It Doesn’t Take a Rocket Scientist:
To Understand & Use Social Security Work Incentives
Blind Work Expenses (BWE)
Blind Work Expenses differ significantly from other SSA
Work Incentive Programs.
BWE Allowable Work Expenses
Blind Work Expenses are only available to persons who receive
benefits based on being blind. An allowable BWE is any work-related
expense incurred by the person, and includes those expenses
that would be considered Impairment Related Work Expenses for
persons with other disabilities. BWE's are deducted before figuring countable income for SSI purposes. FOr SSDI, only the items that qualify as IRWES are used when evaluating wages for SGA.
2008 Amount for the Blind
Effective January 1, 2008, the monthly Substantial Gainful Activity
(SGA) amount for persons receiving Social Security disability
benefits based on blindness is $1,570. This is a $70 per month
increase over the 2005 amount. The nonblind SGA amount for 2008
is $940 per month.
As of December 1999, both the blind SGA amount and the regular
SGA amount are adjusted yearly based on the national consumer
price index. Before December 1999, only the blind SGA amount
was adjusted each year based on the consumer price index.
| Allowable BWE Expense |
Amount Deductible |
| Service Dogs |
Cost of purchasing the dog & all
associated expenses (license, food, vet bills, etc.). |
| Fees |
The amount paid for licenses, union
dues, association dues. |
| Transportation |
Own vehicle: per mile rate, plus
driver’s time. Other than own vehicle: cost of buses,
carpools, or cab fares. |
| Vehicle Modification |
The actual amount paid. |
Training to Use an Impairment-Related
Item or an Item Which Is Reasonably
Attributed to Work (e.g. screen reader) |
Cost of training plus travel to and
from the training facility. |
| Taxes |
The amount of Federal, State, and
Local taxes withheld and the actual amount of Social Security
Taxes paid on wages and self-employment income. |
| Prosthetics |
The cost of the items plus maintenance
and repair of such items. |
| Other Work-Related Equipment/Services |
The costs of the items plus maintenance
and repair of items whether the person works at home or
at the employer’s place of business. |
| Nonmedical Equipment/Services |
Same as above. |
| Drugs & Medical Services |
The amount paid. |
| Physical Therapy |
The amount paid. |
| Expendable Medical Supplies |
The amount paid. |
| Mandatory Pension Contributions |
The amount of contributions. |
| Meals During Work Hours |
The amount paid for meals. |
| Attendant Care Services, including
Reader Services |
The same amount deductible as an
IRWE for assistance rendered in the work setting and to
and from work. |
Student-Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE)
The SEIE is a Title XVI work incentive that allows people
under the age of 22, who regularly attend school, to exclude
up to $1,550 of earned income per month in 2008 (or up to a maximum
of $6,240 per year). This exclusion is applied before any other
exclusion.
"Regularly attending school" means that the person
takes one or more courses of study and attends classes:
• In a college or university for eight hours per week; or
• In grades 7-12 for 12 hours per week; or
• In a training course to prepare for employment for 12 hours
per week (15 hours per week if the course involves shop practice);
or
• For less time than indicated above for reasons beyond the
student’s control, such as illness.
Reporting SEIE to the SSI Claims Representative
The following information must be reported to the SSI claims representative for SEIE:
• Whether the student was regularly attending school in at
least one month of the current calendar quarter, or he/she expects
to attend school for at least one month in the next calendar
quarter; and
• The amount of the student’s earned income.
Section 301
Section 301 provides for a continuation of SSI and/or Title
II benefits to people who have medically recovered by SSA
standards, but are participating in an approved vocational
rehabilitation (VR) program, if:
• They are participating in an approved VR program (school,
job development, coaching, situational assessments, site evaluations,
etc.) at the time that their disability ceases; and
• SSA has determined that the person’s continued participation
in the VR program will increase the likelihood of permanent removal
from the disability benefit rolls.
NOTE:
The Social Security Administration will redetermine SSI
eligibility for disabled children when they turn 18. Many may
be found "medically recovered" and lose their SSI
benefits. If they are in approved vocational rehabilitation
programs, Section 301 will allow them to retain their SSI eligibility
while they work on their vocational goals even if they are
consider by SSA to be "medically recovered."
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