700.5 Computing the SBP Payment

The maximum SBP payment is $100 monthly. The blind person qualifies for $100 a month if his total fiscal year income minus allowable deductions equals $3,060 or less.

55 Pa. Code § 451.4(b)(2)

NOTE:  A fiscal year is twelve consecutive months that the blind person receives SBP.

An SBP recipient's fiscal year begins the first day of the month he gets his first SBP payment. It ends the day before the beginning of the thirteenth monthly payment period.

55 Pa. Code § 451.4(b)(1)

The beginning and ending dates of a fiscal year do not change, even if the SBP stops and starts again during the fiscal year.

NOTE:  If SBP ends because the CAO authorizes payment for nursing home care, a new fiscal year begins when SBP is again authorized.

If the blind person's total fiscal year income, minus allowable deductions, is more than $3,060, the CAO calculates the monthly SBP payment by:

55 Pa. Code § 451.4(b)(3)

1. Subtracting the net fiscal year income from $4,260

2. Dividing the remainder by 12

The resulting figure is the SBP payment.

NOTE:  If the resulting figure is less than $2, the blind person does not qualify.

The CAO calculates the SBP payment based on actual income, if the income is known. If the actual income is not known, the CAO must calculate the SBP payment on the income the blind person expects to receive during the fiscal year.

The CAO must complete Section A of the Computation Sheet (PA 21-BI) to record how it arrived at the SBP payment. See Appendix A.

The CAO must complete Part B of the PA-21-BI for each SBP recipient who has income in addition to the SBP payment at these times:

SBP payments can be by mail-delivered check or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT).

700.51 Income Changes

If the blind person's income changes during the fiscal year or the SBP payment stopped and started again, the CAO must calculate the SBP payment again:

1. Calculate the net income already received in the fiscal year.

2. Calculate the net income expected to be received the rest of the fiscal year.

3. Add these two amounts.

If the total is $3,060 or less, the SBP payment will be $100 per month. If the total is more than $3,060, the CAO must:

1. Add the net income and the SBP payments already received in the fiscal year. (Do not include any payments for nursing home care.)

2. Subtract this figure from $4,260.

3. Divide by the number of months left in the fiscal year.

The resulting figure is the SBP payment.

NOTE:  If the resulting figure is less than $2, the blind person does not qualify.

55 Pa. Code § 451.4(b)(4)

Reviewed July 30, 2013