You can work and receive SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and may reduce or stop your benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not automatically end when you work. The program has built-in work incentives that let you test your ability to earn money without losing benefits when ready. However, there are specific earning thresholds and rules that determine whether your benefits continue, reduce, or stop.

The key is understanding the difference between a trial work period, the extended period of may be able to access, and the point at which your earnings become too high to receive any benefit. Each phase has different rules about how much you can earn.

Key Takeaways

  • During a nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI check, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • After the trial work period ends, your benefits stop if you earn more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount, which changes yearly and differs for blind and non-blind beneficiaries.
  • An extended period of may be able to access gives you 36 months to test work without losing benefits in months when earnings fall below the SGA threshold.
  • Work incentives like impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) and plans to achieve self-support (PASS) can lower your countable earnings and extend your benefits.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security within the month they occur to avoid overpayment and benefit suspension.

The Trial Work Period: Nine Months of Unrestricted Earnings

When you first start working after receiving SSDI, you enter a nine-month trial work period. During these nine months, you can earn any amount of money and still receive your full SSDI benefit check each month. Social Security does not count your earnings against you during this phase.

The trial work period is designed to let you test whether you can work without the financial risk of losing your benefits when ready. The nine months do not have to be consecutive — they are counted based on the months in which you actually work and earn money. A month counts toward your trial work period only if you earn more than a small amount (the threshold changes yearly, but is typically around $200 to $300 per month).

You must report your work to Social Security during the trial work period, even though your earnings do not affect your check. Failing to report work can result in an overpayment that you will have to repay later.

Substantial Gainful Activity: The Earnings Threshold After Trial Work

Once your nine-month trial work period ends, Social Security measures your earnings against the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount. If you earn more than this threshold in any month, your benefits stop for that month. The SGA amount changes each year and is different for people who are blind and people who are not blind.

For 2024, the SGA amount is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 per month for blind beneficiaries. These figures are adjusted annually based on changes in the national average wage. You can find the current year's SGA amount on the Social Security website or by calling your local Social Security office.

If you earn less than the SGA amount in a given month, your benefits continue in full for that month, regardless of how much you earned in other months. This means you can have high-earning months and low-earning months without losing your entire benefit — only the months in which you exceed SGA result in no payment.

Extended Period of may be able to access: 36 Months of Continued Work Testing

After your nine-month trial work period ends, you enter a 36-month extended period of may be able to access. During this time, you can continue to receive benefits in any month your earnings fall below the SGA threshold, even if you earned above SGA in other months during the same period.

The extended period gives you a longer window to test your ability to work without losing SSDI permanently. If you earn above SGA in some months and below SGA in others, you receive your full benefit in the below-SGA months. This phase lasts for 36 months from the end of your trial work period, whether or not you actually work during all of it.

Once the 36-month extended period ends, the rules change. If you then earn above SGA in any month, your benefits stop, and you enter a different phase called the expedited reinstatement period, which allows you to restart benefits within five years if your work attempt fails.

Work Incentives That Reduce Your Countable Earnings

Social Security offers work incentives that can lower the amount of earnings counted against you, allowing you to work more and keep your benefits longer. Two of the most common are impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) and plans to achieve self-support (PASS).

Impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay to work because of your disability. These might include special equipment, transportation to work that you would not need otherwise, attendant care, or medical devices. You subtract IRWE from your gross earnings before Social Security counts them toward the SGA threshold. For example, if you earn $2,000 per month but spend $600 on disability-related work costs, Social Security counts only $1,400 toward the SGA limit.

Plans to achieve self-support (PASS) let you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal — such as starting a business or completing education. Money set aside under a PASS plan is not counted as income, which can extend your benefits while you work toward that goal. A PASS must be in writing and approved by Social Security before it takes effect.

How to Report Work and Earnings to Social Security

You are required to report all work and earnings to Social Security within the month in which you earn the money. Failing to report work is one of the most common reasons SSDI beneficiaries face overpayments and benefit suspension.

You can report work by contacting your local Social Security office in person, by phone, or through your online Social Security account at ssa.gov. When you report, have ready the name of your employer, the dates you worked, and your gross monthly earnings. Social Security will use this information to determine whether your benefits continue, reduce, or stop.

If you do not report work and Social Security discovers you earned above SGA, you will owe back the benefits you received in months when you should not have been paid. This overpayment can be recovered through reduced future benefits or a repayment agreement.

What Happens If You Earn Above SGA

If you earn more than the SGA amount in a month after your trial work period and extended period of may be able to access end, your SSDI benefits stop for that month. You do not receive a check, but your case remains open and you can potentially restart benefits if your earnings drop below SGA later.

If your earnings stay above SGA for nine consecutive months, your case closes entirely and you are no longer considered disabled for SSDI purposes. At that point, restarting benefits requires a new process and medical review, which can take several months.

However, if you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA within five years of your case closing, you may be able to restart benefits under expedited reinstatement without a new medical review. This is a faster process than a new process, but you must request it within five years.

Self-Employment and SSDI

Self-employment earnings count toward the SGA threshold the same way wages do. If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit (income minus business expenses) as your earnings. You must report self-employment income to Social Security each month, just as you would report wages.

Self-employed beneficiaries often benefit from IRWE and PASS work incentives because business expenses and planning costs can be deducted from countable earnings. For example, if you run a small business and earn $3,000 per month but have $1,500 in business expenses and $400 in disability-related work costs, Social Security counts only $1,100 toward the SGA threshold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my Medicare or Medicaid if I work and earn above SGA?

No. Medicare continues for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after your trial work period ends, even if your benefits stop due to high earnings. Medicaid rules vary by state, but many states continue Medicaid coverage for SSDI beneficiaries who work. Contact your state Medicaid office to confirm your coverage.

What if I work part-time and my earnings vary month to month?

Social Security counts each month separately. If you earn below SGA in a month, you receive your full benefit that month, even if you earned above SGA in previous months. This makes part-time or seasonal work compatible with SSDI as long as your monthly earnings stay below the threshold in most months.

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

Trial work months are counted based on when you actually earn money, not when you choose to use them. A month counts only if you earn above the monthly threshold (around $200 to $300). You cannot "save up" months or use them strategically — they accumulate based on your actual work activity.

What if I made a mistake and did not report work on time?

Contact Social Security when ready and report the work retroactively. Reporting late is better than not reporting at all. If an overpayment results, Social Security will work with you on a repayment plan. Intentionally hiding work can result in fraud charges, but honest mistakes reported promptly are usually handled through standard overpayment procedures.

Can I restart my trial work period if I stop working and then start again later?

No. You get one nine-month trial work period per SSDI claim. Once it ends, you move into the extended period of may be able to access. If you stop working entirely and later return to work, you are already in the extended period or beyond, and the SGA rules explore when ready.