The freeze period begins with the date of onset and ends with the month of deemed or actual attainment of FRA for purposes of computing DIB benefits based on the assumed age 62 month. The freeze period is excluded unless the PIA is higher using a non-freeze computation. NOTE: The freeze period may only be excluded if insured status is met without using any QCs earned during that period.

Once a period of disability ends (i.e., DIB benefits terminate and/or the freeze period ends), consider the entire prior period as a period of disability in subsequent PIA computations (RIB, DIB or survivor). Earnings for years that may have been used for a recomputation in the prior period because they were after deemed FRA may be barred from use in the new period because they are now wholly within the prior period. In other words the new period causes a new assumed age 62 and assumed FRA.

Because these men were deemed to be 65 at the start of the waiting period, the year the waiting period began and subsequent years were base years. In most cases, the DIB freeze recomputation was more advantageous than a DIB non-freeze recomputation.