Yes, you can work on SSDI, but your earnings are tracked and there are thresholds that affect your benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not automatically stop if you work. The program has built-in work incentives that let you test your ability to work without losing benefits immediately. However, if your earnings cross certain monthly thresholds, your benefits will reduce or pause. The key is understanding which thresholds apply to you and planning ahead with Social Security.

The most important threshold is called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 for blind beneficiaries. If you earn more than these amounts in a month, Social Security counts that month as a month of work. Once you have nine months of SGA earnings in a rolling 60-month period, your benefits stop. This is not permanent — you can return to benefits if your earnings drop below SGA again.

Before you reach SGA, there is a lower threshold called the Trial Work Period (TWP). During a nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI check. The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Once you use your nine trial work months, you enter a 36-month period called the Extended may be able to access Period, during which benefits reduce by $1 for every $2 you earn above SGA.

Key Takeaways

  • You can work and receive SSDI simultaneously, but earnings above $1,550 per month (for non-blind beneficiaries in 2024) count toward losing benefits.
  • Your first nine months of work do not reduce benefits, no matter how much you earn — this is your Trial Work Period.
  • After your Trial Work Period ends, you have 36 months where benefits reduce by $1 for every $2 you earn above the SGA threshold.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security within 30 days of starting a job or changing your income.
  • If you stop working and your earnings fall below SGA, your benefits restart without a new application.

How the Trial Work Period protects your first nine months of work

The Trial Work Period is designed to let you test whether you can work without financial risk. During these nine months, Social Security pays your full SSDI benefit regardless of how much you earn. A month counts as a trial work month only if you earn $240 or more (in 2024) — so small paychecks do not use up your trial months.

The nine months do not need to be consecutive. You can use one month, stop working for six months, then use another month later. Social Security tracks your trial work months across your entire benefit history. Once you have used all nine, you move into the Extended may be able to access Period. You can check how many trial work months you have left by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or logging into your my Social Security account online.

What happens after your Trial Work Period ends

Once you have completed nine trial work months, you enter a 36-month Extended may be able to access Period. During these 36 months, your SSDI benefit reduces by $1 for every $2 you earn above the SGA threshold. For example, if SGA is $1,550 and you earn $2,000 in a month, you are $450 over the threshold. Your benefit reduces by $225 that month.

The Extended may be able to access Period gives you time to see whether work is sustainable. If you stop working during this period and your earnings fall below SGA, your benefits restart automatically without a new application. This restart can happen within the same month if your earnings drop below SGA before the month ends. After the 36-month Extended may be able to access Period ends, if you are still working above SGA, your benefits stop entirely.

Reporting your work and earnings to Social Security

You must report all work to Social Security within 30 days of starting a job. This includes self-employment, part-time work, and any job that pays you a wage. You also need to report changes in your hours, pay rate, or job status. Failing to report work can result in overpayments that Social Security will ask you to repay, even if the overpayment was not your fault.

You can report work by calling Social Security, visiting your local office, or using your my Social Security account online. When you report, have ready: your job title, employer name and phone number, start date, hours per week, and hourly wage or monthly salary. Social Security will use this information to calculate whether your earnings cross the SGA threshold and how your benefits should adjust.

Social Security also receives wage reports from your employer through the Social Security Administration's wage records system. This means Social Security will eventually know about your earnings even if you do not report them. However, reporting first prevents delays and overpayments.

Work incentives beyond the Trial Work Period

If you want to continue working after your Extended may be able to access Period ends, Social Security offers additional work incentives. The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets you set aside income and resources for a work goal without affecting your benefits. For example, you could use PASS to save money for education or equipment while continuing to work and receive SSDI.

Another option is Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which deducts the cost of items or services you need because of your disability to work. If you need a personal assistant, medication, medical equipment, or transportation related to your disability, these costs can reduce your countable earnings. You must document these expenses and show they are directly related to your ability to work.

A third incentive is the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE), which applies only if you are under age 22 and a full-time student. SEIE excludes up to $2,170 per month (in 2024) of your work earnings from the SGA calculation, up to a yearly maximum of $8,680.

Self-employment and SSDI

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit (income minus business expenses) as your earnings. You report self-employment income on your tax return, and Social Security uses that to determine whether you have crossed the SGA threshold. Self-employment is treated the same way as wage work — your nine trial work months still apply, and the same SGA thresholds determine when benefits reduce or stop.

Self-employment can be complicated because Social Security needs to know your expected monthly income, not just your annual profit. If your income varies month to month, you may cross SGA in some months and not others. Report your expected income when you start self-employment, and update Social Security if your income changes significantly.

What to do before you start working

Before you take a job, contact Social Security and ask about your trial work months and current earnings record. You can do this by calling 1-800-772-1213, visiting your local Social Security office, or using your my Social Security account. Ask Social Security to explain how your specific job and income will affect your benefits under your current situation.

Social Security also has a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) project in every state. WIPA counselors are free and can help you understand how work will affect your benefits, plan your work strategy, and report your earnings correctly. You can find your state's WIPA project at the Ticket to Work website (choosework.ssa.gov) or by calling 1-866-968-7842.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I earn over SGA for one month but then my income drops?

One month of SGA earnings counts as one month of work toward your nine-month limit. If you then earn below SGA the next month, that month does not count. You only lose benefits when you have accumulated nine months of SGA earnings across your rolling 60-month period. If you are in your Extended may be able to access Period, your benefits adjust based on that month's earnings alone.

Can I work part-time and still get SSDI?

Yes. Part-time work is treated the same as full-time work — what matters is your monthly earnings, not your hours. If you earn $800 per month part-time, you are below SGA and your benefits do not reduce. If you earn $2,000 per month part-time, you are above SGA and your benefits are affected the same way they would be for full-time work.

Do I lose my Medicare if I go back to work?

No. Medicare coverage continues for at least 93 months after your trial work period ends, even if your SSDI benefits stop because of work. After 93 months, you can continue Medicare by paying a monthly premium. This is separate from your SSDI benefits and gives you time to find employer health insurance or another coverage option.

What if I made a mistake reporting my earnings?

Contact Social Security immediately and correct the error. If Social Security overpaid you because of a reporting mistake, you will owe the money back. However, if the mistake was Social Security's error, not yours, you may not have to repay it. Report errors as soon as you discover them to minimize the overpayment amount.

Can I use my trial work months all at once or do they have to be spread out?

You can use them however you want. You could work nine consecutive months and use all nine trial months, or you could work one month, take a break, and use the remaining eight months later. The only requirement is that each month you earn at least $240 to count as a trial work month. Social Security tracks them across your entire benefit history.