Yes, you can file for SSDI while working, but your earnings will affect your benefits

You do not have to stop working before you file for Social Security Disability Insurance. You can submit your process while employed at any income level. However, Social Security uses your current work activity as evidence about your ability to work, and if you earn above a certain threshold, you may not receive benefits even if your process is approved.

The key distinction is between filing and receiving. Filing means submitting your process. Receiving means Social Security has determined you are disabled and is paying you monthly benefits. You can do one without the other — you can file while working, but Social Security may deny your claim based on your earnings, or approve it but suspend payments until your income drops.

Understanding how work affects your claim requires knowing three separate rules: the Substantial Gainful Activity limit, the Trial Work Period, and the Earnings Test. Each one applies at a different stage of your claim and changes what Social Security will do with your case.

Key Takeaways

  • You can file for SSDI while working at any income level, but Social Security will use your current job as evidence about whether you can work.
  • If you earn more than the Substantial Gainful Activity limit (currently $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals in 2024, though this amount changes yearly), Social Security will likely deny your claim or find you are not disabled.
  • If you are approved for SSDI, you get a Trial Work Period of nine months during which you can earn any amount without losing benefits, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended Period of may be able to access, during which months you earn above the monthly threshold result in no benefit payment for that month.
  • You must report all work activity to Social Security within the month it occurs, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits you were not may have access to to receive.

How Social Security views work when you file

When you submit your SSDI process, Social Security reviews your medical records, work history, and current job to decide whether you have a severe impairment that prevents substantial gainful activity. The word "substantial" is the operative one. Social Security does not mean you cannot work at all — it means you cannot work at a level that shows you are capable of earning a living.

Social Security defines substantial gainful activity using a dollar threshold. For 2024, that threshold is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 per month for blind individuals. These amounts change each year. If you are earning at or above these amounts, Social Security will assume you are capable of substantial gainful activity and will likely deny your claim, regardless of your medical condition.

If you are earning below the threshold, Social Security will still examine your job. They want to know whether the work is temporary, whether you have reduced hours due to your condition, whether you are in a sheltered or subsidized position, and whether you could sustain this work long-term. Earning $800 per month at a job you can only hold because your employer accommodates your disability looks different to Social Security than earning $800 per month at a job you could do indefinitely.

The Substantial Gainful Activity limit and your process

The Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit is the income threshold Social Security uses to determine whether you are working at a level that demonstrates you can support yourself. If your monthly earnings are at or above the SGA limit, Social Security will find that you are not disabled, because the assumption is that if you can earn that much, you can work.

The SGA limit changes every year on January 1. In 2024, it is $1,550 per month for non-blind workers. In 2023, it was $1,470. In 2022, it was $1,350. Social Security publishes the new limit each December on its website. If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit (revenue minus business expenses) toward the SGA limit.

If you are currently earning above the SGA limit, you can still file, but your claim will almost certainly be denied at the initial level. You would then have the right to appeal. However, if your earnings remain above the SGA limit throughout the appeal process, the decision will not change. Some people choose to reduce their work hours or leave their job before filing so that their earnings fall below the threshold and their medical condition becomes the focus of the review rather than their work activity.

What happens if you are approved while still working

If Social Security approves your SSDI claim while you are working, you enter a period called the Trial Work Period. This is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount of money without losing your SSDI benefits. The purpose of the Trial Work Period is to let you test whether you can return to work without when ready losing your safety net.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only the months in which you earn $1,050 or more (in 2024; this amount also changes yearly). If you work in January, take February off, and work in March, you have used two months of your Trial Work Period. You can spread nine working months across several years if you choose.

During your Trial Work Period, you must report your work to Social Security. You can do this online through your my Social Security account, by phone, or by mail. You must report within the month in which you worked. If you do not report, Social Security will not know you are working, and you may be overpaid — meaning you will receive benefits you were not may have access to to, and you will have to repay them later.

The Extended Period of may be able to access after your Trial Work Period ends

Once you have used all nine months of your Trial Work Period, you enter the Extended Period of may be able to access, which lasts 36 months. During this time, you can continue to work, but your benefits will stop for any month in which you earn $1,050 or more.

This is different from the Trial Work Period. During the Extended Period of may be able to access, you do not lose your SSDI status — you remain approved for disability. But you do not receive a payment for months in which your earnings are above the threshold. If you earn $1,049 in a month, you receive your full SSDI payment. If you earn $1,051 in that month, you receive nothing. If you then earn $500 the following month, you receive your full payment again.

After the Extended Period of may be able to access ends (36 months after your Trial Work Period ended), you enter what Social Security calls "continued Medicaid coverage" if you live in a state that offers it. The rules become more complex at this stage and depend on your state. You should contact Social Security directly before your Extended Period of may be able to access ends to understand what happens next in your situation.

Reporting your work to Social Security

You are required to report all work activity to Social Security within the month in which you work. This includes wages from a job, self-employment income, and any other earned income. You do not report unearned income such as unemployment benefits, Social Security retirement benefits, or investment income.

You can report work through your my Social Security account online, by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or by mailing a form to your local Social Security office. If you report online, you will receive when ready confirmation. If you report by phone or mail, keep a record of the date you reported and the person you spoke with or the tracking number of your mailed form.

Failing to report work is one of the most common reasons people are overpaid. If Social Security discovers you worked but did not report it, they will recalculate your benefits for that period and you will owe back the overpayment. The amount can be substantial if you worked for several months without reporting. Social Security can recover overpayments by reducing your future benefits, taking your tax refund, or in some cases pursuing legal action.

Working while your process is pending

If you file for SSDI and continue working while your process is being reviewed, you can work at any income level during this time without affecting the outcome of your process. However, your work activity will be part of the evidence Social Security reviews. If you are earning above the SGA limit, Social Security will use that as evidence that you are capable of substantial gainful activity and will likely deny your claim.

The process process typically takes three to six months for an initial decision. If you are denied and appeal, the process can take one to two years or longer. During all of this time, you can continue working. Your work does not pause your process or make it ineligible. It straightforward becomes part of the record that Social Security uses to make its decision.

Some people reduce their work hours or stop working once they file, specifically to show Social Security that they cannot work. Others continue working because they need the income. Both approaches are legally permissible. The choice depends on your financial situation and your confidence in your medical case.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I am working part-time and earning $1,200 per month, can I file for SSDI?

Yes, you can file. However, because $1,200 is below the 2024 SGA limit of $1,550, Social Security will examine your job more closely. They will want to know whether you could increase your hours, whether your employer is accommodating your disability, and whether your condition prevents you from working more. Your medical records will be the deciding factor, not your current earnings alone.

What if I get approved for SSDI but then my employer gives me a raise that puts me above the SGA limit?

If you are in your Trial Work Period, the raise does not affect your benefits — you can earn any amount. If you are in your Extended Period of may be able to access and your new earnings are above $1,050 per month, you will not receive a benefit payment for months in which you earn above that amount. You must report the raise to Social Security within the month it takes effect.

Do I have to tell my employer I filed for disability?

No. Your SSDI process and status are confidential. You do not have to disclose them to your employer. However, if your employer is accommodating your disability in a way that affects your job duties or hours, Social Security may ask about this during the review process, so it may become relevant to your case.

Can I work while I am waiting for an appeal decision?

Yes. You can work at any income level while your appeal is pending. Your work activity during the appeal will be reviewed as part of the evidence, but it does not stop the appeal process or make you ineligible to file.

If I am approved for SSDI, do I have to use my entire nine-month Trial Work Period?

No. The Trial Work Period is available to you, but you do not have to use it. If you decide you cannot work and want to focus on your health, you can stop working when ready after approval and your benefits will continue. The Trial Work Period is there if you want to test returning to work without losing your safety net.