Agencies and Commissions October 25, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commissioner has determined (1) A 4.1 percent cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act (the Act), effective for December 2005; (2) An increase in the Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly benefit amounts under title XVI of the Act for 2006 to $603 for an eligible individual, $904 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $302 for an essential person; (3) The student earned income exclusion to be $1,460 per month in 2006 but not more than $5,910 in all of 2006; (4) The dollar fee limit for services performed as a representative payee to be $33 per month ($64 per month in the case of a beneficiary who is disabled and has an alcoholism or drug addiction condition that leaves him or her incapable of managing benefits) in 2006; (5) The national average wage index for 2004 to be $35,648.55; (6) The Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) contribution and benefit base to be $94,200 for remuneration paid in 2006 and self-employment income earned in taxable years beginning in 2006; (7) The monthly exempt amounts under the Social Security retirement earnings test for taxable years ending in calendar year 2006 to be $1,040 and $2,770; (8) The dollar amounts (``bend points'') used in the primary insurance amount benefit formula for workers who become eligible for benefits, or who die before becoming eligible, in 2006 to be $656 and $3,955; (9) The dollar amounts (``bend points'') used in the formula for computing maximum family benefits for workers who become eligible for benefits, or who die before becoming eligible, in 2006 to be $838, $1,210, and $1,578; (10) The amount of taxable earnings a person must have to be credited with a quarter of coverage in 2006 to be $970; (11) The ``old-law'' contribution and benefit base to be $69,900 for 2006; (12) The monthly amount deemed to constitute substantial gainful activity for statutorily blind individuals in 2006 to be $1,450, and the corresponding amount for non-blind disabled persons to be $860; (13) The earnings threshold establishing a month as a part of a trial work period to be $620 for 2006; and (14) Coverage thresholds for 2006 to be $1,500 for domestic workers and $1,300 for election workers.