a QC 
(general). Section 404.145 tells when a QC is acquired and Sec. 404.146 
tells when a calendar quarter cannot be a QC. These rules apply when we 
credit QCs under Sec. 404.141 or Sec. 404.143.



Sec. 404.141   How we credit quarters of coverage for calendar years before 1978.

    (a) General. The rules in this section tell how we credit calendar 
quarters as quarters of coverage (QCs) for calendar years before 1978. 
We credit you with a QC for a calendar quarter based on the amount of 
wages you were paid and self-employment income you derived during 
certain periods. The rules in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this 
section are subject to the limitations in Sec. 404.146, which tells when 
a calendar quarter cannot be a QC.
    (b) How we credit QCs based on wages paid in, or self-employment 
income credited to, a calendar quarter. We credit you with a QC for a 
calendar quarter in which--
    (1) You were paid wages of $50 or more (see paragraph (c) of this 
section for an exception relating to wages paid for agricultural labor); 
or
    (2) You were credited (under Sec. 404.142) with self-employment 
income of $100 or more.
    (c) How we credit QCs based on wages paid for agricultural labor in 
a calendar year after 1954. (1) We credit QCs based on wages for 
agricultural labor depending on the amount of wages paid during a 
calendar year for that work. If you were paid wages for agricultural 
labor in a calendar year after 1954 and before 1978, we credit you with 
QCs for calendar quarters in that year which are not otherwise QCs 
according to the following table.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
  If the wages paid to you in a                                         
 calendar year for agricultural   We credit you with    And assign:\1\  
           labor were                                                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
$400 or more....................  4 QCs.............  All.              
At least $300 but less than $400  3 QCs.............  Last 3.           
At least $200 but less than $300  2 QCs.............  Last 2.           
At least $100 but less than $200  1 QC..............  Last.             
Less than $100..................  No QCs............                    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\One QC to each of the following calendar quarters in that year.      

    (2) When we assign QCs to calendar quarters in a year as shown in 
the table in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, you might not meet (or 
might not meet as early in the year as otherwise possible) the 
requirements to be fully or currently insured, to be entitled to a 
computation or recomputation of your primary insurance amount, or to 
establish a period of disability. If this happens, we assign the QCs to 
different quarters in that year than those shown in the table if this 
assignment permits you to meet these requirements (or meet them earlier 
in the year). We can only reassign QCs for purposes of meeting these 
requirements.
    (d) How we credit QCs based on wages paid or self-employment income 
derived in a year. (1) If you were paid wages in a calendar year after 
1950 and before 1978 at least equal to the annual wage limitation in 
effect for that year as described in Sec. 404.1027(a), we credit you 
with a QC for each quarter in that calendar year. If you were paid at 
least $3,000 wages in a calendar year before 1951, we credit you with a 
QC for each quarter in that calendar year.
    (2) If you derived self-employment income (or derived self-
employment income and also were paid wages) during a taxable year 
beginning after 1950 and before 1978 at least equal to the self-
employment income and wage

[[Page 38]]

limitation in effect for that year as described in Sec. 404.1068(b), we 
credit you with a QC for each calendar quarter wholly or partly in that 
taxable year.

[45 FR 25384, Apr. 15, 1980; 45 FR 41931, June 23, 1980]



Sec. 404.142  How we credit self-employment income to calendar quarters for taxable years beginning before 1978.

    In crediting quarters of coverage under Sec. 404.141(b)(2), we 
credit any self-employment income you derived during a taxable year that 
began before 1978 to calendar quarters as follows:
    (a) If your taxable year was a calendar year, we credit your self-
employment income equally to each quarter of that calendar year.
    (b) If your taxable year was not a calendar year (that is, it began 
on a date other than January 1, or was less than a calendar year), we 
credit your self-employment income equally--
    (1) To the calendar quarter in which your taxable year ended; and
    (2) To each of the next three or fewer preceding quarters that were 
wholly or partly in your taxable year.



Sec. 404.143  How we credit quarters of coverage for calendar years after 1977.

    (a) Crediting quarters of coverage (QCs). For calendar years after 
1977, we credit you with a QC for each part of the total wages paid and 
self-employment income credited (under Sec. 404.144) to you in a 
calendar year that equals the amount required for a QC in that year. For 
example, if the total of your wages and self-employment income for a 
calendar year is more than twice, but less than 3 times, the amount 
required for a QC in that year, we credit you with only 2 QCs for the 
year. The rules for crediting QCs in this section are subject to the 
limitations in Sec. 404.146, which tells when a calendar quarter cannot 
be a QC. In addition, we cannot credit you with more than four QCs for 
any calendar year. The amount of wages and self-employment income that 
you must have for each QC is--
    (1) $250 for calendar year 1978; and
    (2) For each calendar year after 1978, an amount determined by the 
Secretary for that year (on the basis of a formula in section 213(d)(2) 
of the Act which reflects national increases in average wages). The 
amount determined by the Secretary is published in the Federal Register 
on or before November 1 of the preceding year and included in the 
appendix to this subpart.
    (b) Assigning QCs. We assign a QC credited under paragraph (a) of 
this section to a specific calendar quarter in the calendar year only if 
the assignment is necessary to--
    (1) Give you fully or currently insured status;
    (2) Entitle you to a computation or recomputation of your primary 
insurance amount; or
    (3) Permit you to establish a period of disability.



Sec. 404.144  How we credit self-employment income to calendar years for taxable years beginning after 1977.

    In crediting quarters of coverage under Sec. 404.143(a), we credit 
self-employment income you derived during a taxable year that begins 
after 1977 to calendar years as follows:
    (a) If your taxable year is a calendar year or begins and ends 
within the same calendar year, we credit your self-employment income to 
that calendar year.
    (b) If your taxable year begins in one calendar year and ends in the 
following calendar year, we allocate proportionately your self-
employment income to the two calendar years on the basis of the number 
of months in each calendar year which are included completely within 
your taxable year. We consider the calendar month in which your taxable 
year ends as included completely within your taxable year.

    Example. For the taxable year beginning May 15, 1978, and ending May 
14, 1979, your self-employment income is $1200. We credit 7/12 ($700) of 
your self-employment income to calendar year 1978 and 5/12 ($500) of 
your self-employment income to calendar year 1979.



Sec. 404.145  When you acquire a quarter of coverage.

    If we credit you with a quarter of coverage (QC) for a calendar 
quarter under paragraph (b), (c), or (d) of Sec. 404.141 for calendar 
years before 1978 or assign it to a specific calendar quarter under 
paragraph (b) of Sec. 404.143 for

[[Page 39]]

calendar years after 1977, you acquire the QC as of the first day of the 
calendar quarter.



Sec. 404.146  When a calendar quarter cannot be a quarter of coverage.

    This section applies when we credit you with quarters of coverage 
(QCs) under Sec. 404.141 for calendar years before 1978 and under 
Sec. 404.143 for calendar years after 1977. We cannot credit you with a 
QC for--
    (a) A calendar quarter that has not begun;
    (b) A calendar quarter that begins after the quarter of your death;
    (c) A calendar quarter that has already been counted as a QC; or
    (d) A calendar quarter that is included in a period of disability 
established for you, unless--
    (1) The quarter is the first or the last quarter of this period; or
    (2) The period of disability is not taken into consideration (see 
Sec. 404.320(a)).
Pt. 404, Subpt. B, App.

   Appendix to Subpart B of Part 404--Quarter of Coverage Amounts for 
                        Calendar Years After 1978

    This appendix shows the amount determined by the Secretary that is 
needed for a quarter of coverage for each year after 1978 as explained 
in Sec. 404.143. We publish the amount as a Notice in the Federal 
Register on or before November 1 of the preceding year. The amounts 
determined by the Secretary are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Amount 
                         Calendar year                           needed 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1979..........................................................      $260
1980..........................................................       290
1981..........................................................       310
1982..........................................................       340
1983..........................................................       370
1984..........................................................       390
1985..........................................................       410
1986..........................................................       440
1987..........................................................       460
1988..........................................................       470
1989..........................................................       500
1990..........................................................       520
1991..........................................................       540
1992..........................................................       570
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[45 FR 25384, Apr. 15, 1980, as amended at 52 FR 8247, Mar. 17, 1987; 57 
FR 44096, Sept 24, 1992]