What the Extended Period of may be able to access is

The Extended Period of may be able to access (EPE) is a time window that lets you test your ability to work without losing your SSDI benefits right away. If you've been receiving SSDI and you start working, you don't have to choose between a paycheck and your benefits. Instead, you enter a 36-month period where you can earn money and still receive your full SSDI payment each month—as long as your earnings stay below a certain threshold.

This is different from the trial work period, which comes first. During the trial work period (nine months), you can earn any amount and keep your full benefit. The EPE is what happens after those nine months end. It gives you another three years to see whether work is sustainable for you, with a safety net still in place.

The EPE exists because returning to work after disability is risky. You might discover that your condition makes full-time work impossible, or that the job doesn't work out. The EPE protects you during that transition by keeping your benefits active while you figure out whether you can actually sustain employment.

Key Takeaways

  • The Extended Period of may be able to access lasts 36 months and begins the month after your nine-month trial work period ends.
  • During the EPE, you keep your full SSDI payment each month as long as your earnings stay below the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit, which changes yearly.
  • If you earn above the SGA limit in any month during the EPE, you lose your SSDI payment for that month only—you don't lose the entire benefit.
  • Once the 36-month EPE ends, your benefits stop unless you report a medical improvement or may have access to for a different work incentive program.
  • Social Security tracks your earnings automatically if you report them, so you need to tell them how much you're making each month.

How the earnings limit works during the EPE

During your Extended Period of may be able to access, Social Security looks at your monthly earnings against the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit. This is a dollar amount that changes every year. For 2024, the SGA limit is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 for blind individuals. These numbers increase each January based on national wage trends.

The key rule is straightforward: if you earn less than the SGA limit in a given month, you get your full SSDI payment. If you earn the SGA limit or more in a month, you don't receive your SSDI payment that month. You don't lose the benefit permanently—you just skip that one month's payment. Once your earnings drop below the limit again, your payments resume the following month.

Social Security counts only your work earnings, not other income like unemployment benefits, rental income, or interest. They also don't count impairment-related work expenses (costs you pay to work because of your disability) or plans to achieve self-support (PASS), which are separate work incentive programs that can reduce your countable earnings.

When the Extended Period of may be able to access begins and ends

Your EPE starts the month after your nine-month trial work period ends. The trial work period consists of any nine months (not necessarily consecutive) in which you earn $1,090 or more per month. Once you've had nine such months, Social Security notifies you that your trial work period has ended and your EPE is beginning.

The EPE then runs for exactly 36 consecutive months. During this time, you're still considered to be receiving SSDI, even in months when your earnings are high enough that you don't get a payment. This matters because you stay covered under Medicare (if you have it) and you maintain your work history with Social Security.

When the 36 months are up, your EPE ends. At that point, if you're still working and earning above the SGA limit, your SSDI benefits stop. You would need to report a medical improvement, return to work below SGA, or move into a different work incentive program (like Impairment Related Work Expenses or a Plan to Achieve Self-Support) to keep receiving benefits.

What happens to Medicare during the EPE

One of the biggest advantages of the Extended Period of may be able to access is that your Medicare coverage continues throughout the entire 36 months, regardless of how much you earn. This is crucial because health insurance is often the hardest part of returning to work. You can keep your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage even if your earnings are high enough to stop your SSDI payment.

After your EPE ends, Medicare coverage doesn't stop when ready. You get an additional eight years and nine months of Medicare coverage (called Extended Medicare Coverage) as long as you're not working above the SGA limit. If you do earn above SGA during those years, you can purchase Medicare coverage by paying the monthly premium yourself.

Reporting your earnings to Social Security

You must report your work earnings to Social Security every month during your EPE. This is not optional. Social Security needs to know how much you're earning so they can determine whether you get a payment that month. If you don't report, they may overpay you, and you'll have to repay the money later.

You can report your earnings by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. When you report, you tell Social Security the gross amount you earned (before taxes) and the month you earned it. If you're self-employed, you report your net profit (income minus business expenses).

Social Security will send you a form each year to report your expected earnings for the coming year. This helps them estimate your payments. If your actual earnings differ from what you predicted, you report the difference, and they adjust future payments or send you a bill if you were overpaid.

What to do if you lose your job during the EPE

If you stop working or your earnings drop below the SGA limit during your EPE, your SSDI payments resume automatically the month after your earnings fall below the threshold. You don't have to reapply or contact Social Security—as long as you've been reporting your earnings, the system adjusts on its own.

This is one reason the EPE is valuable. If a job doesn't work out, you have a safety net. Your benefits don't disappear permanently; they come back as soon as your earnings drop. This gives you time to find new work, adjust your disability management, or accept that full-time work isn't possible right now.

However, you still need to report that you're no longer working or that your earnings have changed. Don't assume Social Security will find out on their own. Call 1-800-772-1213 or log into your account to report the change.

How the EPE differs from other work incentives

The Extended Period of may be able to access is one of several programs that let you work and keep benefits. It's different from the trial work period (which comes before it and has no earnings limit) and from programs like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) or a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which reduce your countable earnings rather than giving you a time window.

The EPE is also different from Expedited Reinstatement, which is a separate safety net. If your benefits end because you earned too much, and then you stop working or your earnings drop within five years, you can get your benefits back without reapplying. The EPE and Expedited Reinstatement work together to protect people who are testing their ability to work.

Some people combine the EPE with IRWE or PASS to keep their earnings below the SGA limit and receive a payment every month. For example, if you have work-related expenses (like transportation or equipment needed because of your disability), you can deduct those from your gross earnings. This might keep you below SGA even if your gross pay is higher.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I extend my EPE beyond 36 months?

No. The Extended Period of may be able to access is exactly 36 months, and it cannot be extended. Once it ends, your SSDI benefits stop unless you're earning below the SGA limit, have a medical improvement, or move into another work incentive program like IRWE or PASS.

What if I earn above SGA for multiple months during my EPE?

You lose your SSDI payment for each month you earn above the SGA limit. The months don't have to be consecutive. If you earn above SGA in January and March but below SGA in February, you get a payment in February but not in January or March. The EPE continues counting down regardless.

Do I have to report my earnings every single month?

Yes. You must report your earnings each month during the EPE so Social Security can determine your payment. If you forget to report, Social Security may overpay you, and you'll owe the money back. Use your my Social Security account to report online, or call 1-800-772-1213.

What happens to my work credits while I'm in the EPE?

Your work credits don't change during the EPE. You earned your work credits before you became disabled, and they stay on your record. The EPE is about your current earnings, not about earning new work credits. If you return to work and earn enough to get new work credits, those are separate from your SSDI may be able to access.

Can I use the EPE more than once?

No. You get one Extended Period of may be able to access per SSDI claim. Once your 36 months are up, you cannot start another EPE. However, if your benefits end and you later become disabled again and reapply, you would get a new EPE with that new claim.