What the 9-month trial work period means for your benefits

The 9-month trial work period (TWP) is a window built into SSDI where you can work and earn money without losing your benefits, no matter how much you make. During these 9 months, Social Security counts a month as a "work month" only if you earn $940 or more in that month (this amount changes each year). The months do not have to be consecutive—you can spread them across several years if you need to.

The purpose is to let you test whether you can actually work before your benefits stop. Many people on SSDI worry that returning to work means losing their health insurance and income support when ready. The trial work period removes that risk for a defined stretch of time.

After your 9 work months end, you enter a different phase called the Extended may be able to access Period, where the rules change. Understanding the difference between these two phases matters because your benefits behave differently in each one.

Key Takeaways

  • You can work and earn any amount during your 9-month trial work period without losing SSDI benefits, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • Social Security counts only months where you earn $940 or more as trial work months; months below that threshold do not count toward your 9 months.
  • The 9 months do not have to happen in a row—you can use them over several years, which gives you flexibility to test work gradually.
  • After your 9 trial work months end, you move into the Extended may be able to access Period, where benefits stop if you earn above the Substantial Gainful Activity level, currently $1,550 per month.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security during the trial work period, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits.

How Social Security counts your 9 months

A month counts as a trial work month only if you earn $940 or more in that calendar month. If you earn $939, that month does not count. If you earn $5,000, it still counts as one month—Social Security does not count partial months or pro-rate based on how much you earn.

The months do not have to be consecutive. You could use 3 trial work months in 2024, then 4 months in 2025, then 2 months in 2026. Social Security tracks them across years until you have used all 9. This flexibility matters if you are testing work gradually or if you have periods where your condition flares up and you cannot work.

Self-employment counts the same way as wages. If you are self-employed and earn $940 or more in a month, that counts as a trial work month. You report self-employment income the same way you report wages.

What happens if you earn less than $940 in a month

Months where you earn under $940 do not count toward your 9 trial work months, and they do not affect your benefits. You still receive your full SSDI payment that month. This is true even if you work—as long as you do not cross the $940 threshold, the month does not count.

This creates a useful middle ground: you can work part-time or test a job without burning through your trial work months. Many people use this to ease back into work—working 10 or 15 hours a week at a low wage, staying under $940, while keeping their full benefits and seeing how their body or mind responds to work.

What you must report to Social Security

You are required to report all work and earnings to Social Security, whether or not the month counts as a trial work month. This includes wages, self-employment income, and any other work-related money. You report through your My Social Security account online, by phone, or by mail.

Social Security uses this information to track which months count toward your 9 and to calculate your benefits correctly. If you do not report work, Social Security may overpay you, and you will owe the money back later—even if the overpayment was not your fault. The reporting requirement exists to protect you from that situation.

You should report changes in your work status as soon as they happen, not wait until the end of the month or year. If you start a new job, stop working, or have a significant change in earnings, contact Social Security promptly.

The Extended may be able to access Period after your 9 months end

Once you have used all 9 trial work months, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts 36 months (3 years). During this period, the rules shift: your benefits stop if you earn above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, which is currently $1,550 per month for non-blind adults (this amount changes each year).

The Extended may be able to access Period gives you a cushion. If you earn above SGA in a month, you lose benefits that month, but you do not lose SSDI itself. If you drop back below SGA the next month, your benefits restart. This is different from what happens after the Extended may be able to access Period ends—at that point, earning above SGA can end your SSDI case entirely.

Many people use the Extended may be able to access Period to keep testing work while still having a safety net. You can try full-time work, see if it is sustainable, and if it is not, your benefits are still there.

What happens after the Extended may be able to access Period

After 36 months in the Extended may be able to access Period, you have used up both the trial work period and the extended period. At that point, if you are earning above the SGA level ($1,550 per month), your SSDI case can be closed. This does not happen automatically—Social Security will contact you and give you a chance to respond—but it is a real possibility.

If you are earning below SGA at that point, your benefits continue normally. You are no longer in a special work incentive period; you are just a regular SSDI beneficiary who happens to be working part-time.

The transition from the Extended may be able to access Period to regular SSDI status is important to plan for. If you think you might be approaching the end of your extended period, contact Social Security to understand where you stand and what your options are.

Other work incentives that run alongside the trial work period

The trial work period is one of several work incentives Social Security offers. While you are in your trial work period, you may also be using other programs like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which lets you deduct certain disability-related costs from your earnings before Social Security counts them.

For example, if you need a personal assistant at work because of your disability, the cost of that assistant can be deducted as an IRWE. This can lower your countable earnings and help you stay under the SGA threshold longer. These programs work together with the trial work period, not instead of it.

You can also use the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without it affecting your benefits. A PASS is more complex to set up, but it can be powerful if you are working toward a specific job or business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my 9 trial work months all at once or do I have to spread them out?

You can use them however works for you. You could use all 9 in a row if you wanted to, or spread them across several years. Social Security just tracks which months count (those where you earn $940 or more) and stops counting once you hit 9. The flexibility is intentional—it lets you test work at your own pace.

What if I earn $2,000 one month and $500 the next?

The $2,000 month counts as one trial work month. The $500 month does not count toward your 9, and you receive your full SSDI benefit that month. Both months are reported to Social Security, but only the $2,000 month uses up one of your 9 trial work months.

Do I lose Medicare during the trial work period?

No. Your Medicare coverage continues throughout the trial work period and the Extended may be able to access Period, regardless of how much you earn. This is one of the key protections of the trial work period—you can test work without losing health insurance. Medicare continues for a set time even after your SSDI benefits stop, depending on your situation.

What if I cannot work anymore after I have used some of my trial work months?

You do not lose the months you have already used. If you stop working and your condition worsens, you remain on SSDI. The unused trial work months stay available if you want to try working again later. There is no penalty for not using all 9 months.

How do I know when my 9 months are up?

Social Security tracks this and will notify you when you have used all 9 trial work months. You can also check your My Social Security account or call Social Security to ask how many trial work months you have used. It is worth checking periodically so you understand when you are moving into the Extended may be able to access Period.