Yes, you can work part time on SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and may reduce your benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not prohibit part-time work. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) monitors your monthly earnings, and if you earn above a certain threshold, your benefits decrease or stop. The threshold changes each year — it is called the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level. In 2024, the SGA level is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 for blind individuals, but you should confirm the current year's amount with SSA because it rises annually.

The key distinction is between earning money and working. You can earn small amounts without losing benefits. You can also test your ability to work through SSA's trial work period, which allows you to earn any amount for nine months without losing benefits. After the trial work period ends, SSA uses a different calculation to determine if your earnings are substantial enough to end your disability status.

Key Takeaways

  • Part-time work is permitted on SSDI, but SSA tracks your monthly earnings against the annual substantial gainful activity level.
  • The trial work period lets you earn any amount for nine months without losing benefits, giving you a protected window to test employment.
  • After the trial work period, if your monthly earnings stay below the SGA level, you keep your full SSDI payment.
  • You must report your earnings to SSA each month; failing to report can result in overpayment that you will owe back.
  • Work incentives like the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) and Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) can reduce countable earnings and extend your ability to work.

How the trial work period protects your first nine months of earnings

The trial work period is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount without SSA reducing your SSDI payment. SSA does not count these nine months consecutively — they are counted within a rolling 60-month period. This means you could work three months, stop, return to work six months later, and those six months would count as months four through nine of your trial work period.

During the trial work period, you must still report your earnings to SSA each month. SSA uses this information to track which nine months may have access to as your trial work period, but the payment you receive does not change based on how much you earn. Once you have used all nine months, the rules shift. SSA then looks at whether your average monthly earnings exceed the SGA level. If they do, your case enters the extended may be able to access period, which lasts 36 months and gives you additional protection before benefits stop entirely.

What happens to your benefits after the trial work period ends

After you have used your nine trial work months, SSA compares your average monthly earnings to the SGA level for that year. If your earnings are below the SGA level, you continue receiving your full SSDI payment. If your earnings exceed the SGA level, SSA considers you to be engaging in substantial gainful activity, and your benefits stop — but not when ready.

When SSA determines that your earnings are substantial, you enter the extended may be able to access period. During this 36-month window, you can have months where you earn above the SGA level and months where you earn below it. In months when your earnings fall below the SGA level, you receive your full SSDI payment. In months when earnings exceed the SGA level, you receive no payment that month. This gives you flexibility: if your part-time work is inconsistent or seasonal, you may receive benefits in slower months.

After the 36-month extended may be able to access period ends, if you are still working and your earnings remain above the SGA level, your SSDI case closes. However, you become may be able to access for a Medicaid continuation period that can last up to 93 months (about 7.75 years), depending on your state. This means you can lose cash benefits but keep health coverage.

Reporting your earnings and avoiding overpayment

You are required to report your earnings to SSA each month. The method varies by state and your local SSA office, but common options include calling a toll-free number, using your online my Social Security account, or visiting your local SSA office in person. SSA provides a form called the SSA-777 (Statement Regarding Your Work) that you can use to report earnings, though many offices now accept reports through their online portal.

Reporting must happen by the 15th of the month following the month you earned the money. If you fail to report, SSA may overpay you — meaning you receive benefits you were not may have access to to. You will be required to repay this overpayment, either through a reduction in future benefits or through a repayment agreement. The overpayment can accumulate quickly if you do not report for several months, so timely reporting is critical.

If you are unsure how much to report or how to calculate your earnings, contact your local SSA office or call 1-800-772-1213. SSA also assigns a work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project in most states — these are free services that help you understand how work affects your benefits and can help you report correctly.

Work incentives that reduce your countable earnings

SSA offers two main work incentives that can lower the amount of earnings counted against your SSDI benefits: Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).

IRWE allows you to deduct certain work-related costs from your earnings before SSA counts them toward the SGA level. These are expenses you incur specifically because of your disability and that you need in order to work. Examples include the cost of a personal assistant, specialized transportation, medical devices, medications, therapy, or equipment modifications. If you spend $300 per month on these expenses and earn $1,800, SSA counts only $1,500 as your earnings. IRWE does not require advance approval — you can claim it when you report your earnings — but you must keep receipts and documentation.

PASS is a more formal program that requires SSA approval in advance. It lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal — such as education, training, or starting a business — without those set-aside amounts counting toward your benefits. For example, if you earn $2,000 per month and your PASS plan directs $600 of that toward vocational training, SSA counts only $1,400 as your earnings. PASS plans typically last one to two years and must have a realistic work goal. You explore for PASS through your local SSA office or through a WIPA project.

Part-time work and Medicare continuation

If you are receiving SSDI, you are also may have access to to Medicare after two years of receiving benefits. Unlike Medicaid, Medicare does not stop when your SSDI case closes due to work. You can continue Medicare coverage even after your cash benefits end, as long as you remain disabled or blind according to SSA's definition. However, you will have to pay the monthly Medicare Part B premium, which is deducted from any remaining SSDI payment or billed to you directly.

This is different from the Medicaid continuation period mentioned earlier. Medicaid is state-run and varies by state; some states offer extended Medicaid when SSDI ends due to work, and some do not. Medicare is federal and continues regardless. Understanding which health coverage you have — and which will continue — is important when deciding whether to increase your work hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earn $100 in one month, do I lose any SSDI that month?

During your nine-month trial work period, no — you receive your full payment regardless of earnings. After the trial work period, if that $100 is your only earnings that month and it is below the SGA level, you receive your full payment. You still must report the $100 to SSA.

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

They do not have to be consecutive. Your nine trial work months are counted within a rolling 60-month period. You could work four months, take a break, then work five more months later, and all nine would count as your trial work period as long as they fall within the 60-month window.

What if I start working and realize I cannot handle it — do I lose my SSDI permanently?

No. If you stop working and your medical condition has not improved, you can request that your SSDI case be reopened. SSA has rules about how long after case closure you can request reinstatement. There is also an expedited reinstatement process if you return to work and then stop within five years of your case closing.

Do I have to tell my employer I am on SSDI?

No. Your SSDI status is confidential. However, some employers offer benefits or accommodations for employees with disabilities, so you may choose to disclose if it helps you. The decision is yours.

What counts as earnings — do I report tips, cash payments, and self-employment income?

Yes, all of these count as earnings and must be reported to SSA. Self-employment income is calculated differently than wages — you report your net profit (income minus business expenses) rather than gross income. If you are self-employed, ask SSA or a WIPA project for guidance on calculating net profit correctly.