If you are legally blind you will get a higher amount as a standard deduction when you file your tax return. Your vision will not have any effect on your Social Security benefit. However, if you have not yet retired and are not yet receiving SS, are you asking about getting Social Security disability? That is a different story....one which would have to be answered by Social Security. There is a process to apply for Social Security disability benefits if your ability to work has been compromised by a medical condition.
According to my research, it does appear to increase. Furthermore, if you went blind before obtaining social security, those quarters can be replaced with quarters where you earned more income.
Hi Frogmonson,
The monthly SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals for 2023 is $2460. For non-blind individuals, the monthly SGA amount for 2023 is $1470. SGA for the blind does not apply to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, while SGA for the non-blind disabled applies to Social Security and SSI benefits.
If your earnings are lower because of your blindness, we can exclude those years when we calculate your Social Security retirement or disability benefit in the future. Because Social Security benefits are based on your average lifetime earnings, your benefit will be higher if we don't count those years.
Here is a link that may help:
If You’re Blind or Have Low Vision — How We Can Help
Monthly SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals
Thank you for asking.