If you had all or substantially all your social security earnings before 1951, your primary insurance amount computed under the “1977 simplified old-start” method may be higher than any other primary insurance amount computed for you under any other method for which you are eligible. As explained in §404.242, if you reach age 62 after 1978, your primary insurance amount computed under the old-start method is used, for purposes of the guaranteed alternative described in §404.230, if the old-start primary insurance amount is higher than the one found under the average-monthly-wage method. We may use a modified computation, as explained in §404.243, if you are entitled to a pension based on your employment which was not covered by Social Security.

[47 FR 30734, July 15, 1982, as amended at 52 FR 47917, Dec. 17, 1987]