(a) Crediting quarters of coverage (QCs). For calendar years after 1977, we credit you with a QC for each part of the total wages paid and self-employment income credited (under §404.144) to you in a calendar year that equals the amount required for a QC in that year. For example, if the total of your wages and self-employment income for a calendar year is more than twice, but less than 3 times, the amount required for a QC in that year, we credit you with only 2 QCs for the year. The rules for crediting QCs in this section are subject to the limitations in §404.146, which tells when a calendar quarter cannot be a QC. In addition, we cannot credit you with more than four QCs for any calendar year. The amount of wages and self-employment income that you must have for each QC is—

(1) $250 for calendar year 1978; and

(2) For each calendar year after 1978, an amount determined by the Commissioner for that year (on the basis of a formula in section 213(d)(2) of the Act which reflects national increases in average wages). The amount determined by the Commissioner is published in the Federal Register on or before November 1 of the preceding year and included in the appendix to this subpart.

(b) Assigning QCs. We assign a QC credited under paragraph (a) of this section to a specific calendar quarter in the calendar year only if the assignment is necessary to—

(1) Give you fully or currently insured status;

(2) Entitle you to a computation or recomputation of your primary insurance amount; or

(3) Permit you to establish a period of disability.

[45 FR 25834, Apr. 15, 1980, as amended at 62 FR 38450, July 18, 1997]