Yes, you can work and receive SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and there are limits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not automatically stop if you work. However, Social Security monitors your monthly earnings, and if you earn above a certain amount, your benefits may be reduced or suspended. The rules exist to help you test whether you can return to work without losing your safety net when ready.

The key is understanding the difference between the trial work period, the extended may be able to access period, and the point at which work earnings actually end your benefits. Each phase has different rules about how much you can earn.

Key Takeaways

  • You have a nine-month trial work period where you can earn any amount without losing benefits, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • After the trial work period ends, benefits stop in any month you earn more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount, which changes yearly and is currently around $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals.
  • You have 36 months of extended may be able to access after your trial work period where you can still receive a benefit check in months you earn below the SGA limit.
  • If you stop working and your earnings fall below the SGA limit, your benefits can restart without a new medical review, as long as you request reinstatement within five years.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security within the month they occur to avoid overpayments you would have to repay.

The nine-month trial work period explained

When you start working while on SSDI, you enter a trial work period that lasts nine months. During these nine months, you can earn any amount of money and still receive your full SSDI benefit check each month. This period is designed to let you test your ability to work without the when ready risk of losing benefits.

A trial work month counts only if you earn $1,050 or more in that month (this amount changes yearly). If you earn less than $1,050 in a month, that month does not count toward your nine months. This means your trial work period can stretch longer than nine calendar months if some months fall below the threshold.

You must report your work to Social Security during the trial work period. Call your local Social Security office or report online through your my Social Security account. Failing to report work can result in an overpayment — money you will have to repay later.

What happens after the trial work period ends

Once your nine trial work months are used up, the rules change. Social Security now looks at whether your monthly earnings exceed the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit. For 2024, this limit is $1,550 per month for people who are not blind. (The limit is higher for blind individuals and changes each year.)

If you earn $1,550 or more in any month after your trial work period, your SSDI benefit for that month is suspended. You do not receive a check that month. If you earn less than $1,550, you receive your full benefit. This continues for up to 36 months after your trial work period ends — this is called the extended may be able to access period.

After the extended may be able to access period ends (36 months after your trial work period), the rules become stricter. If you earn above the SGA limit, your benefits stop entirely and do not restart unless you request reinstatement and your medical condition has worsened.

How to report your work and earnings

You are required to tell Social Security about any work you do and how much you earn. Report within the month the work occurs. You can report by phone, mail, or through your my Social Security account online.

When you report, have the following information ready: your employer's name and address, the type of work you do, the dates you worked, and your gross monthly earnings (before taxes). If you are self-employed, report your net profit after business expenses.

Social Security uses your reports to determine whether your benefits should be paid that month. If you do not report work and Social Security discovers it later, you will owe back the benefits you should not have received. These overpayments must be repaid, either through reduced future checks or a lump sum.

What happens if you stop working

If you stop working and your earnings drop below the SGA limit, your SSDI benefits can restart. You do not need a new medical review or approval — your case straightforward resumes. This is one of the protections built into SSDI to encourage work attempts.

You have five years from the month your benefits ended to request reinstatement without having to go through a full new review. After five years, you would need to file a new SSDI claim and go through the medical review process again.

To request reinstatement, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. Have your Social Security number ready and explain that you want to restart your benefits because you are no longer working above the SGA limit.

Work incentives that can help you earn more

Social Security offers programs designed to help SSDI beneficiaries work without losing benefits as quickly. The most common is the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without it affecting your benefits.

Another option is Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which allows you to deduct certain costs related to your disability from your earnings before Social Security calculates whether you have exceeded the SGA limit. For example, if you need a personal assistant at work because of your disability, that cost can be deducted.

To learn whether PASS or IRWE might help your situation, ask your local Social Security office for a work incentives planning consultation. These are free and can show you how much you could earn while keeping some or all of your benefits.

The difference between SSDI and SSI work rules

SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) have different work rules. SSDI is based on your work history and has the trial work period and extended may be able to access period described above. SSI is a needs-based program with stricter limits on how much you can earn and still receive benefits.

If you receive only SSDI, the rules in this article explore to you. If you receive SSI or both SSDI and SSI, your situation is more complex and you should speak with a Social Security representative about how work will affect your specific benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my Medicare if I work and my SSDI stops?

No. If you lose SSDI benefits because of work earnings, your Medicare coverage continues for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after your trial work period ends. This gives you time to find employer health insurance or make other arrangements. After 93 months, you can buy into Medicare if you still need it.

What if I earn money from self-employment instead of a job?

Self-employment earnings count the same way as wages. Report your net profit (income minus business expenses) each month. If you are self-employed, you may also may have access to for IRWE deductions for business expenses related to your disability, which can lower the amount Social Security counts toward the SGA limit.

Can I work part-time and keep my full benefit?

During your nine-month trial work period, yes — you can earn any amount. After that, you can keep your full benefit only in months where you earn less than the SGA limit (currently $1,550 per month). Many people work part-time and stay below this limit, keeping their benefits and their paycheck.

What if Social Security overpays me because I did not report work?

You will owe the money back. Social Security can reduce your future benefit checks to recover the overpayment, or you can arrange to pay it back in a lump sum. If you believe the overpayment was Social Security's error, you can request a waiver, but this is difficult to obtain. Reporting work promptly prevents this problem.

Can I use my trial work months all at once or do they have to be spread out?

You can use them however your work schedule allows. If you work nine months in a row, your trial work period is over. If you work one month, take three months off, then work again, the months off do not count, and your trial work period extends longer. Only months where you earn $1,050 or more count toward the nine.