SI 01210: Special Blind Income Provision
Audience:
- :
Citations:
Act as amended in 1972, Sec. 1611(h);
20 CFR 416.1170, 416.1171
BASIC (04-90)
A. Background
Congress created the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program with legislation enacted October 30, 1972. The new Federal program offered, in most respects, more generous provisions than did the State plans it replaced. For blind recipients, however, the treatment of income under the SSI program was not always more beneficial than the State plan provisions.
To ensure that blind recipients would not be disadvantaged under the SSI program, Congress included in the SSI legislation a “grandfathering” provision to protect them. Under the alternative income counting provision, blind SSI recipients converted from the State plans are guaranteed the use of either State plan income disregards or Federal SSI income exclusions, whichever are more advantageous to them.
B. Policy
1. Basic Provision
IF an individual or couple: | THEN we apply whichever of the following results in the lower amount of countable income: |
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NOTE: If any of the 5 requirements at left is not met, use SSI exclusions only. |
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2. Relationship to Special Resource Provision
Eligibility for the alternative income counting provision is independent of eligibility for the special resource provision in SI 01220.000. A converted recipient may qualify under one provision, both, or neither.
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