You can work and collect SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and may reduce your benefits once you cross certain thresholds

Social Security has three work-related programs built into SSDI to let you test your ability to work without when ready losing all your benefits. The first is the Trial Work Period, which lets you earn any amount for nine months without affecting your SSDI payment. The second is the Extended may be able to access Period, which continues your benefits for 36 months after your Trial Work Period ends, even if you earn above the usual limit. The third is Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which lets you deduct certain disability-related costs from your earnings before Social Security counts them.

After these protections end, Social Security uses a monthly earnings test called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). In 2024, SGA 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 may suspend your benefits for that month. The key word is "may"—the rules depend on which program you are in and how your work is structured.

You must report all work and earnings to Social Security within 30 days of starting a job. Failure to report is treated as fraud, even if you did not intend to hide anything. Social Security will ask for your employer's name, the date you started, your job title, your hours per week, and your expected monthly earnings.

Key Takeaways

  • Your first nine months of work are protected under the Trial Work Period, during which you keep your full SSDI payment no matter how much you earn.
  • After the Trial Work Period ends, you have 36 months of Extended may be able to access during which benefits reduce only if you earn above $1,550 per month (or $2,590 if blind).
  • You must report your job and earnings to Social Security within 30 days of starting work, or you risk losing benefits and owing back payments.
  • Impairment Related Work Expenses—such as a service dog, medical equipment, or transportation to work—can be subtracted from your earnings before Social Security counts them toward the SGA limit.
  • Once Extended may be able to access ends, your benefits stop if you earn above SGA, but you can request a new Trial Work Period if your condition worsens and you stop working.

How the Trial Work Period Works

The Trial Work Period is nine calendar months during which you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI payment. These nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts a month as a "work month" if you earn $240 or more (in 2024) or work 15 or more hours in self-employment. Months below that threshold do not count toward your nine months, even if you are working.

The nine months begin the first month you report work to Social Security. If you start a job in March and report it by April 30, March counts as month one. If you work sporadically and only hit the $240 threshold in five months over a two-year period, you still have four months of Trial Work Period remaining whenever you work again.

During the Trial Work Period, you receive your full SSDI payment every month, regardless of earnings. This is the only period where income has no effect on your benefit amount. Many people use this time to test whether they can sustain work, adjust to a job schedule, or see whether their condition worsens under work stress.

Extended may be able to access and the Earnings Test

After your nine Trial Work Period months end, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts 36 months. During this time, Social Security continues to pay you in any month your earnings fall below the SGA threshold. In 2024, that threshold is $1,550 per month for non-blind workers.

If you earn $1,550 or less in a month, you receive your full SSDI payment. If you earn $1,551 or more, Social Security suspends your benefit for that month—you receive $0. There is no partial reduction; it is all or nothing each month. This means a single high-earning month can cost you an entire month's payment, even if your average earnings are below SGA.

The Extended may be able to access Period gives you a safety net: if you lose your job, become unable to work, or find that work is unsustainable, your benefits restart automatically in the first month you earn below SGA. You do not have to reapply or file a new claim. However, you must continue to report your earnings every month, even if you are not working.

Impairment Related Work Expenses and Other Deductions

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay specifically because of your disability and that you need in order to work. Common examples include a service dog, wheelchair ramps, specialized transportation, medical equipment, medications, or therapy sessions that occur during work hours. If you have IRWE, you subtract those costs from your gross earnings before Social Security counts your income toward the SGA limit.

For example, if you earn $1,800 per month but pay $400 for a service dog handler to accompany you to work, your countable earnings are $1,400—below the $1,550 SGA threshold. You keep your full SSDI payment that month. IRWE must be reasonable and necessary; Social Security will ask for receipts or invoices to verify the expense.

You can also deduct Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) expenses if you are saving for a work goal—such as tuition for a training program or a down payment on a business. PASS is more complex and requires a written plan submitted to Social Security, but it can shelter a larger portion of your earnings. Work incentives counselors at your state vocational rehabilitation agency can help you set up a PASS plan.

What Happens After Extended may be able to access Ends

Once your 36-month Extended may be able to access Period ends, the rules change. If you are still working and earning above $1,550 per month, your SSDI benefits stop. You do not receive a warning or a grace period; the benefit straightforward terminates. However, you remain insured under Social Security's disability rules for five years after your Extended may be able to access ends. If your condition worsens and you stop working, you can request that your benefits restart without filing a new claim.

If you return to work after benefits have stopped, you can request a new Trial Work Period if you have been out of work for at least 60 months (five years). This gives you another nine-month window to test work without losing benefits. If you have been out of work for less than 60 months, you go straight into the earnings test—any month you earn above SGA, your benefits suspend.

Some people continue working after benefits stop and never return to SSDI. Others find that work is not sustainable and request a reinstatement. The key is to understand that stopping work does not automatically restart your benefits; you must contact Social Security and request reinstatement, and you must show that your condition has worsened or that work was not feasible.

Reporting Your Work and Earnings

You must report your job to Social Security within 30 days of starting work. You can report by phone (1-800-772-1213), online through your My Social Security account, or in person at your local Social Security office. Have your employer's name, your job title, your start date, your expected hours per week, and your expected monthly earnings ready when you call or visit.

After you start work, you must report your actual earnings every month during your Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access Period. Social Security will send you a form called the Earnings Report (Form SSA-777-F4) or direct you to report online. You report the gross amount you earned that month before taxes or deductions. If you are self-employed, you report your net profit (revenue minus business expenses).

If you miss a reporting important date or underreport your earnings, Social Security will overpay you. You will then owe the overpayment back, either through benefit reductions or a repayment agreement. Intentional underreporting is fraud and can result in criminal charges. If you are unsure whether an expense counts or how to report self-employment income, contact Social Security before you file your report.

Self-Employment and SSDI

If you are self-employed, the rules are similar but the calculation is different. Social Security counts a month as a work month if you earn $240 or more in net profit or work 15 or more hours in your business. Net profit is your revenue minus ordinary and necessary business expenses—rent, supplies, equipment, wages to employees, but not your own labor.

During your Trial Work Period, you keep your full SSDI payment regardless of self-employment income. During Extended may be able to access, if your net profit exceeds $1,550 in a month, your benefit suspends for that month. After Extended may be able to access ends, the same SGA threshold applies.

Self-employment can be complex because Social Security needs to verify your actual profit, not just your gross revenue. Keep detailed records of all business income and expenses. If you are audited by Social Security, you will need receipts, invoices, and tax returns to prove your net profit. Many people working toward self-employment use a PASS plan to set aside earnings for business startup costs without those earnings counting against their benefits.

Work Incentives Counseling and Planning

Your state has a Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) project and a Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) project. Both are free services that help SSDI recipients understand work rules, plan for work, and resolve problems with Social Security. You can find your local WIPA and PABSS projects at choosework.ssa.gov.

A work incentives counselor can help you understand how your specific job will affect your benefits, set up an IRWE or PASS plan, and prepare your earnings reports. They can also advocate for you if Social Security makes an error in calculating your benefits or suspends your benefits incorrectly. Using these services is free and does not affect your benefits.

If you are considering returning to work or starting a business, contact your local WIPA project before you start. A counselor can walk you through the Trial Work Period, Extended may be able to access, and any deductions you may be may have access to to. This planning can mean the difference between a smooth transition to work and an unexpected benefit suspension.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part-time and keep my full SSDI payment?

Yes, during your nine-month Trial Work Period. After that, if you earn $1,550 or less per month during Extended may be able to access, you keep your full payment. Once Extended may be able to access ends, you must earn below $1,550 to keep any payment. Part-time work that stays below that threshold works, but a single month over the limit suspends your benefit for that month.

What if I earn money one month but not the next?

Social Security counts each month separately. If you earn $2,000 in January and $500 in February, your January benefit suspends but your February benefit is paid in full. There is no averaging across months. This is why seasonal work or irregular income can be tricky—you need to track your earnings month by month.

Do I have to pay back overpayments if Social Security made a mistake?

If Social Security made the error, you may be able to request a waiver of overpayment. You must show that you were not at fault and that repaying the money would cause you hardship. If you made the error—for example, you failed to report earnings—you are responsible for repayment. Request a waiver in writing to your local Social Security office within 60 days of receiving the overpayment notice.

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

Your nine Trial Work Period months do not have to be consecutive. If you work for three months, stop for six months, then work again, the second period of work counts toward your remaining Trial Work Period months. Only months in which you earn $240 or more (or work 15+ hours in self-employment) count. Months with no work or earnings below $240 do not count.

What happens to my Medicare if I stop receiving SSDI?

Your Medicare coverage continues for at least 8.5 years after your SSDI benefits stop, as long as you remain insured under Social Security's disability rules. You will have to pay the premiums yourself, but you keep coverage. After 8.5 years, coverage ends unless you may have access to for Medicare on another basis (age, end-stage renal disease, or ALS). Ask Social Security about your specific Medicare timeline when your benefits are about to stop.