Do not disallow a claim for lack of insured status if the number holder (NH) will
obtain insured status within 4 months of the month of adjudication and the evidence
of earnings for the qualifying quarter is available.
NOTE: you must wait until the first day of the new quarter to adjudicate the claim since
any attempt to award a claim in which insured status is acquired after the current
quarter will be processed as a disallowance by Modernized claims system (MCS) for
lack of insured status.
a. Retirement (RIB) claims
If the evidence of earnings would give insured status more than 4 months after the
month of adjudication, disallow the claim for lack of insured status. Indicate the
first possible month of election (MOEL) plus the earliest and latest filing months
that would permit entitlement for that month on the disallowance notice.
b. Disability (DIB) claims
DIB claims cannot be technically denied if there is evidence of reported earnings
which would give insured status at any time within the calendar year without regard
to the 4-month rule. See GN 00204.007 for additional information on the 4-month rule.