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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 15

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 37 Chapter 15 Noncitizens, Refugees, and Citizenship

15.4.2.A Determining the Number of Qualifying Quarters 15.4.2.A.1 Individuals Whose Qualifying Quarters Are Used The Worker must determine which individuals with Social Security Numbers (SSNs) can be included in the Qualifying Quarters count. The following are individuals who may be included in the count of Qualifying Quarters, and the conditions under which their Qualifying Quarters are counted: • The applicant Always use his Qualifying Quarters. • The applicant’s natural parents Unless the child was adopted by others, consider only quarters earned from the time of birth through the calendar quarter the applicant attains age 18. • The applicant’s adoptive parents Consider only quarters earned from time of birth through the calendar quarter the applicant attains age 18. • The applicant’s stepparent if the step relationship still exists Death of the stepparent does not terminate the relationship. Consider quarters earned only while the relationship was in existence and through the calendar quarter the applicant attains age 18. • The applicant’s current spouse as long as the marriage exists Consider the spouses quarters earned only during the marriage. If the marriage ends in divorce, the applicant cannot use any quarters earned by the former spouse. If the only qualifying quarters were those of the former spouse, the noncitizen cannot use the quarters and may lose eligibility. • The applicant’s former spouse(s), only if the marriage ended in death while still married Consider only the quarters earned during the marriage. NOTE: The stepparent’s relationship to the child is based on the marital relationship to the child’s natural parent. If the martial relationship ends, other than by death, the step relationship ends and the stepparent’s Qualifying Quarters can no longer be counted.