Most monthly benefit applications have questions about the claimant's earnings in
the YOF and in the preceding year. These questions also ask which months, if any,
the claimant did not have wages over the exempt amount or render substantial services
in self-employment (SE). Ask the estimate of next year's earnings if the filing date
is in the last 4 months of the year. In Modernized Claims System (MCS) claims, lag
earnings can be posted on the EARN screen.