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IMA POLICY MANUAL
PART IV: NON-FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
DETERMINING QUALIFYING QUARTERS 7.9
| MA |
N/A
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| TANF |
N/A
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| GC |
N/A
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| FS |
In some instances, an alien will only be eligible for FS benefits if s/he has '40 qualifying quarters' of work history. In other cases, an immigrant who is sponsored may qualify for an exemption to deeming his/her sponsor’s income and resources, if s/he has “40 qualifying quarters” of work history. The term 'qualifying quarter' (QQ) originated in the Social Security Program. In order for anyone, citizen or alien, to be eligible for Social Security benefits, the individual must have a specified number of qualifying quarters. An individual can earn up to four qualifying quarters per year based on his/her earnings. For example, in 1998, an individual must earn $700 to earn a single qualifying quarter in a year. If an individual earns less than $700 in 1998, no quarters are earned. If an individual earns at least $2,800 in 1998, four quarters are earned. When determining qualifying quarters, the actual dates an individual earned the income does not matter. If an individual earns $10,000 in 1998, s/he would earn four qualifying quarters for that year, even if s/he only worked one month during the year.
When determining whether an alien has 40 qualifying quarters, the applicant's own qualifying quarters based on his/her own earnings and quarters earned by his/her parents and/or spouse (with certain exceptions) can be combined. For example, if an applicant has earned 25 qualifying quarters and his/her spouse has earned 15, the applicant meets the 40-quarter criteria. Thus, when interviewing an applicant who is an alien and who may qualify for FS based on the 40-qualifying quarters criteria, the SSR must determine whether the applicant's parent(s) worked in the United States while the applicant was a minor and whether the applicant's current or former spouse (if the marriage ended due to the death of the spouse) worked in the United States while they were married. |
Determining Whose Qualifying Quarters Can Count Toward the 40-Quarters Criteria 7.9.1
| MA |
N/A
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| TANF |
N/A
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| GC |
N/A
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| FS |
The qualifying quarters of the following individuals can be added to those of the applicant when determining whether an applicant has 40 qualifying quarters for the purposes of FS eligibility:
- applicant’s Natural Parents (unless the child has been adopted): Use only the quarters earned while the applicant was under age 18;
- applicant's Adoptive Parents: Use only the quarters earned while the applicant was under age 18;
- applicant's Step-parent (provided the step-relationship still exists unless terminated by the death of step-parent): Use only the quarters earned while the relationship was in existence and the applicant was under age 18. The step-parent's relationship to the child is based on the marital relationship to the child’s parent. If the marital relationship ends other than by death, the relationship also ends;
- applicant's Current Spouse: Use only the quarters earned during the marital relationship; and
- applicant's Former Spouse (but only if the marriage ended by death): Use only the quarters earned during the marriage.
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Determining Whether Applicant Could Have Met 40-Quarter Requirement 7.9.2
| MA |
N/A
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| TANF |
N/A
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| GC |
N/A
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| FS |
In some cases, the applicant will not have been in the U.S. long enough to have met the 40 qualifying quarter requirement. To determine if it is possible that the applicant could meet the 40 qualifying quarter criteria, the SSR should complete the following two steps.
| Step 1: |
Ask how many years the applicant and each of the relevant individuals (those individuals whose qualifying quarters may count toward the applicant’s 40-quarter requirement) have lived in this country.
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| Step 2: |
Add the number of years for each together.
- If the totals equal at least ten years, the individual could meet the 40-quarter requirement and the SSR should proceed to verify his/her qualifying quarters.
- If the total is less than ten years, ask whether the applicant, his/her parents, or his/her spouse ever commuted to work in the U.S. from another country (e.g., Canada or Mexico) before coming here to live or, if a legal resident of the U.S., worked for a U.S. company overseas or in self-employment.
- If 'Yes,' determine the number of years and add them to the total.
- If the total is at least ten, the individual could meet the 40-quarter requirement and the SSR should proceed to verify his/her qualifying quarters.
- If the total is less than ten, do not proceed any further. The applicant cannot meet the 40-quarter requirement.
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