Each of the following codes, which will appear in the QC pattern, indicates a potential qualifying quarter. All codes represent a QQ from covered earnings (QC) except codes 'F, U, and W' which indicate QQ from noncovered earnings. This information is relevant when determining how to handle discrepancies.
- A - Agricultural QC;
- C - Wage QC (most common quarter code the SSR will see);
- D - Military QC;
- F - Federal, state, or local government wage QQ;
- G - Gift QC;
- J - Japanese Interment QC;
- M - Military QC;
- R - Railroad QC;
- S - Self Employment QC;
- X - Wage QC which occurs for 1951 or 1952; and
- * - A covered QC.
The following code will also appear in the QQ display but cannot be counted as a QQ: N - Quarter with no earnings, a non-QQ.
Sometimes there is not enough information on the SSA record to determine whether there is a potential QQ. When this happens, the SSR will see the following codes:
- # - Questionable QC that can occur 1952 through 1977, and
- Z - Questionable QC that can occur 1952 through present.
If these codes (# or Z) appear in a quarter and the applicant does not meet the 40-quarter requirement without them, contact SSA. SSA will investigate the earnings and either confirm or deny the quarter.
The Minimum Number QCs 1937-1950 field and Maximum Number QCs 1937 - 1950 field provide information on QCs for individuals whose earnings records do not contain specific breakouts for quarters of coverage from 1937 to 1950. The Minimum Number QCs field will contain the result of dividing total earnings in this period by $400, and the Maximum Number QCs field will contain the result of dividing total earnings over the period by $50. There should not be entries in the QQ pattern for 1937-1950 if there are entries in the Minimum and Maximum Numbers QCs fields.
The record the SSR receives will not show current year earning or possibly last year's earnings, depending on when the SSR makes the request. SSA processes earnings reports on a flow basis, but because of the volume, SSA generally does not complete the processing until mid to late summer of the year following the year of earnings. Earnings for this period are called 'lag' earnings. SSA will not develop these earnings because they will appear on SSA records when they are processed. See Section 7.9.7: Reconciliation in this Chapter for guidelines on how to develop the existence of lag earnings if such earnings are needed to establish the 40-quarters exception. If these quarters represent recent work activity, the applicant should have acceptable evidence readily available.
