Yes, you can work and receive SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and there are thresholds that affect your benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance does not automatically stop when you work. Instead, the program has built-in work incentives that let you test your ability to work without losing benefits when ready. The key is understanding the earnings limits and reporting requirements — if you cross certain thresholds or fail to report work, your benefits will stop, but if you stay within the rules, you can earn money and keep receiving SSDI.

The program distinguishes between substantial gainful activity (SGA) and work below that level. SGA is the earnings threshold Social Security uses to decide whether you are working enough to be considered no longer disabled. In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 for blind individuals, but these amounts change yearly. If you earn more than the SGA limit in a month, that month counts against you, and if you have too many SGA months, your benefits stop.

Before your benefits stop entirely, you enter a period called the trial work period (TWP). During the nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount without affecting your SSDI payment — Social Security does not count those earnings against you. After the trial work period ends, you have a nine-month extended may be able to access period where you can still receive a full SSDI payment in any month you earn below the SGA limit. Once you exceed SGA for nine months during extended may be able to access, your benefits stop.

Key Takeaways

  • You can work during your nine-month trial work period and earn any amount without losing SSDI payments.
  • After the trial work period, you keep SSDI in months when you earn below the SGA limit ($1,550 per month in 2024 for non-blind beneficiaries), but lose it in months when you earn above that amount.
  • You must report all work to Social Security within 30 days, including self-employment, part-time jobs, and any wages you receive.
  • If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, you can request reinstatement of benefits within five years without reapplying.
  • Work incentives like the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) and Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) can help you keep more of your earnings while on SSDI.

How the Trial Work Period Protects Your First Nine Months of Work

The trial work period is a nine-month window that begins the first month you work after starting SSDI. During these nine months, Social Security ignores your earnings entirely — you receive your full SSDI payment no matter how much you earn. The only requirement is that you report the work to Social Security within 30 days of starting.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only months in which you earn $940 or more (in 2024) as trial work months. If you work one month and earn $800, that month does not count. If you work the next month and earn $1,200, that month counts as your first trial work month. This means you can space out your work or take breaks without losing trial work months.

Once you have used all nine trial work months, the extended may be able to access period begins automatically. You do not have to do anything to trigger it — Social Security tracks your trial work months and switches you over when the ninth month ends.

What Happens After the Trial Work Period: Extended may be able to access and SGA

After your nine trial work months end, you enter the extended may be able to access period, which lasts nine more months. During extended may be able to access, you receive your full SSDI payment in any month your earnings stay below the SGA limit. If you earn above SGA in a month, you do not receive a payment that month, but you keep your benefits active and can receive payments again in future months when your earnings drop below SGA.

The SGA limit changes every year. In 2024, it is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals. This amount includes all wages from employment, net income from self-employment, and certain other forms of earnings. It does not include student earned income (if you are under 22), certain impairment-related work expenses, or Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) expenses.

Once extended may be able to access ends (nine months after your trial work period), you enter what Social Security calls the expedited reinstatement period. During this five-year window, if you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, you can request that your benefits restart without filing a new process or undergoing a new medical review. After five years, you would have to reapply and be re-evaluated medically.

Reporting Your Work to Social Security

You must report all work to Social Security within 30 days of starting a job. This includes part-time work, self-employment, freelance income, and any other earnings. Failure to report work is one of the most common reasons SSDI beneficiaries lose benefits unexpectedly.

To report work, contact your local Social Security office by phone, in person, or through your online my Social Security account. You will need to provide the name and address of your employer, your job title, the date you started, how many hours you work per week, and your gross monthly earnings. If you are self-employed, you report your net profit (income minus business expenses).

Social Security also receives wage reports directly from employers through the Social Security Administration's wage reporting system. Even if you do not report your work, Social Security will eventually see it when your employer submits wage records. Reporting yourself first is better because it shows you are following the rules and gives Social Security accurate information from the start.

Work Incentives That Let You Keep More Earnings

Social Security offers two main work incentives that reduce the amount of earnings counted against you: Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).

IRWE allows you to deduct certain work-related expenses from your earnings before Social Security calculates whether you have exceeded SGA. If you have a disability-related expense that you need in order to work — such as a personal assistant, medical equipment, transportation, or medication — you can deduct that expense from your gross earnings. For example, if you earn $2,000 per month but spend $600 per month on a personal care attendant you need to work, your countable earnings are $1,400. IRWE expenses must be directly related to your disability and necessary for you to work.

PASS is a more complex program designed for beneficiaries who want to work toward a specific vocational goal, such as completing education or starting a business. With a PASS plan, you set aside income and resources to reach that goal, and Social Security does not count the set-aside money as income or resources. PASS requires a written plan that you develop with a Social Security work incentives planner, and it can last several years. PASS is particularly useful if you are working but also pursuing education or training.

What Happens If Your Earnings Exceed SGA

If you earn above the SGA limit during extended may be able to access, you do not receive an SSDI payment that month, but your benefits do not stop permanently. You remain on the SSDI rolls, and you can receive payments again in any future month when your earnings fall below SGA. This is different from your benefits being terminated — your case stays open and active.

If you continue to earn above SGA for nine months during extended may be able to access, your benefits stop. At that point, you enter the expedited reinstatement period. If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA within five years, you can request reinstatement by contacting Social Security. You do not have to reapply or undergo a new medical evaluation — Social Security straightforward restarts your benefits based on your original approval.

If you wait longer than five years to request reinstatement, you would have to file a new SSDI process and be medically re-evaluated. This is why it is important to understand the five-year window and to contact Social Security promptly if you need to request reinstatement.

Reporting Changes and Staying in Compliance

Beyond reporting work, you must report other changes that affect your SSDI: changes in your living situation, changes in your medical condition, any new treatments or medications, and any changes in your income or resources. Social Security conducts periodic reviews of SSDI cases, and the frequency depends on your condition and age. Some beneficiaries are reviewed every three years, others every five to seven years.

If you are working and your condition improves significantly, Social Security may schedule a medical review to determine whether you are still disabled. This does not mean your benefits will automatically stop — you have the right to present evidence that you remain unable to work despite any improvement. But if Social Security determines you are no longer disabled, your benefits will end, and you would have the right to appeal.

Keep records of all your work, earnings, and work-related expenses. If Social Security questions your earnings or your work incentive deductions, you will need documentation to support your reports. Pay stubs, tax returns, receipts for work-related expenses, and written agreements with employers or clients are all useful to have on file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use my entire nine-month trial work period before I can earn above SGA?

No. The trial work period is available to you, but you do not have to use all nine months before testing your ability to work at higher earnings. However, once you have used nine trial work months, you enter extended may be able to access, where earning above SGA will reduce or eliminate your payment that month. Many beneficiaries use the trial work period strategically to test different jobs or work levels before committing to full-time work.

If I am self-employed, how do I report my earnings?

Self-employment earnings are reported as net profit — your gross income minus legitimate business expenses. You report this to Social Security the same way you report wages: within 30 days of starting the business. Keep detailed records of income and expenses, and be prepared to provide tax returns or business records if Social Security requests them. Self-employment can be counted as SGA if your net profit exceeds the SGA limit.

Can I request reinstatement of benefits if I stop working after extended may be able to access ends?

Yes, but only within five years of the month your benefits stopped. If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA within that five-year window, you can contact Social Security and request expedited reinstatement. You will not have to reapply or be re-evaluated medically. After five years, you would need to file a new SSDI process.

What if my employer does not know I receive disability benefits?

You are not required to tell your employer that you receive SSDI. However, you must report the work to Social Security. Some beneficiaries do not disclose their disability status to employers, and that is your choice. Social Security's reporting requirement is separate from any obligation to disclose to your employer.

Can I work part-time and still receive full SSDI payments?

During your trial work period, yes — you can earn any amount and receive your full payment. After the trial work period, you receive your full payment in any month you earn below the SGA limit ($1,550 in 2024 for non-blind beneficiaries). Part-time work that stays below that threshold will not affect your payment, but part-time work that exceeds it will eliminate your payment for that month.