When the number holder (NH) is entitled to a U.S. Totalization benefit, his or her
coverage in a country with which the U.S. has an agreement may be combined with his
or her U.S. coverage to determine whether the exceptions to the WEP based on years
of coverage apply for months prior to January 1995.
Coverage from only one agreement country may be counted for this purpose but that
coverage does not need to be from the country whose coverage was used to establish
entitlement to the Totalization benefit. Therefore, if the NH has coverage in more
than one agreement country, coverage from the country with the greatest total years
of foreign coverage will be counted.
NOTE: Entitlement to a disability benefit prior to 1986 may, under certain conditions (see
RS 00605.360C.4), except an individual from the application of the WEP. Although the agreement with
Germany includes provisions that treat U.S. and German periods of disability the same
for certain purposes, entitlement to a German disability benefit prior to 1986 will
not except an individual from the WEP.