It may surprise you to know you can work while collecting disability benefits. The Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income programs allow beneficiaries to earn extra money each month or test their ability to work again.
Working and earning an income while collecting SSDI or SSI is possible provided that you comply with disability benefit income rules. If you don’t know the rules, Sackett and Associates provides this article explaining SSI and SSDI income limits and work rules to reduce your chance of losing benefits.
SSDI And Disability Rules
Maintaining the right to continue receiving monthly SSDI benefit payments depends on being disabled as defined by the Social Security Administration. According to that definition, a person is disabled if they are unable to do substantial gainful activity (SGA) due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment. The impairment or impairments must have lasted or be expected to last for at least 12 months or be expected to result in death.
Social Security uses monthly earnings from working to determine whether you can do SGA. The dollar amount changes each year, but the SGA amount for 2025 is $1,620 and $2,700 for someone who is disabled because they are blind.
If your monthly earnings exceed $1,620 or $2,700, depending on the nature of your disability, you are capable of doing SGA. However, you may be able to earn more than the SGA maximum, continue receiving monthly SSDI benefits, and retain what you make from work with SSDI work rules.
SSDI Work Rules – A Trial Work Period
A trial work period is nine months that must be used within a 60-month period. A month counts as part of the trial work period only when you earn in excess of a specified amount, which changes annually. The total monthly earnings for a trial work month in 2025 are $1,160.
Once you notify the Social Security Administration that you want to participate in the trial work period program, you get to retain the money you receive in wages and your SSDI benefits even if you earn more than the SGA amount. All you have to do is report the job, the hours worked, and your earnings to Social Security.
The trial work period offers the perfect opportunity to earn extra money while testing your ability to do work activities. If you’re wondering about what happens at the end of the trial work period and asking yourself, “How much can I earn SSDI,” the answer comes in the form of an extended period of eligibility.
SSDI Extended Period Of Eligibility
When a trial work period ends, an extended period of eligibility begins. During the next 36 months, you can work without it affecting your monthly SSDI benefits. However, your total earnings for a month may not exceed the SGA amount. If they do, you will not receive SSDI benefits for that month.
Benefits resume when your earnings drop to the SSDI income limits for SGA. The resumption of benefits does not require that you reapply or await a decision whether you are disabled.
If you continue earning in excess of the SGA amount, you have five years to request reinstatement of benefits during the extended period of eligibility. The fact that monthly SSDI benefits stop does not affect your coverage through Medicare.
Medicare Part A coverage continues for 93 months after the end of your trial work period even if you earn SGA. After the 93 months, you have the option to purchase coverage by paying the monthly premiums.
SSI Work Rules
SSI does not have the same work rules as apply to the SSDI program. That does not prevent you from getting a part-time job, provided you understand the Social Security disability earnings limits that apply to SSI beneficiaries.
Money received from working reduces your monthly SSI benefits. However, you may exclude the first $65 of earned income and one-half of the remaining earnings. The balance of the money you received from working reduces how much you receive that month from SSI.
Students meeting the following requirements receive a limited exemption from SSI work limits and earnings:
- Students must be younger than 22 years of age.
- They must regularly attend school.
- School includes grades seven through 12, university, college, vocational school, or job training programs.
Students meeting the requirements may work and exclude up to $2,350 from their earnings each month to prevent it from affecting their SSI benefits. The student exclusion has an annual maximum of $9,460. The monthly and annual amounts are for 2025.
Learn More By Speaking With A Disability Attorney
Working to earn extra money or test your ability to work while receiving SSDI or SSI requires that you comply with disability benefit income rules. The disability professionals at Sackett and Associates have been providing advice and representation nationwide for 45 years to people seeking disability benefits. Contact Sackett Law today for a free consultation.
Source:
Leave A Comment