The Trial Work Period Is 9 Months Long

The Trial Work Period (TWP) for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) lasts exactly 9 months. During these 9 months, you can work and earn any amount of money without losing your SSDI cash benefit or your Medicare coverage. The Social Security Administration does not count your earnings against you during this time, and you do not have to report how much you earn each month.

The 9 months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only the months in which you earn $940 or more (the amount changes yearly, but this is the 2024 figure). If you work part-time one month and earn less than that threshold, that month does not count toward your 9. You can spread the 9 may have access to months across several years if you choose to work inconsistently.

Once you use all 9 months, the Extended may be able to access Period begins automatically. This is a separate phase with different rules about how much you can earn before your benefit stops.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Trial Work Period is 9 calendar months total, but only months in which you earn $940 or more count toward that total.
  • You keep your full SSDI cash benefit and Medicare coverage throughout all 9 months, no matter how much you earn.
  • The 9 months do not have to happen in a row; you can use them over several years by working part-time or taking breaks.
  • After your 9 months end, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, where earning limits return and different rules explore.
  • Social Security tracks your Trial Work Period automatically, but you should confirm the months they have counted to catch errors early.

How Social Security Counts the 9 Months

Social Security counts a month toward your 9-month Trial Work Period only if you earn $940 or more in that calendar month (January through December). The earnings threshold is set by federal law and increases each year. If you earn $939 in a month, that month does not count. If you earn $940 or more, the entire month counts, regardless of whether you earned $940 or $9,400.

The key point is that Social Security looks at your gross earnings — the money you make before taxes are taken out. If you are self-employed, they count your net profit (income minus business expenses). Unearned income like interest, rental payments, or gifts does not count toward the threshold and does not affect your Trial Work Period.

You do not have to report your earnings to Social Security during the Trial Work Period. However, Social Security receives wage reports from your employer through the Social Security Administration's own records, and they track your self-employment income through your tax returns. It is your responsibility to tell Social Security if your work status changes — for example, if you stop working or change jobs — because that affects when your Trial Work Period ends and when the Extended may be able to access Period begins.

What Happens to Your Benefits During the 9 Months

During your Trial Work Period, your SSDI cash benefit does not change, no matter how much you earn. If you receive $1,200 per month, you receive $1,200 every month for all 9 months, even if you earn $5,000 in one of those months. Social Security does not reduce your benefit based on work earnings during the TWP.

Your Medicare coverage also continues without interruption. You keep Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) for the entire 9 months and for 8 additional months after your Trial Work Period ends, even if your SSDI benefit stops. This is one of the most valuable parts of the Trial Work Period — you can test your ability to work without losing health insurance.

If you have a work incentive plan or are receiving benefits under a state vocational rehabilitation program, those services and support continue during your Trial Work Period. Social Security does not automatically close your case or stop services when you start working.

When Your Trial Work Period Ends and What Comes Next

Your Trial Work Period ends the month after you complete your 9th may have access to month of work. For example, if your 9th month in which you earned $940 or more was June, your Trial Work Period ends in July. Starting in July, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts 36 months (3 years).

During the Extended may be able to access Period, your SSDI benefit will stop in any month you earn $1,550 or more (the 2024 Substantial Gainful Activity limit, which also increases yearly). Unlike the Trial Work Period, your earnings now matter. If you earn less than $1,550 in a month, you receive your full benefit. If you earn $1,550 or more, your benefit stops for that month only — it does not end permanently, and you can receive it again in months when you earn below the limit.

Your Medicare coverage continues for 8 months after your Trial Work Period ends, even if your benefit stops. After those 8 months, you can purchase Medicare coverage if you are still working and earning above the Substantial Gainful Activity limit. If your earnings drop below that limit and your SSDI benefit restarts, your Medicare coverage restarts automatically.

How to Track Your Trial Work Period Months

Social Security maintains a record of your Trial Work Period months in your case file. You can view this record by logging into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov, calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or visiting your local Social Security office in person. Ask specifically to see your Trial Work Period tracking record and confirm which months Social Security has counted.

Errors happen. Social Security may miss a month you worked, count a month you did not work, or misrecord your earnings. If you find a mistake, ask Social Security to correct it in writing and keep a copy for your records. The time to catch and fix errors is during your Trial Work Period, not after it ends and your benefit stops unexpectedly.

If you are self-employed or have irregular income, keep your own written log of the months you earned $940 or more. Write down the month, your gross income for that month, and the source (your business, a job, contract work, etc.). This record protects you if Social Security's records are incomplete or if you need to prove which months counted toward your 9.

What Happens If You Stop Working Before 9 Months

If you stop working before you complete all 9 months, your Trial Work Period does not end. It remains open and available to you. You can return to work months or years later, and the months you worked before will still count. For example, if you worked and earned $940 or more in 5 months, then stopped working for a year, you can return to work and the remaining 4 months of your Trial Work Period will still be waiting for you.

Your SSDI benefit continues while you are not working, just as it did before you started your Trial Work Period. There is no penalty for taking a break from work or for not using all 9 months quickly. The Trial Work Period is designed to let you test your ability to work at your own pace.

However, if you stop working and your condition improves enough that Social Security believes you are no longer disabled, they can end your SSDI case through a medical review. This is separate from the Trial Work Period. Work history alone does not trigger a medical review, but if Social Security contacts you for a continuing disability review, tell them about your work attempts and any limitations that prevent you from working full-time or consistently.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

You can use them however works for your situation. You could work 9 months in a row and complete your Trial Work Period in 9 months, or you could work 2 months, take a break, work 3 months, take another break, and use the remaining 4 months later. Only months in which you earn $940 or more count, so part-time work or months with lower earnings do not use up your months.

Does my Trial Work Period start the month I get approved for SSDI or the month I first go back to work?

Your Trial Work Period starts the first month you earn $940 or more after you are approved for SSDI. If you are approved in March but do not work until June, your Trial Work Period begins in June, not March. The clock does not start until you actually work and earn at or above the threshold.

What if I earn exactly $940 in a month — does that count?

Yes. The threshold is $940 or more, so earning exactly $940 counts as a may have access to month. Any amount at or above $940 counts; you do not need to earn more than $940 to have the month count.

If I go back to work after my Trial Work Period ends, do I get another Trial Work Period?

No. You get one Trial Work Period per SSDI award. Once your 9 months are used, they are gone. After your Extended may be able to access Period ends (36 months after your Trial Work Period), the rules change again, and you would be subject to the regular Substantial Gainful Activity earnings limit without the cushion of the Extended may be able to access Period.

Do I have to tell Social Security every month how much I earned during my Trial Work Period?

No. Social Security receives your wage information automatically from your employer and from your tax returns if you are self-employed. You do not have to file monthly earnings reports during the Trial Work Period. However, you should tell Social Security if your employment status changes — for example, if you leave a job or start a new one — so they can keep your records accurate.