The Polish certified coverage record is used to determine if foreign periods of coverage may be combined with the U.S. coverage record.

• •

  There is no minimum amount of Polish coverage that must be earned before the U.S. can take it into account.

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  SSA will credit one quarter of coverage in a calendar year for every 3 months of coverage certified for that year by the Republic of Poland (ZUS or KRUS).

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  All periods of coverage certified by ZUS or KRUS are creditable unless they are “Non-Contribution Periods” – do not use these periods of coverage.

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  Periods of coverage that overlap existing U.S. periods of coverage may not be taken into account and the total number of quarters of coverage that may be credited in one year may not exceed four.

Follow these steps to credit U.S. quarters of coverage based on Polish 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.

3. 3. 

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

4. 4. 

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

5. 5. 

   Assign “F” quarters as follows:

   • •

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

   • •

     Do not assign an “F” quarter in a calendar quarter where a U.S. quarter is already assigned. When a U.S. quarter is assigned with a Polish period, credit “F” quarters up to that quarter and begin again in the next available quarter.

   • •

     For years after 1977, assign existing U.S. quarters using the flexible crediting provision so as to permit assigning the maximum number of foreign quarters.

   • •

     Do not skip over a “F” quarter that was assigned based on another Polish period. If “F” quarters based on separate Polish periods fall with the same calendar quarter, cancel one of the overlapping foreign quarters.

6. 6. 

   If the worker is insured for U.S. totalization benefits after assigning Polish periods of coverage, process the award (assuming all other entitlement factors are met).

7. 7. 

   If the worker is not insured based on combined coverage and the claim is for disability benefits or for survivor benefits that could be paid based on currently insured status, recredit the foreign coverage. Follow step 4, except assign “F” quarters starting with the last available quarter of each period and continuing backwards consecutively until all “F” quarters are assigned.

8. 8. 

   If the worker is not insured for U.S. totalization benefits after crediting coverage under the preceding steps, deny the claim.

RS 00301.230, Flexible Assignment of Quarters of Coverage