November 2023 Spotlight on
Social Security Newsletter

The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) Spotlight on Social Security Newsletter brings you exciting news, work incentives information, success stories, and other valuable information for beneficiaries receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and their families and the professionals serving them.

In this issue:

Upcoming Spotlight on Social Security Webinar – Wage Reporting

DOR offers webinars, provided by industry experts who share valuable information and resources for beneficiaries of SSI and/or SSDI.

Don’t miss out! Go to our Webinar Calendar to register for future webinars!

This month's webinar:

Title: Work Incentives for Blind Individuals
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
Time: 10:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. PST
Location: Zoom
Event Information: You may have noticed that Social Security makes a unique distinction between disability and blindness. This is because there are many special work incentives specifically available for individuals who meet Social Security's definition of "Statutory Blindness." In this webinar we will discuss some of these unique work incentives and other resources that can benefit blind individuals.

Presenter: Julian Elliott (Social Security Specialist/DOR)

Register for the November 16th Webinar on Reporting Wages to Social Security

Submit your question about work incentives for blind individuals

This month’s featured Spotlight on Social Security: Things to consider if you are blind and receive Social Security disability benefits.

What is "Statutory Blindness?"

For both the Title II and the SSI benefits programs, Social Security makes a unique distinction between an individual with a disability and an individual with a disability of blindness. This distinction was specifically put in place as there are some unique considerations for those who are blind and receiving disability benefits. When it comes to Social Security, it is important to remember that not all visual impairments are considered blindness. To be considered blind by Social Security, a beneficiary must meet Social Security’s definition of "statutory blindness."

Social Security defines statutory blindness as having "central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of correcting lens. An eye which has a limitation in the field of vision so that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees is considered to have a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less." This is not to be confused with legal blindness as being legally blind does not in itself mean you meet the definition of statutory blindness.

Are there specific work incentives for individuals who are blind?

Yes! If you meet Social Security’s definition of "statutory blindness," in addition to the work incentives available to all beneficiaries with a disability, there are a few additional work incentives available to help you on your journey to employment and financial independence.

Are there work incentives for people who receive SSI?

Yes! One of the most powerful work incentives for people on SSI who are blind are what are called Blind Work Expenses (BWE). With BWE, a blind SSI beneficiary can claim work-related expenses to lower their countable income and subsequently decrease the impact of earned income on their SSI! For every dollar spent on the expense, a dollar can be excluded from the beneficiary’s countable income. Expenses that can qualify, but are not limited to, include service animal costs, transportation to and from work, federal and state income tax, attendant care services, and even meals eaten during work hours. If the expense helps you to work than it can be considered a BWE, even if the expense isn’t related to blindness. It is important to note that this is an SSI-only work incentive and cannot be used with any other disability benefits programs.

Example of using Blind Work Expenses:

Mark receives SSI benefits because he is blind. He goes to work and earns $785 per month, which is the only source of earned income he receives. He has a few work-related expenses, which include $250 withheld by his employer for State and Federal income tax and $100 for transportation each month. Because of this he has a total of $350 in expenses he can exclude from his countable income as a BWE. When Social Security uses their SSI calculation to determine how much SSI Mark is eligible for, the calculation would go as follows:

$785 - $20 (General Income Exclusion) = $765

$765 - $65 (Earned Income Exclusion) = $700

$700/2 = $350

$350 - $350 (BWE) = $0

$0 = Countable Earnings

In this example, Mark is able to receive his full SSI cash check, even while working!

Are there work incentives for people who receive title II benefits? Title II benefits cover an umbrella of disability programs including SSDI, Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB), and Disabled Widowers Benefits (DWB). Although the Blind Work Expenses mentioned above cannot be used for these programs, there are other great work incentives available to help.

Social Security uses the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level to determine if a beneficiary’s level of work is considered substantial and could mean the difference between receiving a benefits check or even benefits termination, depending on when the earnings occurred! The important thing for blind individuals to consider is that the SGA level for blind individuals is significantly higher than the SGA level for any other disability. This means a blind individual can earn more income from employment without impacting their title II benefits!

In 2023, the SGA level for a blind individual is $2,460. This is in contrast to the SGA level for non-blind individuals of $1,470. In 2024, the SGA for blind individuals will rise to $2,590.

Check out these great additional resources for the blind or visually impaired.

Many federal agencies provide resources to help individuals who are blind or visually impaired access their programs and services.

Did you know?

How many of these individuals are you familiar with, who have made significant achievements in various fields, and have shown that blindness is not a barrier to success and accomplishment?

  1. Andrea Bocelli - A world-famous Italian tenor and singer known for his operatic and pop music performances.
  2. Marla Runyan - A visually impaired athlete who competed in the Paralympics and the Olympics as a middle-distance runner.
  3. Erik Weihenmayer - The first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest and an accomplished adventurer.
  4. Richard Turner - A talented magician and card mechanic known for his incredible card manipulation skills.
  5. Sabriye Tenberken - Co-founder of Braille Without Borders and an advocate for the blind and visually impaired in Tibet.
  6. Gordon Gund - A successful businessman and philanthropist who is visually impaired and has supported vision research and advocacy.
  7. Judy Dixon - An author, editor, and accessibility advocate who has contributed to making digital content accessible to the blind.
  8. Tom Sullivan - A singer, actor, and author who has overcome blindness to achieve success in various forms of entertainment.

Interested in learning more about your disability benefits?

Are you ready to go to work?

Meeting with a Work Incentives Planner (WIP) is a great way to get the facts about your Social Security Benefits.

Sound Interesting?

Talk to your DOR counselor to see if you are eligible for DOR WIP Services.

Not currently Receiving DOR Services?

If you are ready to start an exciting journey with DOR, please click here to Get Started. You will need to provide additional information about yourself to request services.

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