QCs

Quarterly credits, the name used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for the work credit units that a future beneficiary pays into the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) system for coverage eligibility. One QC is obtained by paying into the FICA system one quarter of a year. Workers born after 1929 must earn 40 QCs to be fully and permanently insured for retirement, survivors, and disability benefits. A worker born before 1929 needs slightly fewer QCs for full benefits.