How to stop your SSDI Trial Work Period

You do not file a form to stop your Trial Work Period. Instead, you tell Social Security that you want to end it, and the agency stops counting your work months. The process is informal—a phone call or a visit to your local Social Security office is enough. Once you notify them, you keep your benefits through the end of the month in which you made the request, then your case moves into the Extended may be able to access Period or closes, depending on your earnings.

The reason to stop early is usually financial: if you are earning enough that you no longer need SSDI payments, or if you realize you will hit nine months of work before you expected, you may want to end the period on your own terms rather than let it run out. Stopping early does not affect your future right to request benefits again if your work ends.

Key Takeaways

  • Contact your local Social Security office by phone, in person, or through your online account to request that your Trial Work Period end.
  • You receive SSDI payments through the end of the month you request to stop, then the Trial Work Period ends.
  • Ending your Trial Work Period early does not prevent you from requesting benefits again later if you stop working or your earnings drop.
  • After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, during which you can test your work capacity without losing Medicare for 36 months.
  • Keep records of your earnings and work months during the Trial Work Period in case Social Security's count differs from yours.

What happens when you request to stop

When you tell Social Security you want to end your Trial Work Period, the agency records the date of your request. You continue to receive your regular SSDI payment for the month in which you made the request, even if you worked that month. Starting the following month, your benefits stop.

Social Security will send you a written notice confirming the end date of your Trial Work Period and explaining what happens next. Read this notice carefully, because it will tell you whether you are moving into the Extended may be able to access Period (which means you can still work and keep Medicare) or whether your case is closing entirely (which means your benefits end and you lose Medicare after a grace period).

The difference depends on your earnings. If you earned more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount during any month of your Trial Work Period, you enter Extended may be able to access. If you never exceeded SGA, your case straightforward closes.

How to notify Social Security

You have three ways to tell Social Security you want to stop your Trial Work Period: by phone, in person, or online through your my Social Security account.

By phone: Call the Social Security main line at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Tell the representative that you want to end your Trial Work Period. Have your Social Security number ready. The representative will record your request and tell you what to expect next.

In person: Visit your local Social Security office. You can find the address and hours on the Social Security website by entering your zip code. Bring your Social Security card or a document with your number on it. Tell the staff member you want to end your Trial Work Period. They will document your request on the spot.

Online: If you have a my Social Security account, you may be able to send a message to your local office through the find messaging feature. Log in, navigate to the messaging section, and explain that you want to end your Trial Work Period. Response times vary, but you should hear back within a few business days.

What to do before you request to stop

Before you contact Social Security, count how many work months you have already completed. A work month is any month in which you earned more than $940 (the 2024 threshold; this amount changes each year). If you have already used eight or nine months, stopping early may not change much—your Trial Work Period will end soon anyway.

If you have used only a few months and are stopping because you want to keep your benefits while you continue working at lower earnings, understand that stopping the Trial Work Period does not stop the SGA test. Once your Trial Work Period ends, you enter Extended may be able to access, and you can still work—but if you earn more than SGA in any month during Extended may be able to access, your benefits will stop for that month and you will begin the Expedited Reinstatement clock.

Write down the date you are making the request. Social Security will use this date to determine your final payment month. If you call on the 15th of March, for example, you will receive your March payment and then your benefits will stop in April.

What Extended may be able to access means after you stop

When your Trial Work Period ends, you move into the Extended may be able to access Period if you earned more than SGA in at least one month during the Trial Work Period. Extended may be able to access lasts 36 months and allows you to work without losing your Medicare coverage, even if your earnings are high.

During Extended may be able to access, you do not receive SSDI cash payments in months when you earn more than SGA. You do keep Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) for the full 36 months, regardless of your earnings. This is the main reason to use Extended may be able to access: it gives you time to test whether you can work full-time without losing health coverage.

If you never earned more than SGA during your Trial Work Period, you do not get Extended may be able to access. Your case closes, your benefits end, and your Medicare coverage ends after a grace period (usually the month you stop working plus two additional months).

If you change your mind after stopping

If you request to stop your Trial Work Period and then change your mind before the end of the month, contact Social Security when ready. Explain that you want to withdraw your request. Social Security may be able to cancel the stop if you reach them before the paperwork is final, though this depends on how far the process has advanced.

If your Trial Work Period has already ended and you want to request benefits again, you can do so. Social Security will treat this as a new claim. You will need to show that your medical condition still meets the disability standard and that you are no longer working or earning above SGA. The process takes the same amount of time as an initial claim—usually three to six months for a decision.

Keeping records of your work months

Social Security tracks your work months, but you should keep your own record as well. Write down the month and year of each month you earned more than the work month threshold. Keep pay stubs or other proof of earnings for each month you worked during the Trial Work Period.

If Social Security's count of your work months does not match yours, you can dispute it. Request a detailed statement of your work months from your local office and compare it to your records. If there is a discrepancy, bring your pay stubs or tax records to your office and ask them to correct the count. This matters because it affects when your Trial Work Period officially ends and when Extended may be able to access begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my benefits when ready after I request to stop?

No. You receive your SSDI payment for the month you make the request, even if you worked that month. Your benefits stop starting the following month. Social Security will send you a written notice with the exact end date.

Can I restart my Trial Work Period if I stop working?

No. The Trial Work Period is a one-time benefit. Once it ends, you cannot use it again. If you stop working and want benefits back, you can request them, but you will not get another nine-month trial period.

What happens to my Medicare if I end my Trial Work Period early?

If you earned more than SGA during your Trial Work Period, you keep Medicare for 36 months during Extended may be able to access, regardless of your earnings. If you never earned more than SGA, your Medicare ends after a grace period (usually two to three months after your benefits stop).

Can I request to stop my Trial Work Period online?

You can send a message through your my Social Security account asking to end your Trial Work Period. Response times vary. For faster confirmation, call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office in person.

What if Social Security says I have already used all nine months?

If Social Security tells you that your Trial Work Period has already ended, your request to stop is moot—the period is over. Ask them for the exact end date and whether you are in Extended may be able to access or whether your case has closed. Request a written statement of your work months to verify the count.