Disability-Related Expenses Reduce Your Countable Earnings During Trial Work Period
During your Trial Work Period, SSDI counts your gross earnings to decide whether you have performed substantial gainful activity. But you can subtract disability-related work expenses (DRWE) from those earnings before Social Security does the math. This means you keep more of your paycheck without it affecting your benefits, and you may stay under the earnings threshold longer.
A disability-related work expense is something you pay for because of your disability, and you would not need to pay for it if you were not disabled and working. The expense must be directly tied to your ability to work — not a general cost of living that anyone would have.
Social Security does not automatically know what you spent. You have to report these expenses to your local Social Security office and provide receipts or invoices. The office then subtracts the total from your monthly earnings before checking whether you crossed the substantial gainful activity threshold.
Key Takeaways
- Disability-related work expenses are costs you pay because of your disability that let you work, and you subtract them from your gross earnings during Trial Work Period.
- Common examples include prescription medications, mobility aids, personal attendant services, transportation modifications, and specialized work equipment or software.
- You must report expenses to Social Security with receipts and explain how each one relates to your disability and your ability to work.
- Expenses that would exist whether or not you worked — such as rent, food, or general medical care — do not count as disability-related work expenses.
- Keeping records and receipts from the start of your Trial Work Period makes reporting faster and reduces the chance Social Security will deny your claim.
What Counts as a Disability-Related Work Expense
The expense must meet two tests: it must be caused by your disability, and it must be necessary for you to work. If you would pay for it anyway — even if you were not working — it does not count.
Common expenses that Social Security recognizes include prescription medications you take to manage your condition, mobility aids such as canes, walkers, or wheelchairs, prosthetic devices, and orthotic braces. Personal attendant services — paying someone to help you get ready for work, information you during the workday, or help you travel to and from your job — also count. Transportation costs directly related to your disability, such as a modified vehicle or specialized transportation service, are deductible. Specialized work equipment or software that your disability requires — such as speech-to-text software for someone with a mobility impairment, or a screen reader for someone who is blind — counts as well.
Mental health treatment related to your disability, such as therapy or counseling sessions you attend to manage a psychiatric condition that affects your work, can be deductible. Some readers also deduct the cost of a service animal, though Social Security evaluates these on a case-by-case basis and requires documentation that the animal is trained for a specific disability-related task.
What Does Not Count as a Disability-Related Work Expense
General living expenses do not count, even if your disability makes them harder to manage. Rent, utilities, food, and household supplies are costs anyone has, regardless of whether they work or have a disability. Social Security will not deduct these.
Medical expenses that are not directly tied to your ability to work also do not count. A routine doctor visit, general dental care, or eyeglasses are necessary for health but not specifically for working. However, if you see a specialist because your disability affects your work performance — for example, a physical therapist who helps you maintain the strength to sit at a desk — that cost may count.
Expenses for education or training, such as tuition or textbooks, are not deductible as disability-related work expenses, even if the training is disability-related. Childcare, even if you need it to work, does not count. Taxes, insurance premiums, and loan payments are not deductible. Neither are cosmetic procedures or elective treatments.
How to Report Disability-Related Work Expenses to Social Security
Start keeping receipts and records from the first month of your Trial Work Period. Write down the date, the amount, what you bought, and how it relates to your disability and your work. A straightforward spreadsheet or notebook works fine.
Contact your local Social Security office or your work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project — a free service that helps beneficiaries understand how work affects their benefits. Tell them you want to report disability-related work expenses. Social Security will ask you to complete a form listing each expense, the amount, the date, and an explanation of why it is necessary for your work.
Bring or mail receipts, invoices, or other proof of payment. If you paid cash and do not have a receipt, a bank statement or credit card statement showing the charge can work. Social Security may ask follow-up questions about specific expenses, especially if the connection to your disability or work is not obvious.
Report expenses each month during your Trial Work Period, or gather them and report them all at the end of the period. Either way, do it before Social Security makes its final information about whether you performed substantial gainful activity. Once you report, Social Security subtracts the total from your gross earnings and recalculates whether you crossed the threshold.
Examples of Disability-Related Work Expenses in Practice
A person with severe arthritis who works part-time at a retail store might deduct the cost of prescription anti-inflammatory medication, a wrist brace, and weekly physical therapy sessions. These are all necessary because of the arthritis and directly enable the person to perform the job.
Someone who is deaf and works as an office administrator might deduct the cost of a video relay service subscription, hearing aid batteries, and a captioning service for meetings. Each expense exists because of the disability and makes work possible.
A person with a spinal cord injury who works from home might deduct the cost of specialized ergonomic equipment, a personal attendant who helps with morning care before work, and a modified vehicle for transportation to occasional in-person meetings. The attendant cost is deductible because the person would not need that help if not working; general home care would not count.
Someone with bipolar disorder who works full-time might deduct psychiatric medications and weekly therapy sessions. The medications and therapy are necessary to manage the condition and maintain the stability required to work consistently.
When Disability-Related Work Expenses Affect Your Benefits
During your Trial Work Period, these expenses reduce your countable earnings but do not directly reduce your benefit payment. Your SSDI check stays the same. The expenses matter only for the calculation of whether you performed substantial gainful activity.
After your Trial Work Period ends, if you continue working and your earnings are high enough, your benefits may be reduced or stopped under the regular earnings rules. Disability-related work expenses do not reduce your earnings for that calculation — only for the Trial Work Period substantial gainful activity test.
If you move into an Extended may be able to access Period or Expedited Reinstatement later, disability-related work expenses may again reduce your countable earnings. Keep your records and receipts for as long as you are receiving SSDI and working, because you may need them again.
Common Mistakes When Reporting Disability-Related Work Expenses
The most common mistake is reporting expenses that are not directly tied to work. A person might deduct all medical expenses, forgetting that only work-related treatment counts. Another person might deduct transportation costs for all trips, not just trips to and from work or work-related appointments.
Some people do not report expenses at all because they assume Social Security already knows about them or because they think the amounts are too small to matter. Social Security does not automatically know. Even small monthly expenses add up over a year and can make the difference between crossing the substantial gainful activity threshold and staying under it.
Losing receipts is another common problem. Without proof of payment, Social Security may deny the expense. If you paid cash and have no receipt, ask the provider for a duplicate invoice or a letter confirming the dates and amounts you paid.
Finally, some people wait until the end of their Trial Work Period to report expenses. By then, they may have forgotten details or lost receipts. Report expenses monthly or at least quarterly so the information is fresh and you have time to find missing documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I deduct the cost of my disability medication if I would take it whether or not I worked?
No. Social Security looks at whether the expense is necessary for you to work, not just whether it treats your disability. If you would take the medication anyway, it does not count as a work expense. However, if you increased the dose or frequency because of work-related stress, or if you take it specifically to have the energy or focus to work, you may be able to deduct it with an explanation from your doctor.
Does my personal attendant's full salary count as a disability-related work expense?
Only the portion of the attendant's time spent helping you work counts. If your attendant works four hours helping you get ready in the morning and eight hours assisting you at your job, only the eight hours are deductible. You must track the time carefully and be able to explain to Social Security how much time is spent on work-related tasks.
Can I deduct the cost of a service animal?
Social Security evaluates service animals on a case-by-case basis. The animal must be trained to perform a specific task related to your disability that enables you to work. The cost of food and routine veterinary care is not deductible, but the cost of specialized training or medical care directly related to the animal's work function may be. Contact your local Social Security office with documentation from the trainer or organization that provided the animal.
What if I do not have a receipt for an expense I paid in cash?
Ask the provider for a duplicate invoice or a letter on their letterhead confirming the date, amount, and service provided. A bank or credit card statement showing the charge can also serve as proof. If you have neither, Social Security may deny the expense, so keep records from the start of your Trial Work Period.
Do disability-related work expenses reduce my SSDI payment amount?
No. Your monthly benefit payment stays the same. Disability-related work expenses reduce only your countable earnings for the purpose of determining whether you performed substantial gainful activity during your Trial Work Period. After the Trial Work Period, these expenses do not affect the regular earnings test that may reduce or stop your benefits.