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. However, Social Security monitors your monthly earnings, and if you earn above certain amounts, your benefits reduce or pause. The key is understanding the specific thresholds and reporting requirements — because failing to report work can result in overpayments you will have to repay later.

The rules exist because SSDI is designed for people unable to work at a substantial level. Social Security defines "substantial" using a dollar figure that changes each year. In 2024, that figure is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 for blind beneficiaries. If you earn more than that in a month, Social Security may determine you are no longer disabled and your benefits stop.

But there are also trial work periods and other provisions that let you test your ability to work without immediately losing benefits. These exist specifically so you can try employment without financial catastrophe if it does not work out.

Key Takeaways

  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security within 30 days, even if you think your income is below the threshold.
  • The Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit for 2024 is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries; earning above this can end your benefits.
  • A nine-month Trial Work Period lets you earn any amount without losing benefits, but you must use it within a rolling 60-month window.
  • After the Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended Period of may be able to access, during which benefits pause only in months you earn above SGA.
  • Work incentives like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) can reduce your countable earnings.

The Trial Work Period: Nine months to test employment

When you first return to work on SSDI, you enter a Trial Work Period (TWP). During these nine months, you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI benefit. Social Security does not count earnings during the TWP toward the SGA limit. The only requirement is that you report your work and earnings each month.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts any month in which you earn $1,050 or more (in 2024) as a trial work month. If you work part-time one month and not at all the next, only the working month counts. You can spread nine trial months across multiple years if you need to.

You have a rolling 60-month window to use your nine trial months. If you do not use all nine within five years of when your trial period began, the unused months expire. Once you have used all nine, the trial period ends and you move into the Extended Period of may be able to access.

Extended Period of may be able to access: What happens after the trial work period

After your nine trial work months end, you enter the Extended Period of may be able to access (EPE), which lasts 36 months. During this time, your benefits pause only in months when you earn above the SGA limit ($1,550 in 2024 for non-blind beneficiaries). Months when you earn below SGA, your full benefit continues.

This is different from the trial period. During the EPE, if you have a high-earning month, you lose that month's benefit but keep benefits in lower-earning months. This structure lets you work inconsistently — perhaps full-time some months and part-time others — without losing all your income support.

The EPE gives you a total of 60 months (trial period plus extended period) to test whether you can sustain work. If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA before the 60 months end, you can restart your benefits without reapplying for SSDI.

Reporting your work and earnings to Social Security

You must report work to Social Security within 30 days of starting a job. You can report by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. Failing to report is one of the most common reasons beneficiaries end up owing overpayments.

Each month, you report your gross earnings (before taxes) for that month. Social Security uses this figure to determine whether you crossed the SGA threshold. If you are self-employed, you report your net profit (income minus business expenses). If your income varies, report what you actually earned that month, not an average.

Keep records of your pay stubs, invoices, or business records. If Social Security questions your earnings later, you will need documentation to back up what you reported. Overpayments can take years to resolve, so accuracy matters.

Work incentives that reduce your countable earnings

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay specifically because of your disability to enable you to work. Examples include specialized transportation, medical equipment, attendant care, or medications needed only for work. If you claim IRWE, Social Security subtracts these costs from your gross earnings before checking against the SGA limit.

A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) is a written plan you submit to Social Security that sets aside income and resources toward a work goal — such as training, education, or starting a business. Money set aside under an approved PASS does not count toward your earnings limit. PASS plans require Social Security approval and ongoing reporting, but they can significantly extend how much you can earn while keeping benefits.

Both IRWE and PASS require documentation and advance approval or reporting. Contact your local Social Security office or a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) project — a free counseling service — to learn whether either applies to your situation.

What happens if you earn above SGA and lose benefits

If you earn above the SGA limit ($1,550 in 2024) in a month outside your trial work period, Social Security stops your benefit for that month. You do not lose SSDI permanently — your benefits resume the following month if your earnings drop back below SGA. However, you must continue reporting earnings each month.

If you work consistently above SGA for nine months in a row (outside the trial work period), Social Security will conduct a medical review to determine whether you remain disabled. If the review concludes you can work at a substantial level, your SSDI ends. You can appeal this decision, and you have the right to request a new medical evaluation.

If your SSDI ends because of work, you may be able to restart it without a new application if you stop working within five years. This is called expedited reinstatement. You have 60 months from the month your benefits ended to request reinstatement.

Medicare and Medicaid while you work

Your health insurance does not automatically end when you work. If you receive SSDI, you are may have access to to Medicare after 24 months of receiving benefits, regardless of whether you work. Medicare continues even if your SSDI benefits pause due to earnings.

Medicaid rules vary by state. In most states, if your SSDI ends due to work, your Medicaid ends too — but you may have a grace period (usually one month) to find other coverage. Some states have work incentive programs that let you keep Medicaid even after SSDI ends. Contact your state Medicaid office to understand your specific situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose all my benefits if I work one month above the SGA limit?

No. If you are in your trial work period, you keep your full benefit regardless of earnings. If you are in the extended period of may be able to access, you lose only that one month's benefit. Benefits resume the next month if your earnings drop below SGA. You only risk losing SSDI permanently if you earn above SGA for nine consecutive months outside the trial period.

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

You can use them however you need to. The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Any month in which you earn $1,050 or more counts as one trial month. You could work full-time for three months, take a break, then work part-time for six more months — and that would use all nine months across different periods.

What if I am self-employed — how do I report earnings?

Report your net profit (revenue minus business expenses) each month. Keep records of income and expenses. If your business is new, Social Security may ask for tax returns or business records to verify your earnings. Self-employment income is treated the same as wages for the SGA limit.

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

Yes, if you are in your extended period of may be able to access and earn below the SGA limit ($1,550 in 2024). You keep your full benefit in any month you earn below that threshold. Many beneficiaries work part-time specifically to stay under the limit while keeping some income support.

What is a WIPA and how do I find one?

A Work Incentives Planning and Assistance project is a free counseling service that helps SSDI beneficiaries understand work incentives and plan for employment. WIPA counselors can explain IRWE, PASS, and other options specific to your situation. Find your local WIPA at the Ticket to Work website or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.