You do not have to use Ticket to Work, and it is not required to keep your benefits during the trial work period

The Ticket to Work program is optional. You can work during your trial work period without ever opening a Ticket, and your benefits will continue under the same rules whether you use it or not. The trial work period itself—nine months in which you can earn any amount without losing benefits—exists whether you have a Ticket or not.

The main difference is what happens after the trial work period ends. If you do not use a Ticket and your earnings stay high, your benefits will stop following the standard rules. If you do use a Ticket, you enter an extended period called the Extended may be able to access Period, which gives you more time and more flexibility before benefits end. But that choice is yours to make, and you can decide later.

Key Takeaways

  • The trial work period lasts nine months and works the same way whether or not you have a Ticket to Work.
  • Using a Ticket to Work is optional and does not change your benefits during the trial work period itself.
  • The real difference appears after the trial work period: a Ticket extends the time you have to work before benefits stop.
  • You can request a Ticket at any time, even after you have already started working, so you do not have to decide when ready.
  • If you do not use a Ticket and your earnings are too high after the trial work period, your benefits will stop under the regular rules.

How the trial work period works without a Ticket

During the nine-month trial work period, you keep your full Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment every month, no matter how much you earn. You report your work and earnings to Social Security, but the payment does not change. This is true whether you have a Ticket or not.

After the nine months end, Social Security looks at your average monthly earnings. If you are earning above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level—which is $1,550 per month in 2024 for most people on SSDI, though this amount changes each year—your benefits will stop. The clock for this stopping point begins the month after your trial work period ends.

Without a Ticket, you have no cushion. Once your benefits stop, they stop. You would have to go through the process process again if your work situation changes.

What changes if you use a Ticket to Work

If you request a Ticket to Work and assign it to an approved Employment Network or Vocational Rehabilitation agency, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period. This period lasts 36 months (three years) from the month your trial work period ends.

During the Extended may be able to access Period, your benefits continue even if your earnings are above SGA, as long as you are working with your assigned provider and making progress toward work goals. You still report your earnings, but the payment does not stop automatically. This gives you time to build your work history and income without losing your safety net.

After the Extended may be able to access Period ends, there is one more phase called the Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) period, which can extend benefits further if you meet the rules for those programs. But the Ticket itself is what opens the door to Extended may be able to access.

When you can request a Ticket

You do not have to request a Ticket before you start working. You can ask for one at any point during your trial work period, or even after it ends—as long as you have not yet been denied for work activity. Social Security will mail you a Ticket if you request one and you meet the basic requirements (you must be receiving SSDI or SSI and be working or planning to work).

Once you have the Ticket in hand, you then choose an Employment Network or Vocational Rehabilitation agency to work with. That assignment is what actually starts the Extended may be able to access Period. You can take your time finding the right provider.

What happens if you do not use a Ticket and earnings are too high

If you work without a Ticket and your average monthly earnings go above SGA after the trial work period ends, Social Security will send you a notice that your benefits are stopping. The notice will tell you the month the stop takes effect, usually giving you a few weeks' warning.

Once benefits stop, you lose the monthly payment and usually Medicare or Medicaid coverage as well (though Medicaid rules vary by state). If your work situation changes—you lose the job, your hours are cut, or you become unable to work again—you would have to file a new process and go through the approval process from the beginning.

This is not necessarily a bad outcome if your work is stable and you earn enough to support yourself. But it means you have no transition period and no safety net if things change.

How to decide whether to use a Ticket

The choice depends on how confident you are about your work situation. If you believe your job is stable and your earnings will stay above SGA, a Ticket may not matter much to you—you will be supporting yourself through work either way. If you are uncertain, or if you want a longer runway to build your work history before benefits end, a Ticket gives you that time.

A Ticket also makes sense if you are working with a Vocational Rehabilitation agency or an Employment Network anyway. These providers often help people move toward higher earnings and more stable work, so you might as well have the extended period while you do that work together.

Talk to your work provider, if you have one, about whether a Ticket fits your situation. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask questions about how a Ticket would work for you specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a Ticket to Work if I am already working?

Yes. You can request a Ticket at any time during your trial work period or after, as long as you have not yet been denied for work activity. You do not have to wait until you are ready to start working.

What if I get a Ticket but then decide I do not want to use it?

You can decline to assign your Ticket to a provider, or you can ask to end your assignment with a provider you are already working with. If you do not use the Ticket, you are back to the standard rules—your benefits will stop if earnings stay above SGA after the trial work period ends.

Does using a Ticket cost me anything?

No. The Ticket itself is free. Employment Networks and Vocational Rehabilitation agencies are paid by Social Security only if you reach certain work milestones, not by you. There is no fee to request a Ticket or to work with a provider.

What if my trial work period is almost over and I have not decided yet?

You can request a Ticket right up until the end of your trial work period, or even after it ends. There is no important date to request one. However, the sooner you request it and assign it to a provider, the sooner the Extended may be able to access Period begins.

If I do not use a Ticket, can I reapply for benefits later if I stop working?

You can file a new process, but you will go through the full approval process again, which takes several months. You will not automatically get benefits back. Using a Ticket does not may provide your benefits will continue, but it does give you a longer period to work before they stop.