The earnings items are needed to determine whether or not the individual is fully
insured for RIB or meets the QC requirement for HI, see HI 00801.066.
Items 5 and 6 are the regular RR employment and MS items necessary to determine whether
development of RR or MS is required.
Item 7 is a lead question used to elicit information about work under the social security
system of a country other than the U.S. If the claimant engaged in covered work in
another country, totalized benefits may be payable. However, HI entitlement may not
be granted based on totalization if the individual is not insured based on U.S. work
alone.
Item 8 asks the amount of total earnings for last year and this year. This item gives sufficient
current earnings information to use in determining whether insured status is affected
when the earnings record is received.