Yes, you can work while receiving SSDI, but your earnings may reduce or stop your benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not automatically end if you work. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has rules about how much you can earn before your benefits decrease or stop. The amount you can earn without losing benefits changes each year, and the rules differ depending on whether you are testing your ability to work or have returned to substantial work.

The key is understanding the difference between trial work periods, extended may be able to access, and the point at which work earnings become high enough that SSA considers you no longer disabled. Each phase has different earning limits and different consequences for your monthly benefit check.

Key Takeaways

  • You can work and keep your full SSDI benefit during a nine-month trial work period, no matter how much you earn, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • After the trial work period ends, your benefit stops if you earn more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount, which is set by SSA each year and varies by whether you are blind.
  • Extended may be able to access lets you keep Medicare for up to 93 months after your trial work period ends, even if your benefit stops due to high earnings.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security within the month they occur, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits.
  • Work incentives like the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) and Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) can help you keep more of your benefit while working.

The nine-month trial work period and how it works

When you start working while on SSDI, you enter a nine-month trial work period automatically. During these nine months, you keep your full monthly benefit check regardless of how much you earn. This period is designed to let you test whether you can actually work without losing your financial safety net.

A trial work month counts only if you earn more than $970 in that month (the 2024 amount; SSA updates this annually). If you earn $970 or less in a month, that month does not count toward your nine months. You do not have to use all nine months in a row — they can be spread across a rolling 60-month window. For example, you could work three months, stop, then return to work six months later and those would all count as part of the same nine-month trial period.

You must report your work to Social Security. Call your local SSA office or log into your my Social Security account to report your job start date and expected monthly earnings. Failing to report work can result in overpayment — you will have to repay benefits you should not have received.

What happens after the trial work period ends

Once you have used all nine trial work months, SSA looks at your average monthly earnings. If you earn more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount, your SSDI benefit stops. For 2024, the SGA amount is $1,550 per month for non-blind workers and $2,590 for blind workers. These amounts change each year on January 1.

If your earnings fall below the SGA amount, your benefit continues. If your earnings rise above it later, your benefit stops again. SSA recalculates your situation each month based on what you report, so your benefit can start and stop multiple times depending on your work hours and pay.

The month your benefit stops, you still receive your full check. The stop takes effect the following month. This gives you time to plan if your hours or pay change suddenly.

Extended may be able to access and keeping Medicare after benefits stop

Even if your SSDI benefit stops because you are earning too much, you can keep your Medicare coverage for up to 93 additional months (roughly seven and a half years) after your trial work period ends. This is called extended may be able to access. You must continue to pay the Medicare premiums, but you do not lose coverage just because your benefit ended.

Extended may be able to access is valuable if you have a condition that could worsen or if you want to keep health coverage while you work. Once the 93 months end, you can purchase Medicare coverage directly if you are under 65, though the cost will be higher than the premium deduction from your benefit.

You do not have to do anything to set up extended may be able to access — SSA tracks it automatically. However, you should confirm your Medicare status with SSA if your benefit stops, because you need to know whether you are still covered and what your premium will be.

Work incentives that let you earn more while keeping benefits

Social Security offers two main work incentives that can increase the amount you can earn before your benefit reduces or stops: Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).

IRWE lets you deduct certain work-related costs from your earnings before SSA counts them toward the SGA limit. For example, if you need a personal attendant to help you work, or special transportation, or medical equipment related to your disability, those costs can be subtracted. Only costs directly related to your ability to work count. IRWE requires documentation — receipts, invoices, or statements from providers — and SSA must approve the expenses before you can use them.

PASS is a written plan you create with SSA that sets aside income and resources for a specific work goal, such as education, training, or starting a business. Money set aside under a PASS does not count as income, so it does not affect your benefit or your SSI (Supplemental Security Income) if you receive both. PASS requires a formal process and approval from SSA's Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) program or a Benefits Planning, information and Outreach (BPAO) organization.

Reporting your work and earnings to Social Security

You must report work to Social Security within the month it starts. You can report by phone, mail, or through your my Social Security account online. When you report, tell SSA your job start date, employer name, expected hours per week, and expected monthly earnings.

Each month after that, you should report your actual earnings. If your pay varies, report what you actually earned that month, not an average. SSA uses your monthly earnings to decide whether your benefit continues, reduces, or stops. If you do not report and SSA discovers you worked without telling them, you will owe back the benefits you received while working.

Keep pay stubs and records of your work. If there is a disagreement about how much you earned, you will need proof. SSA can also contact your employer directly to verify your earnings, but having your own records makes the process faster.

How work affects your benefit amount if you continue receiving SSDI

During your nine-month trial work period, your benefit does not reduce no matter what you earn. After that period, if you earn below the SGA amount, your full benefit continues. There is no partial reduction — it is either your full amount or zero.

However, if you have other income (such as workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, or certain pensions), that income may reduce your SSDI benefit under different rules. Work earnings alone do not cause a partial reduction; they either keep you below SGA (benefit continues) or push you above it (benefit stops).

If you receive both SSDI and SSI (Supplemental Security Income), the rules are more complex because SSI has different income limits and counting rules. Contact your local SSA office or a WIPA counselor if you receive both programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, as long as your earnings stay below the SGA amount after your trial work period ends. Part-time work that pays less than $1,550 per month (2024) will not stop your benefit. During your nine-month trial work period, you can work part-time or full-time and keep your full benefit regardless of pay.

What if I earn money from self-employment or a side gig?

Self-employment income counts the same way as wages. SSA looks at your net profit (income minus business expenses) each month. If you are self-employed, you should report your business to SSA and keep detailed records of income and expenses. Some self-employment income may may have access to for IRWE deductions if the expenses are related to your disability.

Do I lose my benefit when ready if I earn too much?

No. If your earnings go above the SGA amount in a month, your benefit stops the following month, not when ready. This gives you time to adjust if your hours or pay changed unexpectedly. You keep your full check for the month you earned too much.

Can I go back on SSDI if I stop working?

If your benefit stopped because you earned too much, it can restart if your earnings drop below SGA again. You do not have to reapply or be re-evaluated for disability. SSA will reinstate your benefit the month after your earnings fall below the limit. However, if SSA determined you are no longer disabled (a medical review), restarting is more complicated and may require a new process.

What is the difference between SSDI and SSI for working?

SSDI has a trial work period and SGA limits. SSI has lower income limits ($935 per month in 2024 for unearned income, with different rules for earned income) and no trial work period. If you receive SSI, you cannot earn as much before your benefit reduces. Contact SSA to understand which program you are on and what the rules are for your situation.