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Manual Title Chapter Page Revision Date Virginia Medical Assistance Eligibility M02 January 2023 Subchapter Subject Page ending with Page M0220.000 CITIZENSHIP & ALIEN REQUIREMENTS Appendix 3 3 II. Establishing Quarters:

The requirement for a 40-quarter work minimum was eliminated effective April 1, 2021. Use the following information to (1) determine whether the applicant’s earnings as reported in section I.A were sufficient to establish quarters of coverage and (2) to determine the number of QQ during lag periods and when the reported employment is not a covered earning for Social Security reporting purposes:

• A quarter is a period of 3 calendar months ending with March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of any year. • Social Security quarters of coverage are credits earned by working at a job or as a self-employed individual. A maximum of four credits or quarters can be earned each year. • For 1978 and later, credits are based solely on the total yearly amount of earnings. The number of creditable QQ are obtained by dividing the total earned income by the increment amount for the year. All types of earnings follow this rule. The amount of earnings needed to earn a credit increases and is different for each year. The amount of earnings needed for each credit and the amount needed for a year in order to receive four credits are listed below.

• A current year quarter may be included in the 40-quarter computation. Use the current year amount as the divisor to determine the number of quarters available. If you need to use quarters before 1978:

• A credit was earned for each calendar quarter in which an individual was paid $50 or more in wages (including agricultural wages for 1951-1955); • Four credits were earned for each taxable year in which an individual's net earnings from self- employment were $400 or more; and/or • A credit was earned for each $100 (limited to a total of 4) of agricultural wages paid during the year for years 1955-1977.

Year Increment Amount Amount Required for 4 QCs 2013 $1,160 $4,640 2012 $1,130 $4,520 2010 – 2011 $1,120 $4,480 2009 $1,090 $4,360 2008 $1,050 $4,200 2007 $1,000 $4,000 2006 $970 $3880