Your trial work period begins the first month you return to work after your SSDI claim is approved

The trial work period starts the month you go back to work, not the month you explore for SSDI or the month your benefits begin. Social Security counts that first working month as month one, regardless of how much you earn or how many hours you work. The key is that you report the work to Social Security — they do not find out on their own.

You do not have to wait for permission or file paperwork before you start working. The trial work period is automatic once you are receiving SSDI benefits and you begin working. However, you must tell Social Security about the work within the same month it happens, or as soon as you can after that. If you do not report it, Social Security may not count it toward your nine-month trial work period.

Key Takeaways

  • Your trial work period starts the first month you work after SSDI approval, and you must report that work to Social Security in the same month or shortly after.
  • The nine months do not have to be consecutive — you can work three months, stop, work again later, and those months still count toward your total.
  • You keep receiving your full SSDI payment each month during the trial work period, no matter how much you earn.
  • After the nine-month trial work period ends, Social Security uses a different rule (the substantial gainful activity test) to decide whether you can continue receiving benefits.

How to report your work to Social Security

Contact your local Social Security office by phone, in person, or through your online my Social Security account. You can call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to report work. Have ready the name of your employer, the date you started, and how much you expect to earn per month.

Social Security will ask you to complete a form called the Work Activity Report (Form SSA-8), which you can fill out online, by mail, or in person. This form asks basic questions: when you started working, what you do, how many hours per week, and your monthly earnings. You do not need to send pay stubs or tax documents at this stage — just report the information honestly.

Report your work as soon as you can in the month you start. If you miss that month, report it the next month. The sooner you report, the sooner Social Security can begin tracking your trial work period accurately.

What counts as a work month during the trial period

A work month is any month in which you earn $940 or more (this amount changes each year, so check with Social Security for the current figure). The amount does not matter beyond that threshold — whether you earn $940 or $5,000, it counts as one work month. Months in which you earn less than that amount do not count toward your nine months, even if you worked.

The nine months do not need to happen in a row. You might work for three months, take a break, work again for six months later, and all nine months count. Social Security tracks each month you cross the earnings threshold, and once you reach nine of them, your trial work period ends.

Self-employment counts the same way. If you are self-employed and earn $940 or more in a month, that month counts. Social Security will ask about your net self-employment income (earnings after business expenses).

When your trial work period ends

Your trial work period ends the month after you complete your ninth work month. For example, if your ninth may have access to work month is June, your trial work period ends in July. After that month, Social Security stops using the trial work period rules and switches to the substantial gainful activity (SGA) test to decide if you can keep your benefits.

The SGA test is stricter. In 2024, SGA means earning $1,550 or more per month (the amount changes yearly). If you earn that much or more after your trial work period ends, Social Security will consider you no longer disabled and will stop your benefits. During the trial work period, you could earn far more and keep your full payment — after it ends, that changes.

You will receive a notice from Social Security explaining when your trial work period ends and what happens next. Read it carefully, because it will tell you the new earnings limit that applies to you.

What happens to your benefits during the trial work period

You receive your full SSDI payment every month during the trial work period, no matter how much you earn. This is the main advantage of the trial work period — it lets you test your ability to work without losing income while you do it. You could earn $10,000 in a month and still get your full SSDI check.

Your benefits do not reduce, pause, or change based on your earnings during these nine months. The only thing that matters is whether you report your work to Social Security. If you do not report it, Social Security may not count those months toward your trial work period, which means you will not move closer to the end of it.

If you stop working before nine months are up

If you stop working before you reach nine work months, your trial work period does not end — it pauses. The months you already completed still count. If you go back to work later, you pick up where you left off. For example, if you worked for four months, stopped for six months, and then worked again, those four months still count. You would need five more work months to complete your trial work period.

There is no time limit on how long the trial work period can stretch. You could work for two months in 2024, work for three months in 2025, and work for four months in 2026, and all nine months would count. Social Security will keep tracking until you reach nine.

Common reasons people miss reporting their work

Many people do not realize they have to report work at all, or they think Social Security will find out through taxes or their employer. Social Security does not automatically know you are working — you have to tell them. If you do not report, those months may not count toward your trial work period, which delays when the period ends and when the stricter SGA rules kick in.

Others report late, thinking it does not matter. It is better to report in the month you start working, but if you are late, report as soon as you remember. Social Security can usually count the month even if you report it a few months later, as long as you provide the correct information about when you started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I choose when my trial work period starts?

No. It starts automatically the first month you work after your SSDI benefits begin. You cannot delay it or start it later. However, you can choose whether to work at all — if you do not work, the trial work period does not begin.

What if I was working before I got SSDI?

Work you did before your SSDI benefits started does not count. The trial work period begins with the first month you work after your claim is approved and benefits begin. Any work history before that is separate.

Do I have to work every month to use my trial work period?

No. You only need to earn $940 or more in nine different months — they do not have to be consecutive. You can work one month, skip several months, and work again. All nine months still count toward your trial work period.

What happens if I earn less than $940 in a month?

That month does not count as a work month, even if you worked. You still receive your full SSDI payment. You would need to earn $940 or more in a different month for it to count toward your nine-month trial work period.

Can I extend my trial work period past nine months?

No. Once you complete nine work months, your trial work period ends and the substantial gainful activity rules take over. You cannot extend it or pause it indefinitely. However, you can space out your nine months over several years if you work part-time or take breaks.