Effective Dates: 11/06/2013 - Present Previous | Next

Basic (04-90)

SI 01210.640 Special Blind Income Disregards - Recipient With Eligible Spouse (Both Qualify for State Plan Blind Income Disregards)

A. Introduction

This section provides the policy and procedure for determining CI, and an example illustrating the computations.

B. Policy

We follow the State plan in applying State plan disregards either to the couple's combined income or separately to each member.

C. Procedure

1. Example

A blind grandfathered eligible couple living in State X has the following income:

  • •

    $125 RSDI to husband

  • •

    $120 RSDI to wife

  • •

    $250 wages to husband

  • •

    $200 wages to wife

  • •

    $ 60 BWE of husband under both Federal and State plan rules

  • •

    $ 65 BWE of wife under both Federal and State plan rules

The State plan treated each member of the couple as an individual.

The State plan income disregards used in the chart below are typical. Actual disregards vary by State.

2. Chart: Determining CI

STEP ACTION EXPLANATION EXAMPLE
     

Husband - Unearned Income -
Wife   

 1

Compute BCI

Apply the applicable State plan income disregards (SI 01210.500) to the income of each recipient. Then add the two results.

$125.00
-  8.00
$117.00
-  7.50
$109.50

RSDI
two $4 RSDI pass - alongs
 
general disregard
countable unearned income

$120.00
-  8.00
$112.00
-  7.50
$104.50

     

Husband - Earned Income -
Wife    

     

$250.00

wages

$200.00
     

- 85.00

earned income disregard

- 85.00
     

$165.00

  

$115.00
     

÷   2

disregard of one- half remainder

÷   2
     

$ 82.50

  

$ 57.50
     

- 60.00

BWE

- 65.00

     

$ 22.50

countable earned income

$    0.
     

BCI
     

$109.50

countable unearned income of husband
     

 104.50

countable unearned income of wife
     

+22.50

countable earned income of husband
     

$236.50

BCI
     

Unearned Income

 2

Compute CI/FR.

Apply the SSI exclusions to the combined income of the couple.

 $125.00
+120.00
 $245.00
 - 20.00
 $225.00

RSDI - husband
RSDI - wife
 
general exclusion
countable unearned income

     

Earned Income
   

The system performs this computation, except for cases requiring a manual computation.

 $250.00
+200.00
 $450.00
 - 65.00
  $385.00
÷    2

wages - husband
wages - wife
 
earned income exclusion
 
exclusion of one-half of remainder

     

$192.50
- 125.00

 

BWE - husband ($60.00) and wife ($65.00)
     

$ 67.50

countable earned income
     

CI/FR
     

$225.00
+67.50
$292.50

countable unearned income
countable earned income
CI/FR

3

Determine CI.

Compare BCI from step 1 with CI/FR from step 2. Use the lower amount.

(After gross income and BCI have been input, the system performs this comparison, except for cases in force due.)

$236.50 CI (BCI from step 1)

D. References

BCI Initial Claims Input, SM 01005.194

BCI Posteligibility Input, SM 01305.315

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0501210640
SI 01210.640 - Special Blind Income Disregards - Recipient With Eligible Spouse (Both Qualify for State Plan Blind Income Disregards) - 11/06/2013
Batch run: 11/06/2013
Rev:11/06/2013