20 CFR § 404.240 - Old-start method—general.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s404.240"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 404.240 - Old-start method—general."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "404.240"
section_name: "Old-start method—general."
chapter_name: "SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION"
part_number: "404"
part_name: "FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950-  )"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "404"
---


# 404.240 Old-start method—general.

If you had all or substantially all your social security earnings before 1951, your primary insurance amount computed under the “1977 simplified old-start” method may be higher than any other primary insurance amount computed for you under any other method for which you are eligible. As explained in § 404.242, if you reach age 62 after 1978, your primary insurance amount computed under the old-start method is used, for purposes of the guaranteed alternative described in § 404.230, if the old-start primary insurance amount is higher than the one found under the average-monthly-wage method. We may use a modified computation, as explained in § 404.243, if you are entitled to a pension based on your employment which was not covered by Social Security.

[47 FR 30734, July 15, 1982, as amended at 52 FR 47917, Dec. 17, 1987]