> And the threshold for it (SSA calls it “income disregards”) is so astonishingly low that I asked Ne’eman about it. He believes the number is a holdover from a

> And the threshold for it (SSA calls it “income disregards”) is so astonishingly low that I asked Ne’eman about it. He believes the number is a holdover from at least 1972, when SSI was created. SSI borrowed some of its numbers from a previous aid program for the blind, and didn’t index them for inflation. Fifty years later, they remain the same, despite a sevenfold increase in the consumer price index. I haven't found concrete history here, but as far as I can tell, the income limit may have made sense in 1935. https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/public-welfare/aid-for-the-blind-2/ https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/public-welfare/aid-for... Though, that legislation lists $30/mo, not the $85 listed in the article. Still, that's less than $700/mo today according to this sketchy-looking inflation calculator[1], not enough for rent in many places. Another sketchy data point[2]; average rent in 1933 was $18/mo (which kinda makes sense, as housing has been skyrocketing vs CPI). [1] https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1935?amount=30 https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1935?amount=30 [2] https://findanyanswer.com/what-did-a-house-cost-in-1935 https://findanyanswer.com/what-did-a-house-cost-in-1935