Yes, you can work while receiving SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and can reduce or stop your benefits

Social Security does not prohibit you from working. However, SSDI has specific rules about how much you can earn before your benefits are reduced or terminated. The key threshold is called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which is a dollar amount that changes each year. In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month for most people receiving disability benefits (higher for those who are blind). If your monthly earnings exceed this amount, Social Security will consider you capable of substantial work, and your benefits will stop.

The process is not automatic. Social Security does not monitor your paychecks in real time. You are responsible for reporting your work and earnings to Social Security. If you do not report work and your case is later reviewed, you may be asked to repay benefits you received while working above the SGA limit. This is called an overpayment, and Social Security can recover it from future benefits or through other collection methods.

Key Takeaways

  • You can earn up to $1,550 per month (in 2024) without losing SSDI benefits, but this threshold increases slightly each year.
  • Earnings above the SGA limit will cause your benefits to stop, though you can return to benefits if your earnings drop below the limit again.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security yourself — they do not automatically know you are working.
  • SSDI includes a nine-month trial work period during which you can test your ability to work without losing benefits, regardless of how much you earn.
  • After the trial work period ends, you enter the extended may be able to access period, where benefits stop only if you earn above SGA for nine months within a rolling 60-month window.

The Trial Work Period: Nine Months to Test Your Work Capacity

Social Security offers a trial work period (TWP) specifically designed to let you test whether you can work without losing your benefits. During the nine-month TWP, you can earn any amount — there is no earnings limit. Your benefits continue in full, even if you earn $5,000 per month. The only requirement is that you report your work to Social Security.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. A month counts toward your TWP only if you earn $240 or more (in 2024; this amount adjusts annually). So if you work part-time one month and earn $100, that month does not count. If you earn $240 or more the next month, that counts as month one of your nine-month period. You can spread nine may have access to months across several years if you need to.

Once you have used all nine months of your trial work period, you enter the extended may be able to access period. This is a 36-month window during which you can still receive benefits, but now the SGA limit applies. If you earn above SGA in any month during this period, that month does not count toward benefits, but you do not lose your entire case.

What Happens After Extended may be able to access Ends

After your 36-month extended may be able to access period closes, you move into what Social Security calls the expedited reinstatement period. This period lasts five years. If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, you can request that your benefits restart without going through a new medical review — Social Security will assume your condition has not improved.

If you return to work above SGA during the expedited reinstatement period and then stop working again, you can request benefits to restart within five years of the date your benefits originally ended. After five years, you would need to file a new claim and undergo a new medical review to determine if you still meet the disability criteria.

Types of Work That May Not Count Against You

Social Security recognizes certain types of work as impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) or plans to achieve self-support (PASS). These programs allow you to exclude certain earnings or expenses from the SGA calculation.

An IRWE is a cost you pay to work because of your disability — for example, a personal attendant, specialized transportation, or medical equipment needed to do your job. If you pay $300 per month for a personal assistant to help you work, that $300 can be subtracted from your gross earnings when Social Security calculates whether you have exceeded SGA. A PASS is a written plan you create with Social Security to reach a work goal, such as completing vocational training or starting a business. While you are following an approved PASS, certain income and resources are not counted toward your benefits.

Both IRWE and PASS require advance approval from Social Security. You cannot simply deduct expenses after the fact. Contact your local Social Security office or your work incentives planning and assistance (WIPA) project to discuss whether either option applies to your situation.

Self-Employment and Earnings Calculations

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit (revenue minus business expenses) as your earnings. You must report this income even if you have not yet filed taxes. Self-employment income is often harder to track than W-2 wages, so Social Security may ask for business records, tax returns, or profit-and-loss statements to verify your earnings.

If you own a business but do not actively work in it — for example, you own a rental property or a business run entirely by employees — Social Security generally does not count that income as your earnings for SGA purposes. However, if you perform any management duties or make significant decisions, Social Security may count some or all of the income. The rules depend on the specific facts of your situation, so document what work you actually do.

How to Report Your Work to Social Security

You can report work and earnings by contacting your local Social Security office, calling the main Social Security number (1-800-772-1213), or using your online Social Security account at ssa.gov. When you report, have the following information ready: your employer's name and address, the date you started work, your job title, how many hours per week you work, and your monthly gross earnings.

Social Security will ask you to report your earnings monthly or at the end of each month, depending on your local office's procedures. Some offices use an automated phone system; others require you to speak with a representative. If you miss a report or report late, Social Security may overpay you, and you will owe the money back. Set a calendar reminder on the first of each month to report, or ask your employer for a pay stub you can use to verify the amount.

What Happens If You Earn Too Much and Lose Benefits

If your earnings exceed SGA for a full month, your benefits for that month and all following months will stop. However, you do not lose your case permanently. If your earnings drop below SGA in a later month, you can contact Social Security and request that your benefits restart. There is no new medical review required during the extended may be able to access or expedited reinstatement periods — Social Security will restart your benefits based on the assumption that your condition has not improved.

If you are overpaid because you did not report work, Social Security will send you a notice explaining the overpayment amount. You can request a waiver of the overpayment if you can show that you were not at fault for the overpayment and that repaying it would cause you financial hardship. Waivers are not automatic, but Social Security does grant them in some cases. If your request is denied, you can appeal.

Work Incentives and Support Services

Social Security offers several programs to help people with disabilities return to work. The Ticket to Work program lets you use a ticket to work with an approved employment network or vocational rehabilitation agency. While using your ticket, you can continue receiving benefits and Medicare coverage even if your earnings exceed SGA, as long as you are working with the approved provider and making progress toward your work goal.

Your state's WIPA project offers free work incentives planning and assistance. A WIPA counselor can explain how your specific work situation will affect your benefits and help you understand trial work periods, extended may be able to access, and other programs. To find your state's WIPA project, visit choosework.ssa.gov or call 1-866-968-7842.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part-time and keep my full SSDI benefit?

Yes, during your nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount and keep your full benefit. After the trial work period ends, you can earn up to $1,550 per month (in 2024) without losing benefits. Part-time work that stays below this threshold will not reduce your benefit amount.

What if I earn $2,000 one month and $1,000 the next?

Each month is evaluated separately. The month you earn $2,000 exceeds SGA, so you receive no benefit that month. The month you earn $1,000 is below SGA, so you receive your full benefit. Once you are past your extended may be able to access period, you enter a rolling 60-month window where nine months above SGA will end your benefits.

Do I lose Medicare if my SSDI stops because of work?

No. If your benefits stop because of work, you can continue Medicare coverage for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after your benefits end, as long as you are working. This is called Medicare continuation. After 93 months, you may be able to purchase Medicare coverage. This protection is separate from your benefits, so losing benefits does not mean losing health insurance.

What counts as earnings — do bonuses, tips, or vacation pay count?

Yes. Social Security counts all income from work, including bonuses, tips, commissions, vacation pay, and sick pay. Report the gross amount you receive in each month. If you receive a large bonus in one month, that month's earnings may exceed SGA even if your regular monthly pay does not.

Can I use a Ticket to Work and still lose my benefits if I earn too much?

No. While you are using a Ticket to Work with an approved employment network or vocational rehabilitation agency, your benefits and Medicare continue even if you earn above SGA. This protection lasts as long as you are actively working with the provider and making progress toward your work goal. Once you stop using the ticket, the standard SGA rules apply again.