You can work while collecting disability, but there are limits on how much you earn

If you're receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you don't have to stop working entirely. Social Security allows you to earn money and keep your benefits — but only up to a certain amount each month. If you earn more than that limit, your benefits will be reduced or stopped.

The rules are different depending on which program you receive. SSDI has a higher earnings limit than SSI, and both programs have a trial work period that lets you test your ability to work without losing benefits right away. Understanding these limits before you start or increase work is important, because earning too much can create a gap where you lose benefits but don't earn enough to replace them.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI allows you to earn up to a set amount each month (the amount changes yearly) before your benefits are reduced; SSI has a lower limit and counts other income sources too.
  • A trial work period lets you work and earn without any benefit reduction for nine months within a rolling 60-month window, giving you a chance to test whether you can work.
  • After the trial work period ends, you enter a gradual reduction phase where benefits decrease as earnings increase, rather than stopping all at once.
  • You must report your earnings to Social Security within the month you earn them, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits you weren't may have access to to.
  • Other income — from a spouse, a pension, or unearned sources — affects SSI but not SSDI, so the two programs have very different rules about what counts.

How much you can earn on SSDI

SSDI has a monthly earnings limit called the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount. In 2024, that limit is $1,550 per month for non-blind workers and $2,590 for blind workers. If you earn more than that in a month, Social Security counts that month as a month of work toward your trial work period.

The SGA amount changes every year on January 1st, so you should check the current limit on Social Security's website before you start a job or increase your hours. The amount is the same whether you work for an employer or are self-employed, though self-employed income is calculated differently — Social Security looks at your net profit after business expenses, not your gross revenue.

If you're blind, you have a higher SGA limit because Social Security recognizes that blindness creates extra work-related costs. You'll need to report your blindness status to Social Security if you haven't already, and they will explore the higher limit automatically once they have that information on file.

How much you can earn on SSI

SSI has a much lower earnings limit: $65 per month, plus half of anything you earn above that. This means if you earn $200 a month, Social Security counts $65 as not affecting your benefit, then takes half of the remaining $135 — so your benefit is reduced by about $67.50.

SSI also counts other income toward your limit. If you receive a pension, child support, or help from a family member, that counts as income too. SSDI does not count these other sources — only your own work earnings matter for SSDI. This makes SSI much more restrictive if you have any income at all.

Because SSI limits are so tight, many people on SSI who want to work benefit from Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), a program that lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without it counting against your SSI limit. PASS requires a written plan and approval from Social Security, but it can make the difference between being able to work and losing your entire benefit.

The trial work period and what comes after

Both SSDI and SSI include a trial work period that gives you nine months to work and earn without any benefit reduction, as long as you report your earnings. These nine months don't have to be consecutive — they're counted within a rolling 60-month window, so you can use them spread out over five years if you need to test work on and off.

During the trial work period, you keep your full benefit check no matter how much you earn. The only requirement is that you report your earnings to Social Security each month. Many people use this time to see whether they can handle a job, whether their condition gets worse with work, or whether they want to stay employed long-term.

Once you've used all nine trial work months, you enter the extended may be able to access period, which lasts 36 months. During this time, your benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the SGA limit (for SSDI) or the SSI limit (for SSI). After the 36-month extended may be able to access period ends, if you're still earning above the limit, your benefits stop — but you can request reinstatement if you stop working or drop below the limit within five years.

Reporting your earnings and avoiding overpayment

You must report your earnings to Social Security within the month you earn them. You can do this by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. If you don't report, Social Security will eventually discover the unreported income and you'll owe back the benefits you weren't may have access to to — this is called an overpayment, and you'll have to repay it.

Overpayments can be substantial. If you earned $2,000 a month for six months without reporting it, you could owe back several months of benefits. Social Security can recover overpayments by reducing your future benefit checks, taking tax refunds, or in some cases pursuing collection through other means. It's much easier to report as you go than to face a large debt later.

If you're self-employed, keep records of your income and expenses. Social Security will ask for tax returns, profit-and-loss statements, or other documentation to verify your net earnings. Self-employment income is counted differently than wages — Social Security looks at your net profit, not what you bill or receive.

Work incentives beyond the trial work period

Social Security offers several programs designed to help people on disability transition to work without losing all their benefits at once. Beyond the trial work period, you may be able to use Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which lets you deduct certain disability-related costs from your earnings before Social Security calculates your benefit reduction.

For example, if you need a personal assistant to help you get to work, or special equipment, or transportation beyond what a non-disabled person would need, those costs can be deducted as IRWE. This effectively raises your earnings limit because Social Security subtracts those costs before calculating how much you've earned. You'll need to document these expenses and show they're directly related to your ability to work.

Another option is Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), mentioned earlier for SSI but also available to some SSDI recipients. A PASS lets you set aside income and resources for a specific vocational goal — like training for a new career — without it counting against your benefits. You work with a benefits planner to create a written plan, and Social Security approves it before you start.

What to do before you start working

Before you take a job or increase your work hours, contact Social Security and ask to speak with a work incentives specialist or benefits planner. These are free services available to everyone on SSDI or SSI. They can explain exactly how your specific situation will be affected by earnings, help you understand the trial work period, and tell you whether you may have access to for IRWE or PASS.

You can reach Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit your local Social Security office. Ask specifically for a work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project or benefits planning information (BPA) service — these are federally funded programs that provide free, confidential planning to help you understand how work affects your benefits.

Having this conversation before you start work means you won't accidentally earn too much and create a surprise overpayment. It also means you can plan your work schedule and earnings to stay within limits if you want to keep your benefits, or understand exactly what will happen if you earn above the limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part-time and keep some of my disability benefit?

Yes, during your trial work period you can earn any amount and keep your full benefit. After that, you enter the extended may be able to access period where your benefit is reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. Once extended may be able to access ends, you must stay below the earnings limit to keep any benefit at all.

What counts as earnings for disability purposes?

Wages from a job count. Self-employment income (net profit) counts. Bonuses, commissions, and tips count. Social Security does not count gifts, loans, or money from family members. For SSI, pensions and other unearned income also count; for SSDI, only your work earnings matter.

If I lose my job, can I get my benefits back?

Yes. If you stop working or drop below the earnings limit, you can request reinstatement of your benefits. If you're within five years of when your benefits stopped, the process is faster. Contact Social Security to explain your situation and ask about reinstatement.

Do I have to use my trial work period all at once?

No. Your nine trial work months are spread across a rolling 60-month window, so you can use them one month at a time, or in clusters, over five years. This lets you test work on and off without losing the benefit of the trial work period.

What happens if I don't report my earnings?

Social Security will eventually discover unreported income through tax records or other sources. You'll owe back the benefits you weren't may have access to to, and you'll have to repay the overpayment. It's much simpler to report earnings each month as you earn them.