Use the Uruguayan certified coverage record to assign foreign “F” quarters coverage to the U.S. coverage record.

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  There is no minimum amount of Uruguayan coverage that a worker must earn before the United States can use it.

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  The Social Security Administration (SSA) will credit one quarter of coverage in a calendar year for every three months of coverage certified for that year by the Uruguayan liaison agency.

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  All periods of coverage coded “W” in the “Type of Occupation” column are creditable work-related insurance periods certified by the Uruguayan liaison agency. Do not use insurance periods coded “NW” (non-work related).

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  SSA will not credit months of coverage under Uruguayan laws that fall within a calendar quarter that SSA already credited as a U.S. quarter of coverage.

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  SSA will also not credit more than four quarters of coverage for any calendar year, or consider periods of Uruguayan coverage credited prior to 1937 (the earliest year that U.S. law permits crediting periods of coverage).

Follow these steps to assign Uruguayan coverage:

1. 1. 

   If the claimant is filing for disability benefits, credit all possible foreign quarters of coverage to the U.S. record.

2. 2. 

   If the claimant is filing for retirement or survivor benefits, credit only the number of quarters required for insured status that would result in the earliest possible month of entitlement.

3. 3. 

   To determine the maximum possible number of foreign quarters of coverage (F), divide the number of months in each insurance period by 3 (the number of months in a calendar quarter). Consider any remainder to be one foreign quarter.

4. 4. 

   If there is a period of coverage that begins or ends in the same calendar quarter as another period of coverage, determine the number of “F” quarters for each period separately.

5. 5. 

   Assign foreign quarters as follows:

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     Assign “F” quarters for each creditable period shown on the Uruguayan coverage certification record starting with the calendar quarter in which the period begins and continuing consecutively until all foreign quarters are assigned;

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     Do not assign a foreign quarter in a calendar quarter where a U.S. quarter is already present. When a U.S. quarter is present in the same period as a Uruguayan period, do not give a foreign quarter for that period. Begin assigning foreign quarters again in the next available quarter;

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     For the years after 1977, assign existing U.S. quarters using the flexible crediting provision to permit assigning the maximum number of foreign quarters (RS 00301.230); and

   • •

     Do not skip over a foreign quarter assigned based on another Uruguayan period. If foreign quarters based on separate Uruguayan periods fall with the same calendar quarter, cancel one of the overlapping foreign quarters.

6. 6. 

   Process the award (assuming all other entitlement factors are met) if the worker meets the minimum insured status requirements for U.S. totalization benefits after assigning Uruguayan coverage.

7. 7. 

   If the worker does not meet the minimum insured status requirements based on combined coverage and the claim is for disability benefits or for survivor benefits paid based on currently insured status, re-credit the foreign coverage. Follow GN 01762.110B step 5, except assign foreign quarters starting with the last available quarter of each period and continuing backwards consecutively until you have assigned all foreign quarters.

8. 8. 

   If the worker does not meet the minimum insured status requirements for U.S. totalization benefits after crediting Uruguayan coverage, deny the claim.

RS 00301.230 Assignment of Quarters of Coverage