305.19 Crediting SSA Work Quarters (FAM)

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• SSA determines whether an individual has sufficient work history to be credited with a covered quarter. It is the responsibility of the noncitizen to provide verification of number of work quarters for which they are credited.

• Credit a noncitizen with those SSA covered work quarters earned by the:

– Individual;

– Individual’s spouse during their marriage, if they are legally married at the time of application, or if the spouse is deceased; and

– Individual’s natural, adoptive, or step-parents, including quarters earned prior to the individual’s birth or adoption, while the child is under 18 years of age.

Exception: Quarters earned by a step-parent may only be credited to a child during the time the child is living with the step-parent.

Exception: Beginning with the January 1, 1997 calendar quarter, do not count any quarters during which the individual, spouse, or parent received any federal means-tested benefit, such as TANF, SSI, or food stamps.

References: Section 212-213 of the SSA [42 USC 412-413], 8 USC 1183a(a)(3)(B), 8 USC 1622(b)(2), 8 USC 1645