Appendix 10 Quarters of Coverage History System

Effective Date - January 1, 2009

Appendix 10

Quarters of Coverage History System (QCHS)

P.L. 104-193, Sections 431, 435

A. Register the case on EPICS; and

B. Research the work history through QCHS to qualify aliens who have lived and worked here for ten years or any combination of ten years for a family.

C. Access QCHS through the INME screen by selecting TPQY Inquiry Background.

D. Enter the individual’s SSN.

E. Enter a “Q” in the Request field and a message will appear stating “40 QQ Request Complete”.

F. Expect the 40 QQ information to be transmitted from Baltimore and entered on the TPQY Information/Request screen within three days.

G. Realize the record received will not display the current year’s earnings, or possibly the previous year’s earnings, depending upon when the request is made.

H. Allow either the minimum quarters or maximum quarters to count toward the 40 quarters, but not both.

I. Understand the following codes indicate a quarter of coverage:

1. A - Agricultural;

2. C - Wage;

3. D and M - Military;

4. G - Gift;

5. J - Japanese Internment;

6. R - Railroad;

7. S - Self-Employment;

8. X - Wage QC which can occur for 1951 or 1952;

9. * - A covered quarter of coverage.

J. DO NOT count the “F” or “N” codes under the Quarter Coverage Patterns toward the 40 qualifying quarters.

K. Request another query after 45 days when “#” or “Z” codes must be used to accomplish 40 qualifying quarters as these codes will be updated and overlaid with either “N”, “C” or “*”.

L. Research quarters for other family members when the individual does not qualify on her/his own:

1. Enter the applicant’s current spouse’s SSN but consider only quarters earned during the marriage;

2. Enter the applicant’s parents SSN but consider only those quarters the parents earned before the applicant became 18.

M. Use the following table to determine the number of creditable quarters of coverage:

Effective Year	Quarterly Amount	Effective Year	Quarterly Amount
2008	$1050	1992	570
2007	1000	1991	540
2006	970	1990	520
2005	920	1989	500
2004	900	1988	470
2003	890	1987	460
2002	870	1986	440
2001	830	1985	410
2000	780	1984	390
1999	740	1983	370
1998	700	1982	340
1997	670	1981	310
1996	640	1980	290
1995	630	1979	260
1994	620	1978	250
1993	590

N. DO NOT count a quarter that has not ended.

O. DO NOT count any quarters after 12/31/96 if the alien, parent or spouse received public assistance during the quarter.

P. Accept the following when the individual does not agree with the information provided by the query:

1. A current employer prepared wage statement;

2. Forms such as W-2 and/or W-2c;

3. An IRS copy of the individual’s tax return.

Q. Credit a quarter for each increment shown in the preceding table if the proof listed in P. indicates FICA taxes were withheld.

R. Refer the individual to SSA when a dispute exists over the quarters of coverage as SSA is responsible for investigating the discrepancy and correcting the record.