Years of coverage

Aspect of Social Security in the United States

Years of coverage, for purposes of the American Social Security program, are years in which a beneficiary is considered to have contributed a substantial amount into the Social Security Trust Fund.[1] Years of coverage are used in the computations in whether and how to apply the Windfall Elimination Provision.[2] Years of coverage are not the amounts used in similar computations, such as with Quarter Credits.

## Calculating years of coverage

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Years of coverage are calculated in two different manners. Because the amount paid into the Social Security Trust Fund were not identified by year prior to 1951,[3] Years of coverage before 1951 are determined by dividing pre-1951 earnings by $900.00 with any remainder dropped. The resulting number, limited to 14, is the number of years of coverage a beneficiary is credited for earnings before 1951. The limit of 14 represents the number of years from 1937, when contributions began,[4] through 1950.[2]

A beneficiary is credited with a year of coverage for a year after 1950, when contributions were identified by year, based on whether contributions in that year surpass a specific threshold. A beneficiary may not earn more than one year of coverage in any given year. The thresholds for years after 1950 are:[2][5]

Year | Threshold | Year | Threshold | Year | Threshold

|
|
|
|
|

1951 | $900.00 | 1971 | $1,950.00 | 1991 | $9,900.00
1952 | $900.00 | 1972 | $2,250.00 | 1992 | $10,350.00
1953 | $900.00 | 1973 | $2,700.00 | 1993 | $10,725.00
1954 | $900.00 | 1974 | $3,300.00 | 1994 | $11,250.00
1955 | $1,050.00 | 1975 | $3,525.00 | 1995 | $11,325.00
1956 | $1,050.00 | 1976 | $3,825.00 | 1996 | $11,625.00
1957 | $1,050.00 | 1977 | $4,125.00 | 1997 | $12,150.00
1958 | $1,050.00 | 1978 | $4,425.00 | 1998 | $12,675.00
1959 | $1,200.00 | 1979 | $4,725.00 | 1999 | $13,425.00
1960 | $1,200.00 | 1980 | $5,100.00 | 2000 | $14,175.00
1961 | $1,200.00 | 1981 | $5,550.00 | 2001 | $14,925.00
1962 | $1,200.00 | 1982 | $6,075.00 | 2002 | $15,750.00
1963 | $1,200.00 | 1983 | $6,675.00 | 2003 | $16,125.00
1964 | $1,200.00 | 1984 | $7,050.00 | 2004 | $16,275.00
1965 | $1,200.00 | 1985 | $7,425.00 | 2005 | $16,725.00
1966 | $1,650.00 | 1986 | $7,875.00 | 2006 | $17,475.00
1967 | $1,650.00 | 1987 | $8,175.00 | 2007 | $18,150.00
1968 | $1,950.00 | 1988 | $8,400.00 | 2008 | $18,975.00
1969 | $1,950.00 | 1989 | $8,925.00 |  |
1970 | $1,950.00 | 1990 | $9,525.00 |  |

## Notes

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1. ^ POMS RS 00605.360
2. ^ a b c POMS RS 00605.362
3. ^ http://www.socialsecurity.gov/history/1950amend.html
4. ^ SSA Publication No. 21-059 p.4
5. ^ http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/COLA/yoc.html

## Sources

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* Social Security Online. Social Security Administration. www.ssa.gov.
* Social Security Program Operations Manual System. Social Security Administration. https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/partlist!OpenView Archived June 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
* SSA Publication No. 21-059 A Brief History. Social Security Administration. August 2005.

## External links

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* www.ssa.gov / Alternate \- Official website of the Social Security Administration
* Online WEP Calculator

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Social Security (United States)

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