USING SSA’S QUARTERS OF COVERAGE HISTORY SYSTEM

On August 22, 1996, Public Law 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 was enacted. Under this law, only certain categories of aliens are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and food stamp benefits.

One of the categories of eligible aliens includes aliens who have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (i.e., qualified aliens) and who have worked or who can be credited with 40 qualifying quarters of work under Social Security Administration guidelines.

The Social Security Administration, which is the primary source of information on qualifying quarters of work, has developed an automated system to provide an array by year beginning with 1937 of all quarters of coverage derived from work covered by the Social Security Act and all Federal, State, or local Medicare only wages beginning with 1983. Information about the months in which a title XVI (SSI) payment was received will also be provided. This is important because after December 31,.1996, a qualifying quarter will not be credited if the alien received a Federal means-tested public benefit in that quarter.

This guide is not intended to replace the citizenship policy at FSC 1621 - 1621.7.4. It is intended to provide instructions for verification of using the SSA Quarters of Coverage History System.

GLOSSARY

The following terms will be used throughout these guidelines:

Applicant - The person who is applying for benefits.

Covered Earnings - Wages or self-employment income which require payment of FICA/SECA (Social Security) taxes.

LAG Quarters - Up to seven quarters of coverage earned in the current year and the year preceding the current year may not appear on the QCHS when the employer report or self-employment tax return has yet to be processed by SSA.

Non-covered Earnings - Wages or self-employment which do not require payment of FICA/SECA (Social Security) taxes.

Number Holder - An individual who has a social security number assigned to him or her.

QCHS - The Quarters of Coverage History System will provide verification of all covered earnings or non-covered earnings assigned to a calendar quarter.

Quarter - A period of three calendar months ending March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31.

Quarter of Coverage - Credit for covered earnings assigned to a calendar quarter. Quarters of coverage are earned by working at a job or as a self-employed individual. A maximum of four quarters can be earned each year.

QQ History - A display of qualifying quarters by quarter and year.

ACCESSING THE SYSTEM

There is no charge for information provided through QCHS.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will be the primary source of verification for quarters of coverage information.

The following procedures will be used to determine if the alien has been in the U.S. long enough to have 40 qualifying quarters of work under Title II of the Social Security Act:

• Determine how many years of possible SSA coverage this alien has. (Years alien lived in the U.S. or otherwise paid social security taxes + years spouse lived in the U.S. + years alien’s parents lived in the U.S. before alien’s 18th birthday = years of possible coverage.) Include any work outside the U.S. if alien paid U.S. social security taxes on the wages. Do not include quarters of work earned by the alien’s minor child or children.

• If the total is less than 10 years, STOP. It is not necessary to verify quarters of coverage through the WQRY screen. The alien is not eligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program. See FSC 1621.6.

• If the total is 10 years or more, obtain the alien’s written consent to access SSA’s records for information about the alien’s qualifying quarters of work.

Obtaining The Alien’s Consent To Access SSA Records

Each alien must provide the full name, social security number, date of birth and sex of each individual whose earnings will be used to establish the alien’s qualifying quarters.

A Consent for Release of Information (SSA-3288) must be completed for each alien claiming eligibility based on 40 qualifying quarters of work. The alien must sign the consent. An SSA-3288 must also be completed for any spouse or parent whose earnings will be used to establish the alien’s qualifying quarters of work. Unless the spouse or parent is deceased, he or she must sign the consent allowing SSA to access his or her earnings record.

Consent forms must meet the following conditions:

• The consent form must indicate that information about the alien, parent or spouse can be released to your agency, and in the case that the individual is the parent or spouse of an alien, to the applicant.
• The consent form must authorize release of the individual’s social security number, identifying information, information about benefit payments and (under other) quarters of coverage history.
• The alien must sign and date the form. If the individual is the parent or spouse of an alien, the individual must state their relationship to the alien and sign and date the form.

A copy of the Consent for Release of Information (SSA-3288) and the instructions appear in the FORMS Section of this appendix. Also provided is an example of a properly completed consent form. You may duplicate the form as you need to use it.

If someone refuses to sign the consent form, you must request information about this person’s qualifying quarters of work via a Request for Quarters of Coverage (SSA-513). A form SSA-513 and instructions for its completion are located in the FORMS section of this appendix. You may duplicate the SSA-513 and use it when needed.

ONCE THERE IS A PROPERLY COMPLETED CONSENT FORM IN THE CASE RECORD, SSA QCHS DATA MAY BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE SSA QUERY SCREEN (WQRY).

Go to the next page for instructions on accessing and reading the WQRY screen.

SSA will code the quarter fields with the following types of earnings/entries:

The minimum number QCs 1937-1950 field and maximum number QCs field provide information on qualifying quarters of work for individuals whose earnings records do not contain specific breakouts for quarters of coverage from 1937-1950. For these individuals, SSA will do calculations and provide a range of possible quarters of coverage. The minimum number QCs field will contain the result of dividing total earnings 1937-1950 by $400, and the maximum number QCs field will contain the result of dividing total earnings 1937-1950 by $50. There should not be entries in the Qualifying Quarters Pattern for 1937-1950 if there are entries in the minimum and maximum number QCs fields.

RESOLVING DISCREPANCIES

Whenever an applicant, or another individual whose qualifying quarters of work are being credited to the applicant, does not agree with the QQ pattern provided on the WQRY screen, it will be necessary to resolve the discrepancy.

Current earnings will not usually appear on the WQRY until mid to late summer of the year following the year of earnings. Earnings for this period are called LAG earnings. The LAG period always covers the current year. It also covers the year just before the current year for the period September through December.

If the disputed earnings do not fall within the LAG period, SSA is responsible for investigating the discrepancy and correcting the record.

Determining Lag Earnings

You may accept a current employer prepared wage statement as proof of earnings. If the quarters in question are not in current year but were earned in the year before the current year, you may accept a W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement), W-2c (Statement of Corrected Income and Tax Amount), or an IRS copy of the individual’s tax return as proof of earnings.

(Chart revised 01-01-02)

Problems With the Social Security Number (SSN)

If the alien indicates that he or she used more than one SSN or allowed others to use his or her SSN, then he or she will need to contact the local Social Security Office to resolve the issue or call 1-800-772-1213 to set up an appointment. Provide the individual with a copy of the WQRY screen and tell him or her to take the copy when he or she goes for the appointment. The alien may participate in the Food Stamp Program, if otherwise eligible, for up to six months while awaiting information from SSA.

Inadequate Information on File

Sometimes there is not enough information on the SSA record to determine whether there is a potential qualifying quarter of work. If so, you will see the following codes:

# - Questionable QC that can occur 1952 through 1977.

Z - Questionable QC that can occur 1952 through present.

If you see these codes in a quarter and the applicant does not meet the 40 qualifying quarters requirement without them, SSA will investigate the earnings and either confirm or deny the quarter. Refer the case to SSA Office of Central Records Operations via a Request to Resolve Questionable Quarters of Coverage (SSA-512). A form SSA-512 may be found in the FORMS section of this appendix. You may duplicate this SSA-512 and use it when needed. The SSA-512 must contain the following information:

• Name
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Year or Years in Question
• Return Address
• Copy of the WQRY screen

A separate form SSA-512 is required for each SSN to be investigated.

Mail the request and the copy of the WQRY screen to:

SSA, OCRO
P.O. Box 33015
Baltimore, Maryland 21290-3015

Allow 45 days for processing. If, after 45 days, you need to follow up on the status of the request, you should once again access the WQRY screen. If the entry has been updated, the # or Z will be overlaid with a code N or C. If the QQ pattern has not been updated after 60 days, call 410-966-8856 OR 410-909-5603 (pager).  The alien may participate in the Food Stamp Program, if otherwise eligible, for up to six months while awaiting information from SSA.

Applicant Does not Agree With Information Provided by SSA

If the applicant indicates his or her record is missing quarters or the code Z on WQRY is 1978 or later, the applicant must complete a Request for Correction of Earnings (SSA-7008). A copy of the SSA-7008 may be found in the FORMS section of this appendix. You may duplicate this form and provide it to the applicant. If the applicant needs assistance completing the form, such assistance should be provided. The SSA-7008 must be accompanied by proof of earnings for the period in question. Acceptable proof of earnings include, but is not limited to W-2 forms, check stubs, tax returns, and statements from the employer. Write "Welfare Reform" on top of the SSA-7008.

NOTE: If the discrepancy lies in the records of an alien’s parent or spouse, the parent or spouse must complete the SSA-7008 and provide proof of earnings.

If the applicant has no documentation, he or she should contact the local Social Security Office or call 1-800-772-1213 to arrange an appointment.

All SSA-7008s along with the documentation should be mailed to:

Allow 45 days for processing. After 45 days, you may follow up on the status of the request by accessing the WQRY screen. The alien may participate in the Food Stamp Program, if otherwise eligible, for up to six months while awaiting information from SSA.

There is Non-covered Employment

SSA’s requirements for developing covered earnings are based on insured status rules and Title II entitlement. Therefore, occasionally, SSA will not be able to verify and credit covered wages and self-employment. In these instances, you may use the following guidelines to determine if an applicant has enough qualifying quarters of work.

CHART 3 - EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Employment outside the United States became covered according to the following schedule:

 If you determine that the missing QQs appear to be from covered employment, SSA must resolve the discrepancy as instructed above in the section entitled, "Applicant Does Not Agree With Information Provided by SSA."

If you determine that the earnings are from uncovered employment, you must obtain satisfactory evidence that the earnings exist before you can use the earnings to credit QQs. The following list provides examples of evidence you may use to establish earnings from sources other than self-employment. This list is not all inclusive. You may accept other evidence if it appears to be legitimate and accurate.

• Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement)
• Form W-2c (Statement of Corrected Income and Tax Amount)
• Employer prepared statements
• Statements of earnings signed by the custodian of the employer’s records
• IRS copy of the employee’s tax return
• Individual’s copy of a Federal or State tax return
• Pay envelopes, vouchers and similar unsigned employer earnings statements to the employee or to a State or Federal agency
• Union records
• Records of state unemployment insurance agencies (e.g., ESD)
• An individual’s personal records

To establish QQs based on self-employment income, you may accept timely filed tax returns for the self-employed person. Be sure that the proof of filing, canceled check, money order or copy of Schedule C bearing the IRS time stamp indicates that the return was filed within 3 years, 3 months and 15 days after the year in which the self-employment income was derived. If a tax return is not available, you may accept other evidence to establish that the business did exist and that a profit was earned. Comparison of bills, vouchers and receipts are examples of evidence you might use to make this determination.

The dollar amount on the chart indicates the amount needed to credit one qualifying quarter. You can combine covered and uncovered earnings to determine the total earnings for a year. You may use current year’s earnings; however, you may not use the current quarter’s earnings.

If you need to determine QQs based on quarters before 1978:

• A credit was earned for each calendar quarter in which an individual was paid $50 or more in wages (including agricultural wages for 1951-1954).
• Four credits were earned for each taxable year in which an individual’s net earnings from self-employment were $400 or more.
• A credit was earned for each $100 (limit to a total of four) for agricultural wages paid during the year for the years 1955-1977.