The MOEL is the month the claimant elects for their benefits to begin. The MOEL can be the month of filing, a month in the past (subject to the rules of retroactivity, see GN 00204.030), or a future month. The claimant can elect to begin benefits at any time, but they must meet all factors of entitlement before we can pay benefits. The MOEL selected is considered conditional and subject to change through the earnings enforcement process due to the change in material earnings.

Material earnings for MOEL purposes means that, in the year of entitlement, a claimant is working and estimates their earnings to be over:

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  Annual Earnings Test (AET); and

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  Monthly Earnings Test (MET) Limit for at least one month in or after the selected MOEL month but prior to attaining full retirement age (FRA).

For processing purposes, we code claims in the Modernized Claims System (MCS) with a conditional option code of “A” or “B.” For MOEL options codes, see GN 00204.041.

The MOET is the month a claimant becomes entitled to benefits. Once the MOET is set, it cannot change unless we reopen the claim under the administrative finality rules. For more information on administrative finality, see GN 04000.000. The MOEL chosen by the claimant converts to a MOET after verifying the annual earnings through the annual work report or the earnings enforcement process.

For processing purposes, we code claims in MCS with a final or non-flexible option code of “C”, “D” or “E.” For MOEL options codes, see GN 00204.041.

NOTE: The only indication of an MOEL conversion is the enforcement process and the data in the beneficiary entitlement (BENE ENT) field in the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR), which shows if the MOEL was confirmed (see SM 00606.095). The MOEL option code (e.g., MOE “A” or “B”) on the MBR does not change.

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  GN 00204.007 Application Filing Date

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  GN 00204.030 Retroactivity for Title II Benefits

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  GN 00204.041 Month of Election (MOEL) and Month of Entitlement (MOET) Option Codes

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  GN 00204.047 Changing the Month of Election (MOEL) or Month of Entitlement (MOET)

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  GN 04030.030 Reopening Deduction Determinations under Annual Earnings Test

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  MSOM MCS 005.025 Work Deductions/Election Option (DEME)

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  RS 02501.021 The Earnings Test (ET)