If the NH has less than 60 months of creditable RR service earned after 12/31/95 (and
does not have a total of 120 months earned at any time), we combine the RR earnings
with SSA earnings to meet the disability insured status requirement for DIB and for
a period of disability freeze.
If the NH has at least 60 months of creditable RR service earned after 12/31/95 (or
120 months earned at any time), we consider the NH to be career RR, and RR compensation
can be used to meet the disability insured status requirement for the period of disability
freeze only. DO NOT use RR compensation to compute DIB insured status for cash benefit
purposes.
For more information, refer to RS 00301.122 and RS 00301.131
If a claimant who is insured only for a period of disability freeze files a claim for DIB, the FO should explain that he or she is not insured for cash
benefits using only FICA wages, and recommend the claimant restrict his or her Title II claim to a freeze only.
The FO should use a “Claim Type” of “FZ”, not “DIB,” for these freeze only cases.
FDDD
is not able to process a claim type of “DIB” if the claimant is not insured for cash
DIB
benefits.
If the claimant insists on filing a claim for cash benefits, the FO should process
a technical denial of the DIB claim for lack of insured status and transfer the claim
for FZ to FDDD.