Your Benefits Continue During Work Trial Periods

If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and decide to work, you do not automatically lose your benefits. Social Security has built-in work incentives that let you test your ability to work without when ready financial penalty. The most important one is the Trial Work Period, which lets you earn any amount of money for nine months without losing a single payment.

During your Trial Work Period, Social Security counts a month as a "work month" only if you earn more than $1,090 per month (as of 2024; this amount changes yearly). You can have up to nine of these months spread across a rolling 60-month window. Once you use all nine months, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts 36 more months. During Extended may be able to access, you keep your full benefit payment in any month you earn less than the current substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit — roughly $1,550 per month for non-blind workers in 2024.

After Extended may be able to access ends, your benefits stop if your earnings stay above the SGA limit. But you can restart them within five years if your earnings drop back below that threshold, without having to reapply or go through medical review again.

Key Takeaways

  • Your first nine months of work do not reduce your benefits at all, no matter how much you earn, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • After your Trial Work Period ends, you keep your full payment in months when you earn less than the SGA limit (about $1,550 per month for most workers in 2024).
  • You must report your work and earnings to Social Security within the month they occur, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits.
  • If you stop working and your earnings fall below SGA, your benefits restart automatically without a new process or medical exam.
  • The SGA limit changes each year, so check the current amount on Social Security's website before you assume your earnings will end your benefits.

How to Report Your Work and Earnings

Reporting is your responsibility, not your employer's. You must tell Social Security about your job and your monthly earnings within the month you earn them. If you do not report, Social Security will overpay you, and you will owe the money back — even if the overpayment was not your fault.

You can report your work in three ways: call your local Social Security office, go in person, or use your online account at ssa.gov. Have your pay stubs ready so you can give accurate monthly earnings. If you are self-employed, you will need to report your net profit (income minus business expenses), not your gross income. Social Security will ask you to report again at the end of the year when you file taxes, so keep records of all your earnings throughout the year.

If your earnings change — you get a raise, lose hours, or change jobs — report the new amount. Do not wait until the end of the month or year. Reporting on time protects you from overpayment and keeps your benefits accurate.

What Happens After Your Trial Work Period Ends

Once you have used all nine Trial Work Period months, you move into Extended may be able to access. During this 36-month window, Social Security checks your earnings each month. If you earn less than the SGA limit, you get your full benefit payment. If you earn at or above the SGA limit, you get no payment that month.

The SGA limit is not the same for everyone. For workers who are blind, the limit is higher — about $2,590 per month in 2024. For all other workers, it is lower. These amounts change every year on January 1, so mark your calendar to check the new limit if you are working near the threshold.

Extended may be able to access gives you a safety net: you can test whether you can work full-time and earn enough to live on, while keeping your benefits as a backup if your job ends or your hours get cut. Many workers use this period to build work experience, get a better job, or see whether their condition worsens under work stress.

Restarting Benefits If You Stop Working

If you stop working or your earnings drop below the SGA limit during Extended may be able to access, your benefits restart automatically in the first month you fall below the limit. You do not have to reapply, and Social Security does not do a new medical exam. Your benefits straightforward resume at the same amount you were receiving before.

This restart protection lasts for five years after your Trial Work Period ends. After five years, if you want benefits again, you have to go through the full process process and medical review. But within that five-year window, you can stop work and restart benefits as many times as you need to.

If you are on SSI (Supplemental Security Income) rather than SSDI, the rules are slightly different. SSI has a different earnings exclusion and counting method, and your restart window is shorter. Ask your Social Security representative which rules explore to you.

Work Incentives Beyond Trial Work Period

Social Security offers other work incentives you can use alongside or instead of Trial Work Period. The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal — like paying for school, equipment, or a business startup — without losing SSI benefits. The Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) deduction lets you subtract the cost of work-related expenses caused by your disability (like medical equipment or transportation) from your earnings before Social Security counts them.

The Student Earned Income Exclusion excludes earnings for students under 22 from the SGA calculation entirely, up to $2,170 per month (2024). If you are a student working part-time, this can let you earn more without losing benefits.

These incentives overlap and stack in some cases. A Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) project in your state can help you figure out which combination works best for your situation. WIPA services are free, and you can find your local project at askwipa.org.

What Happens to Medicare and Medicaid While You Work

If you are on SSDI, your Medicare coverage continues for at least 8.5 years after you return to work, even if your benefits stop because your earnings are too high. This is called Medicare Continuation, and it protects you from losing health coverage while you are testing your ability to work.

If you are on SSI, your Medicaid coverage rules depend on your state. Some states continue Medicaid while you work; others reduce or end it based on your earnings. Contact your state Medicaid office or your Social Security representative to find out what applies to you.

Do not assume your health coverage will end when your cash benefit stops. Many workers lose benefits but keep Medicare or Medicaid, which is often the more valuable part of the package. Ask Social Security to explain your coverage before you start work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my benefits the month I start working?

No. During your Trial Work Period (your first nine months of work), you keep your full benefit payment every month, no matter how much you earn. After that, you keep your payment in months when you earn less than the SGA limit. You only lose your payment in months when your earnings reach or exceed the SGA limit.

What if I earn a lot one month and very little the next?

Social Security counts each month separately. If you earn above SGA in one month, you get no payment that month. If you earn below SGA the next month, you get your full payment. This month-by-month approach is actually helpful if your work is irregular — you keep benefits in the slow months and lose them only in the high-earning months.

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

Yes, as long as your monthly earnings stay below the SGA limit (about $1,550 for most workers in 2024). Many people work part-time and receive partial or full benefits. The key is reporting your actual earnings each month so Social Security can calculate your payment correctly.

What if I made a mistake reporting my earnings?

Tell Social Security right away. If you reported too much, you may have been underpaid, and Social Security will owe you back payments. If you reported too little, you may have been overpaid, and you will owe the money back. Either way, correcting it quickly is better than letting the error compound over months.

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

No. Your disability status is private. You only have to report your earnings to Social Security. Your employer does not need to know you receive benefits, and Social Security will not contact your employer without your permission.