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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Sources

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