---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 C.F.R. § 404.242"
title: "20"
number: "404.242"
heading: "Use of old-start primary insurance amount as guaranteed alternative."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/20/404.242"
---

# §404.242. Use of old-start primary insurance amount as guaranteed alternative.


If your primary insurance amount as computed under the old-start method is higher than your primary insurance amount computed under the average-monthly-wage method, your old-start primary insurance amount will serve as the guaranteed alternative to your primary insurance amount computed under the average-indexed-monthly-earnings method, as described in [§ 404.230](/cfr/20/404.230.md). However, earnings that you have in or after the year you reach age 62, or become disabled or die before age 62 are not used in an old-start computation in this situation.


## Notes

### Authority

Authority: Secs. 202(a), 205(a), 215, and 702(a)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(a), 405(a), 415, and 902(a)(5)).

### Source

Source: 47 FR 30734, July 15, 1982, unless otherwise noted.