From: David Andrews 
Subject: 1998 Blind Person's SGA Guidelines
                       INFORMATION NOTICE
              SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE
                1998 BLIND PERSON'S SGA GUIDELINE
For more information contact:
James Gashel
Director of Governmental Affairs
National Federation of the Blind
     The Social Security Administration has recently announced the
earnings guideline
for blind persons to be used in determining Substantial Gainful Activity
(SGA) during
1998.  The SGA earnings guideline applies to eligibility decisions in the
Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) program.  It does not apply in any respect
whatsoever to
determinations of eligibility or payment amounts in the Supplemental
Security Income
(SSI) program.
     Beginning in January, 1998, average monthly earnings for a blind
person which
are less than $1,050 will not count as SGA.  The comparable amount for
1997 is
$1,000.  The change in the SGA exempt amount for blind people is the
result of an
automatic adjustment made annually.
     From January, 1978, until March, 1996, the SGA exempt amount for
blind persons
was identical to the exempt amount for persons who retire at age 65.
However, the
earnings exemption for seniors was raised above the automatic adjustment
level in
March, 1996, and will increase further in a series of mandated steps to
reach an
annual exempt amount of $30,000 beginning in 2002.
     Although the SGA exempt amount for blind people was specifically
excluded from
the mandated adjustments, it will still be raised gradually and
automatically year by
year.  By the year 2002, when the exempt amount for seniors reaches
$30,000, the
SGA guideline for blind people is expected to be $14,400.
     It is important to provide correct and complete information to blind
people who may
be affected by the annual changes in SGA.  This is particularly so since
the exempt
amount for seniors is now different from the SGA earnings guideline for
blind persons.
Because more than thirty-five million seniors receive retirement benefits
and fewer
than one hundred thousand blind people receive SSDI checks, the wrong
information
about the exempt earnings standard may be given in response to some
inquiries.
This was less likely to occur when the exemptions were linked.  In fact,
personnel in
Social Security offices may sometimes be confused on this point
themselves.
Therefore, broad circulation of the correct SGA earnings guideline for
blind persons is
important.
David Andrews (dandrews@visi.com)
or BBS: (telnet to nfbnet.org) or call (612) 696-1975
Net-Tamer V 1.10 Beta  - Registered
---
---------------