What You Can Earn and Still Receive SSDI Payments

In 2023, you can work part time and continue receiving SSDI payments as long as your monthly earnings stay below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit. For 2023, that limit is $1,470 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $3,822 per month for blind beneficiaries. If you earn more than these amounts in a single month, Social Security may determine you are no longer disabled and stop your benefits.

The key word is "may"—Social Security does not automatically cut you off the moment you cross the threshold. They look at whether your work shows you can do substantial gainful activity, which means work that produces significant income and involves meaningful productivity. A single month over the limit does not necessarily end your case, but a pattern of earning above SGA will.

These dollar amounts change each year. Social Security announces the new SGA limit in December for the following year, so the 2024 limit will be different from 2023. You can find the current year's limit on the Social Security website or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Key Takeaways

  • You can earn up to $1,470 per month in 2023 without automatically losing SSDI, but earnings above that trigger a review of whether you can work.
  • Social Security counts only your work income toward the SGA limit—not investment income, gifts, or other money you receive.
  • The first nine months you work and earn above SGA are called your Trial Work Period, and you keep your full SSDI payment during those months regardless of how much you earn.
  • After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended Period of may be able to access, during which you can have one month per year where you earn above SGA without losing benefits that month.
  • If your earnings cause Social Security to stop your benefits, you have a grace period to report the change and may be able to restart benefits quickly if your income drops again.

The Trial Work Period: Nine Months of Unrestricted Earnings

When you first start working while on SSDI, you enter a Trial Work Period (TWP) that lasts nine months. During these nine months, you can earn any amount—$500, $5,000, or $10,000 per month—and still receive your full SSDI payment. Social Security does not count these earnings against the SGA limit.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only months in which you earn $970 or more (in 2023) as a Trial Work Period month. If you work part time one month and earn $800, that month does not count. If you earn $1,200 the next month, that counts as one Trial Work Period month. You can spread your nine months across several years if you work sporadically.

Once you have used all nine Trial Work Period months, you move into the Extended Period of may be able to access (EPE), which lasts 36 months. During the EPE, you can have one month per year—called a non-work month—where you earn above the SGA limit without losing your benefits for that month. In the other months of the EPE, if you earn above SGA, your benefits stop for that month only.

What Counts as Work Income and What Does Not

Social Security counts only earned income toward the SGA limit. Earned income is money you receive for work you do—wages, salary, net profit from self-employment, or payments for services you provide. It includes tips, bonuses, and commissions.

Social Security does not count these toward SGA: investment income (dividends, interest, capital gains), rental income, pension payments, unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, gifts, inheritances, or money from family members. If you receive a one-time bonus or a lump-sum payment for work you did in the past, Social Security may count it differently depending on when you actually earned it, so report it and ask how they will treat it.

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit—what you earn after business expenses—not your gross revenue. Keep records of all business expenses: supplies, equipment, rent for workspace, vehicle costs, and anything else directly tied to the work. These reduce the income Social Security counts.

Reporting Your Work Income to Social Security

You must report your work and earnings to Social Security within 30 days of the month in which you start working. You can report by phone (1-800-772-1213), by mail, or through your online Social Security account at ssa.gov. Failing to report is a serious problem—Social Security may overpay you, and you will owe the money back even if the overpayment was not your fault.

When you report, tell Social Security the date you started work, your job title, the name and phone number of your employer, how many hours per week you work, and how much you earn per month. If your hours or pay change, report the change. If you stop working, report that too.

Social Security will send you a form called the Work Incentive Planning Project (WIPP) form or ask you to complete a work report online. Answer all questions honestly and completely. If you do not understand a question, call and ask before submitting.

When Your Benefits Stop and How to Restart Them

If you earn above the SGA limit in a month outside your Trial Work Period and Extended Period of may be able to access, Social Security will stop your SSDI payment for that month. Your Medicare coverage usually continues for at least 93 months after your benefits stop, so you do not lose health insurance when ready.

If your earnings drop back below SGA in later months, you can request that Social Security restart your benefits. You do not have to reapply for SSDI—you straightforward report that your income has decreased and ask for reinstatement. This process is called Expedited Reinstatement if you request it within 60 months of the month your benefits stopped. During Expedited Reinstatement, Social Security can restart your benefits within one month while they review your case, rather than making you wait months for a decision.

Keep in mind that if you work above SGA for many consecutive months, Social Security may decide your condition has improved enough that you are no longer disabled. At that point, they will not straightforward restart your benefits when your income drops—you would have to go through the full SSDI process process again. This is why it matters to stay in contact with Social Security about your work and earnings.

Work Incentives That Reduce Your Earnings Count

Social Security offers several work incentives designed to help you keep more of your earnings without losing benefits. The most common is the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which lets you set aside part of your earnings for a specific work goal—like paying for training, buying equipment, or starting a business—without counting that money toward SGA.

Another incentive is Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which lets you deduct costs directly related to your disability from your earnings. If you need a personal assistant to help you work, pay for medication or medical equipment needed for work, or use special transportation because of your disability, you may be able to deduct these costs. The deduction reduces the income Social Security counts, which can keep you below the SGA limit.

A third option is the Student Earned Income Exclusion, which applies only if you are under age 22 and a full-time student. You can exclude up to $2,170 per month (in 2023) in earnings, up to a yearly maximum of $8,680.

These work incentives require paperwork and planning. Contact your local Social Security office or a Work Incentive Planning and information (WIPA) project in your state—these are free services that help SSDI beneficiaries understand work incentives. You can find your state's WIPA at askjan.org or by calling 1-866-968-7842.

Planning Your Part-Time Work Around SSDI Rules

Before you start a part-time job, calculate whether your expected monthly earnings will stay below $1,470 (for 2023). If your job pays $15 per hour and you work 90 hours per month, you will earn $1,350—under the limit. If you work 100 hours per month, you will earn $1,500—over the limit and subject to review.

Remember that you have nine Trial Work Period months where earnings do not matter, so you can use those months to test whether a job works for you without worrying about the SGA limit. If the job pays well but you are not sure you can sustain it, use your Trial Work Period months to find out.

If you are self-employed or have variable income, track your earnings month by month. A month where you earn $2,000 is a problem, but a month where you earn $800 is fine. You can manage your work schedule to stay under the limit in most months, using your one non-work month per year (during the EPE) if you have a high-earning month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work full time and keep SSDI?

Not for long. If you work full time and earn above the SGA limit ($1,470 in 2023), Social Security will eventually stop your benefits. You can use your nine Trial Work Period months to work full time, but after that, full-time work at regular wages will almost certainly put you over the limit.

Do I lose Medicare when my SSDI stops?

No, not when ready. Your Medicare coverage continues for at least 93 months after your SSDI benefits stop, even if you are working and earning above SGA. After 93 months, you can buy into Medicare if you are not yet age 65, or you may be covered by employer health insurance.

What happens if I earn above SGA by accident and do not report it?

Social Security will eventually discover the earnings through wage records and will overpay you. You will owe the money back. It is much better to report honestly and let Social Security tell you how they will treat the earnings. If you made a mistake, reporting it yourself shows good faith.

Can I use my Trial Work Period months all at once or do they have to be spread out?

You can use them however works for you. If you want to work intensively for nine months and then stop, that is allowed. If you want to spread them across three years working a few months at a time, that is also allowed. Only months where you earn $970 or more count.

What if my part-time job offers to increase my hours?

Before you accept, calculate what your new monthly earnings will be and check whether you are still in your Trial Work Period. If you are, take the hours—you can earn anything. If you are past the Trial Work Period, decide whether the new earnings will stay under $1,470 per month. If not, you may want to stay at your current hours or explore work incentives like PASS to protect your benefits.