Yes, you can work on SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and may reduce or pause your benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance does not prohibit work. You can hold a job, start a business, or earn money in other ways while receiving SSDI. The program includes built-in work incentives specifically designed to let you test your ability to work without when ready losing all your benefits.

The catch is that substantial earnings — defined as more than $1,550 per month in 2024 — will trigger a review of your case. If you earn above that threshold for nine months (not necessarily consecutive), Social Security will assume your condition has improved enough that you are no longer disabled, and your benefits will stop. The dollar amount changes each year, so check the current figure on SSA.gov before taking a job.

Below that threshold, you keep your full benefit check. The program also offers a nine-month trial work period and an extended grace period called the extended may be able to access period, both of which let you earn more without losing benefits, though the rules are specific and require you to report your work to Social Security.

Key Takeaways

  • Earnings under $1,550 per month (2024 figure) do not affect your SSDI check, but you must report all work to Social Security.
  • The trial work period lets you earn any amount for nine months without losing benefits, as long as you report each month you work.
  • After the trial work period ends, you enter the extended may be able to access period, during which you keep your benefit for any month your earnings stay below the substantial earnings level.
  • If you earn above the substantial earnings threshold for nine months, Social Security will review your case and may find you no longer disabled, ending your benefits.
  • Work incentives like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) can reduce your countable earnings and extend how long you can work before benefits stop.

The Trial Work Period: Nine Months to Test Your Ability to Work

When you first start working on SSDI, you enter a trial work period that lasts nine months. During this time, you can earn any amount — $500 a month or $5,000 a month — and keep your full SSDI benefit check. The only requirement is that you report to Social Security each month you work.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. If you work three months, stop for six months, then work again, those later months count toward your nine-month total. Social Security tracks which months you reported work and counts them until you reach nine.

The purpose of the trial work period is to let you see whether you can sustain employment without the financial shock of losing your disability check when ready. Many people on SSDI have not worked in years and need time to rebuild work habits, find the right job, or discover that their condition makes full-time work impossible.

The Extended may be able to access Period: Continued Benefits After Trial Work Ends

Once your nine trial work months are used up, you move into the extended may be able to access period, which lasts 36 months (three years). During this time, you keep your SSDI benefit for any month your earnings fall below the substantial earnings level — currently $1,550 per month.

This is different from the trial work period. Now your earnings matter. If you earn $1,400 in a month, you get your full check. If you earn $1,600, your check stops for that month. You can go back and forth: work a high-earning month, lose the benefit, then earn less the next month and get it back.

The extended may be able to access period gives you a three-year window to find stable work at a sustainable earnings level. If you can keep your monthly earnings under the threshold, you can work indefinitely without losing SSDI. If you consistently earn above it, Social Security will eventually review your case and may terminate your benefits on the grounds that you are no longer disabled.

What Happens If You Earn Above the Substantial Earnings Level

Earning above $1,550 per month does not when ready end your benefits. Instead, Social Security counts how many months you earn above that amount. If you have nine or more months of substantial earnings — whether during your trial work period, extended may be able to access period, or afterward — Social Security will send you a notice that your case is under review.

The review is called a work incentive continuing disability review. Social Security will ask you to report on your work, your medical condition, and any treatment you are receiving. The agency will then decide whether your condition has improved enough that you are no longer disabled under the program's definition.

If Social Security finds that you can do substantial gainful activity — meaning you can earn a living at work — your benefits will stop. This does not happen overnight. You will receive written notice, usually 30 to 60 days before your last check, and you have the right to request reconsideration or a hearing before an administrative law judge if you disagree.

Work Incentives That Reduce Your Countable Earnings

Social Security offers two major work incentives that can lower the amount of earnings counted against you, letting you work longer before benefits stop.

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay because of your disability to enable you to work. If you need a personal assistant, specialized transportation, medication, medical equipment, or therapy to do your job, you can deduct those costs from your gross earnings. For example, if you earn $2,000 a month but pay $600 for a job coach, your countable earnings are $1,400. IRWE can be the difference between staying under the substantial earnings level and going over it.

Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) let you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal — finishing school, buying equipment, starting a business, or moving to a better job. While money is in your PASS account, it does not count against your earnings limit. A PASS can extend your work window by months or years, depending on your goal and how much you set aside each month.

Both IRWE and PASS require documentation and approval from Social Security. You cannot straightforward declare an expense or a goal; you must show receipts, a written plan, and how the expense or plan directly supports your ability to work. A work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project — a free counseling service funded by Social Security — can help you set up either one.

Medicare and Medicaid While You Work

One of the biggest reasons people on SSDI are afraid to work is the fear of losing health coverage. The good news is that you do not lose Medicare or Medicaid straightforward because you earn money.

If you receive SSDI, you are already on Medicare after 24 months of benefits. You keep Medicare even if you work and your SSDI stops. You will still owe the monthly premium (currently $174.70 for most people in 2024, though the amount changes yearly), but the coverage continues.

Medicaid is state-run, so the rules vary. In most states, if your SSDI stops because of work, your Medicaid stops too — unless you meet another category of coverage, such as low-income parent or pregnant person. Some states offer Medicaid continuation or Medicaid buy-in programs that let you keep Medicaid while working and earning above the normal income limit. Ask your state Medicaid office or your WIPA counselor whether your state has this option.

How to Report Your Work to Social Security

You must report all work to Social Security, even if you earn under $1,550 per month. Failure to report is considered fraud, and Social Security can overpay you and demand repayment, or in rare cases, refer you for prosecution.

Report your work by calling your local Social Security office or by logging into your my Social Security account online. You will need to tell Social Security the name of your employer, when you started, how many hours you work per week, and how much you earn per month. If you are self-employed, you report your net profit (income minus business expenses).

Social Security uses this information to calculate whether you are in your trial work period, extended may be able to access period, or past both. The agency also uses it to track whether you have reached nine months of substantial earnings. If you do not report, Social Security may overpay you, and you will owe the money back.

What Counts as Work and What Does Not

Work means any activity for which you are paid, whether as an employee or self-employed. This includes part-time jobs, gig work, freelance income, and business profit. It does not include unpaid volunteer work, even if you receive a small stipend or reimbursement for expenses.

Earnings are counted in the month you receive them, not the month you worked. If you work in January but do not get paid until February, the earnings count in February. This matters for tracking your trial work months and your substantial earnings threshold.

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit — what you earn after subtracting ordinary and necessary business expenses. You do not deduct IRWE from self-employment income; IRWE applies only to wages from an employer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part-time and keep my SSDI?

Yes. If you earn under $1,550 per month (2024), you keep your full benefit. During your nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount and keep your benefit. After that, you keep your benefit for any month you stay under the threshold. Many people on SSDI work part-time indefinitely without losing benefits.

What if I earn $2,000 one month and $800 the next?

During extended may be able to access, you are paid month by month. The $2,000 month counts as substantial earnings and you lose your benefit that month. The $800 month is under the threshold and you get your full check. You can go back and forth as long as you do not accumulate nine months of substantial earnings, which would trigger a continuing disability review.

Do I lose Medicare if my SSDI stops because of work?

No. Once you have been on SSDI for 24 months, you stay on Medicare even if your SSDI ends due to work. You pay the monthly premium, but coverage continues. Medicaid rules vary by state; ask your state Medicaid office whether you can keep coverage while working.

Can I use IRWE to deduct childcare costs?

Only if the childcare is necessary because of your disability and enables you to work. For example, if you need childcare because you cannot supervise children due to your condition, it may may have access to. General childcare that any working parent needs does not count. You must document the expense and get Social Security approval.

What happens if I do not report my work?

Social Security may overpay you, and you will owe the money back. In serious cases, the agency can refer you for fraud prosecution. Always report all work, even small amounts, to avoid overpayment and legal trouble.