You can work any number of hours while your process is being reviewed

Social Security does not limit how much you work or earn while your SSDI process is pending. You can work full-time, part-time, or any combination—it will not affect whether your process moves forward or how it is decided. The Social Security Administration reviews your process based on your medical condition and work history, not on what you are doing right now.

What matters is your earnings after you are approved. Once you receive a favorable decision, the rules change. At that point, a limit called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) comes into play, and your monthly earnings will be counted against it.

Key Takeaways

  • While your process is pending, you can work as many hours as you want without affecting your case.
  • After approval, you enter a nine-month trial work period where you can earn any amount without losing benefits.
  • Once the trial work period ends, your monthly earnings are measured against the SGA limit, which changes each year.
  • If you earn above SGA for nine months within a rolling 60-month window, your benefits will stop.
  • Work incentives like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) can reduce your countable earnings.

What happens during the trial work period after approval

If your process is approved, you enter a nine-month trial work period. During these nine months, you can earn any amount—there is no ceiling—and you will keep your full SSDI benefit check every month. Social Security does not count your earnings during this time.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts any nine months in which you earn $1,090 or more (in 2024) as trial work months. If you work part-time one month and full-time the next, both count. If you take a month off, that month does not count toward your nine.

This period is designed to let you test whether you can sustain work without when ready losing your safety net. Many people use it to return to their previous job, try a new field, or see whether their condition allows them to work consistently.

The SGA limit and what happens after trial work ends

After your nine trial work months are over, Social Security measures your earnings against the SGA limit. In 2024, the SGA limit is $1,550 per month for non-blind workers and $2,590 for blind workers. These amounts change each year.

If you earn more than the SGA limit for nine months within any rolling 60-month period, your SSDI benefits will stop. The nine months do not have to be consecutive. If you earn $1,600 in January, $1,700 in March, and $1,650 in June, those three months count. If you earn under the limit in February, April, and May, those do not count.

Once you hit nine months of earnings above SGA, Social Security sends you a notice that your benefits are ending. You have a grace month—the month in which you cross the SGA threshold—where you still receive your full check. After that, benefits stop.

How work incentives reduce what Social Security counts

Social Security offers programs that let you subtract certain work-related costs from your earnings before they are measured against SGA. The two most common are Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).

IRWE covers costs you pay specifically because of your disability—medications, therapy, medical equipment, transportation to work, or a job coach. If you spend $300 a month on these costs, Social Security subtracts that $300 from your earnings before comparing them to the SGA limit. If you earn $1,700 and have $300 in IRWE, your countable earnings are $1,400.

PASS is a written plan you create with a work incentives counselor. It sets a goal—returning to work full-time, starting a business, getting a degree—and identifies how you will use your earnings to reach it. Money you set aside for PASS expenses does not count as earnings. PASS plans are complex and require approval, but they can let you earn significantly above SGA while keeping benefits.

How to report your work and earnings to Social Security

You are required to report your work and earnings to Social Security. How you do this depends on whether you are still waiting for a decision or already receiving benefits.

If your process is still pending, you do not need to report your work. Social Security will ask about your work history and current work status during the process process, but ongoing work does not require monthly reporting.

Once you are approved and receiving benefits, you must report your earnings each month. You can report by phone, mail, or online through your Social Security account. Social Security provides a form called the Continued Work Activity Report for this purpose. Failing to report earnings can result in an overpayment—money you were not supposed to receive—which you will have to repay.

What to expect if you earn above SGA

Earning above the SGA limit does not automatically end your benefits. It only matters if you stay above it for nine months within a 60-month window. Many people earn above SGA for a few months and then drop back below it—perhaps because they reduce their hours, take unpaid time off, or lose a job. In those cases, their benefits continue.

If you do reach nine months above SGA, Social Security will notify you in writing. The notice will explain that your benefits are ending and when the end date is. You will have a chance to request a reconsideration if you believe the calculation is wrong.

After your benefits end, you can reapply for SSDI if your condition worsens or if you stop working. There is no penalty for reapplying, and your medical records from the original case can speed up the process.

Work incentives counselors and planning ahead

If you are approved for SSDI and thinking about returning to work, Social Security funds work incentives planning and information through organizations in your state. A work incentives counselor can explain IRWE, PASS, and other programs, help you understand how your specific earnings will affect your benefits, and connect you with job training or placement services.

These services are free. You can find a counselor through your state vocational rehabilitation agency or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and asking for a referral. Planning with a counselor before you start working can save you from accidentally earning too much and losing benefits unexpectedly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part-time and still get SSDI?

Yes. Part-time work does not affect your benefits as long as your monthly earnings stay below the SGA limit after your trial work period ends. Many SSDI recipients work part-time. You must report your earnings each month to Social Security.

What if I earn above SGA one month but below it the next?

Only the months above SGA count toward the nine-month threshold. If you earn $1,600 in January and $1,400 in February, only January counts. You would need eight more months above SGA within the next 60 months for benefits to stop.

Do I lose my benefits when ready if I hit nine months above SGA?

No. You receive a full benefit check in the month you cross the threshold (the grace month), then benefits stop the following month. Social Security sends a notice explaining the end date before it happens.

Can I use a work incentive like PASS if I am still waiting for my process decision?

PASS is only available after you are approved and receiving SSDI benefits. While your process is pending, you can work any amount without restriction, but work incentives do not explore yet.

What happens to my Medicare if my SSDI benefits stop because I earned too much?

Your Medicare coverage continues for at least 93 months after your benefits end, even if you are working and earning above SGA. After that period, you can buy into Medicare or explore other coverage options. Social Security will explain your options when your benefits end.