Opinion ID: 221431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The 20/40 Requirement

Text: 6 To qualify for disability benefits, Alexander must have 20 quarters of coverage during the 40-quarter period ending with the quarter in which he became disabled. “[I]nsured status is a basic factor in determining if [a claimant is] entitled to old-age or disability insurance benefits or to a period of disability . . . . If [a claimant is] neither fully nor currently insured, no benefits are payable based on [the claimant’s] earnings.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.101(a). In this case, Alexander must establish both earnings coverage from 2001 and an amended disability onset date of March 2002 to meet the 20/40 requirement.
Although the Commissioner in this case originally determined that Alexander had income from his wife’s business in 2001, the Commissioner later corrected this finding and concluded that Alexander had no income in 2001. Generally, the Commissioner may correct any entry of wages or self-employment income before the expiration of the “time limitation.” 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(4). The time limitation is a period of 3 years, 3 months, and 15 days after the individual received earnings. Id. at § 405(c)(1)(B). “Before the time limit ends for any year, [the Commissioner] will correct the record of [an individual’s] earnings for that year for any reason if satisfactory evidence shows SSA records are incorrect. [He] 7 may correct the record as the result of a request filed under § 404.820 or [he] may correct it on [his] own.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.821. After the time limit expires, the Commissioner’s records generally are conclusive evidence of the individual’s wages or self-employment income. 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(4)(A). But the statute and regulations permit the Commissioner to correct an individual’s earnings records after the time limit under certain circumstances. Id. at § 405(c)(5); 20 C.F.R. § 404.822. One of those circumstances is when “an application for monthly benefits . . . was filed within the time limitation following such year; except that no such change, deletion, or inclusion may be made pursuant to this subparagraph after a final decision upon the application for monthly benefits.” 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(5)(A) (emphasis added). This is known as the pending-application exception. In this case, we conclude that the Commissioner could amend Alexander’s earnings record in 2007 under the pending-application exception because Alexander had filed an application for benefits within the time limit for correcting his earnings record and there was not yet a final decision on his application. 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(5)(A) . Nothing in the statute or regulations prohibits the agency from revisiting its earlier earnings record decision if there is a pending application. 42 U.S.C. § 405(c)(5)(A), (B); 20 C.F.R. § 404.822(c). Accordingly, the agency 8 did not err when it addressed his 2001 earnings after the time limitation expired and determined that he had no coverage that year.
Social Security Rules define the onset date of disability as “the first day an individual is disabled as defined in the Act and the regulations.” SSR 83-20. Relevant factors in determining the onset date include a claimant’s allegations, work history, and medical and other evidence related to the severity of the impairment. Id. Here, the ALJ did not explain which disability onset date he applied, although it appears from the opinion that he applied the April 2003 date. Nevertheless, we conclude that the ambiguity as to Alexander’s disability onset date is immaterial. Even if the ALJ relied on the amended March 2002 date, Alexander would not be eligible for disability benefits without earnings coverage in 2001. Accordingly, the Commissioner properly determined that Alexander did not qualify for benefits. AFFIRMED. 9