You can work and keep SSDI, but only if your earnings stay below a monthly threshold and you report your work to Social Security

Social Security does not automatically stop your SSDI payments when you start working. Instead, they monitor your monthly earnings against a limit called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month for most people receiving disability (it is higher for people who are blind). As long as your average monthly earnings stay below that amount, you keep your full SSDI check.

The catch is that you must report your work to Social Security yourself—they will not find out on their own. If you do not report and your earnings cross the SGA threshold, Social Security can stop your benefits and demand repayment of overpaid amounts. The process is straightforward if you know the rules, but the rules have exceptions and timing quirks that matter.

Key Takeaways

  • You can earn up to $1,550 per month (in 2024) and keep your full SSDI payment, but you must report your work to Social Security within 10 days of starting.
  • If your monthly earnings exceed the SGA threshold, you enter a nine-month trial work period where you keep your full benefit regardless of how much you earn, but only once per SSDI lifetime.
  • After the trial work period ends, Social Security counts only months where you earned over SGA; once you have nine such months, your benefits stop but your Medicare continues for 93 more days.
  • You must report your earnings every month, and Social Security calculates your average across the months you actually worked, not across all months in the year.
  • If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, you can request that your benefits restart without reapplying for SSDI.

Reporting Your Work to Social Security

Contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 within 10 days of starting work. Tell them your job title, employer name, expected hours per week, and expected monthly pay. You do not need to wait for your first paycheck—Social Security wants to know your plan, not just your actual earnings.

After you report, Social Security will send you a form called the Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) notice, which explains your specific situation and the trial work period rules. Keep this document. You will also receive a Ticket to Work if you have not already, which is a voucher that lets you work with an employment network or vocational rehabilitation agency without losing benefits during the trial work period.

Every month that you work, you must report your earnings to Social Security. You can do this online through your my Social Security account, by phone, or by mail. Social Security will ask for your gross earnings (before taxes) for each month. If your earnings vary, report what you actually earned that month, not an average.

The Trial Work Period: Nine Months of Full Benefits

If your monthly earnings exceed $1,550 (the SGA threshold), you automatically enter a trial work period. This is a nine-month window where you keep your full SSDI payment no matter how much you earn. The nine months do not have to be consecutive—Social Security counts only the months in which you earned over SGA.

For example, if you earn $2,000 in January, $800 in February, and $2,100 in March, only January and March count toward your nine-month trial work period. February does not count because your earnings were below SGA. You can use your trial work period over several years if you want.

You get only one trial work period per SSDI lifetime. Once you have used all nine months, the rules change. After the trial work period ends, Social Security enters what they call the extended may be able to access period, which lasts 36 months. During this time, you lose your SSDI payment for any month in which you earn over SGA, but you keep Medicare for the full 36 months.

What Happens After Your Trial Work Period Ends

Once you have completed your nine trial work months, Social Security stops paying you for any month where your earnings exceed SGA. If you earn $1,600 in a month, you get no SSDI payment that month. If you earn $1,400, you get your full payment. There is no partial payment—it is all or nothing based on whether you crossed the threshold.

This continues for 36 months after your trial work period ends. During all 36 of these months, you keep Medicare Part A and Part B even if you are not receiving a payment. After the 36 months end, if you are still working and earning over SGA, your SSDI stops completely and your Medicare ends 93 days later.

If at any point during the extended may be able to access period your earnings drop below SGA for a full month, you can request that your benefits restart. You do not have to reapply for SSDI—you straightforward contact Social Security and ask them to reinstate your benefits. This restart can happen multiple times during the 36-month window.

Earnings That Do Not Count Toward the SGA Threshold

Social Security excludes certain types of income from the SGA calculation. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay to work because of your disability—for example, a personal care attendant, medication, medical equipment, or transportation to work that you would not need if you were not disabled. You subtract these expenses from your gross earnings before Social Security counts them toward SGA.

Other income that does not count includes Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) funds, which are money you set aside for a specific work goal (like education or equipment); impairment-related subsidies (money your employer gives you to offset your disability); and unearned income like interest, dividends, or rental income. Only wages and self-employment income count toward SGA.

If you have IRWE or PASS expenses, report them to Social Security when you report your earnings. Bring receipts or documentation so Social Security can verify the amounts. These deductions can make a real difference—if you earn $2,000 but have $600 in IRWE, Social Security counts only $1,400 toward SGA.

Self-Employment and SSDI

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit (revenue minus business expenses) as your earnings. You report this amount each month, just as you would with wages. Social Security uses the same SGA threshold: if your net profit exceeds $1,550 per month, you enter the trial work period.

Self-employment is often more flexible for SSDI recipients because you control your hours and can adjust your earnings month to month. However, Social Security will ask for documentation of your business income—tax returns, profit-and-loss statements, or bank records. Keep careful records of what you earn and what you spend on the business.

If you are starting a business, tell Social Security before you begin. They can explain how PASS works in your situation—you might be able to set aside money for business startup costs without it counting against your earnings limit.

What Happens If You Do Not Report Your Work

If you work and do not report your earnings to Social Security, and your earnings exceed SGA, Social Security will eventually discover the discrepancy through tax records or other means. When they do, they will stop your benefits and send you a notice explaining that you were overpaid. You will owe back the SSDI payments you received while working over the SGA threshold.

Social Security can recover overpayments by reducing your future SSDI payments, taking your tax refund, or in some cases referring the debt to a collection agency. You can request a waiver of the overpayment if you can show that you did not know about the reporting requirement and that repaying would cause you financial hardship, but waivers are not automatic.

The best protection is to report your work promptly and honestly. Social Security has work incentive programs specifically designed to help people transition to employment—you are not penalized for trying to work, only for hiding it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose Medicare if I stop receiving SSDI payments?

Not when ready. If you lose SSDI because your earnings exceed SGA during the extended may be able to access period, you keep Medicare for 93 more days. After that, you can buy into Medicare Part A and Part B if you still need coverage. Some people may have access to for Medicaid instead, depending on their state and income.

Can I use my trial work period in small amounts over many years?

Yes. The nine trial work months do not have to be consecutive, and you can spread them across multiple years. Each month you earn over SGA counts as one trial work month, regardless of when it occurs. Once you have used all nine, the extended may be able to access period begins.

What if my job is seasonal or my hours vary a lot?

Report your actual earnings each month. Social Security calculates your average only across the months you actually worked, not across all 12 months of the year. If you work three months and earn $2,000, $1,200, and $2,100, your average is $1,767—over SGA—so those three months count toward your trial work period.

Can I request my benefits restart if I stop working?

Yes, during the extended may be able to access period (36 months after your trial work period). If your earnings drop below SGA for a full month, contact Social Security and ask them to reinstate your benefits. You do not have to reapply for SSDI. After the 36-month window closes, restarting is more complicated and may require a new process.

Does Social Security count tips or bonuses as earnings?

Yes. All wages, including tips, bonuses, and commissions, count toward SGA. Report the actual amount you received, not just your base pay. If you receive a large bonus in one month, that month's earnings may exceed SGA even if your regular pay does not.