Setting Realistic Goals With Ticket To Work

Last Updated: 7/29/2026

For many people returning to work after receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), one of the biggest challenges is understanding what type of work may be a good fit. Questions about your health, work schedule, income and how employment may impact benefits can make it difficult to know where to begin.

Maybe you're managing a chronic health condition. Maybe you've been out of the workforce for several years. Or perhaps you're interested in working again but aren't sure how employment could affect your SSDI benefits.

That's where the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket To Work (TTW) Program comes in. Ticket To Work is designed to help you explore employment at a pace that makes sense for your situation while keeping your benefits protected along the way.

Understanding your options and creating a realistic plan can help make the process feel more manageable and give you confidence as you move forward.

What Does A Realistic Work Goal Look Like?

A realistic work goal balances where you would like to be in the future with what feels achievable today.

Many people exploring work after receiving disability benefits have long-term employment goals. Some hope to return to a previous career, while others may be interested in building new skills, increasing their work hours, improving financial independence, or exploring new opportunities.

These larger goals are important, but they often begin with understanding your current situation.

For example, your goals may be influenced by:

• Your current health and stamina.
• Medical appointments or treatment schedules.
• Transportation needs.
• Workplace accommodations.
• Existing job skills.
• Areas where additional training may be helpful.

Everyone’s path back to employment looks different. Someone managing an ongoing health condition may have different needs and priorities than someone adjusting after a period away from work. Likewise, a person returning to the workforce after a shorter absence may have different goals and challenges than someone who has been away from employment for several years.

Why Small Steps Often Lead To Bigger Results

Having a long-term goal does not mean reaching it all at once.

For many people, returning to work is a gradual process. A goal such as "work full time" or "return to my career" may involve several smaller milestones along the way.

Resume updates, interview preparation, training, scheduling and confidence building often happen before the first day of employment. Breaking a larger goal into smaller milestones can make progress easier to see and help the overall process feel more manageable.

Examples of smaller milestones might include:

• Updating your resume.
• Completing a certification program.
• Practicing interview skills.
• Volunteering to gain recent experience.
• Gradually increasing hours over time.

If you have been away from the workforce for an extended period, these achievements can be meaningful signs of progress. While they may not represent the final goal, they often create the foundation that makes larger employment goals possible.

It’s Normal For Goals To Change Over Time

Returning to work is not always a straight line.

Health conditions can change. Treatment schedules can shift. A job that initially seemed like a good fit may turn out to be too demanding. You might discover that you can work more than expected. Other times, you may need to slow down.

Within the TTW Program, you can adjust your goals as you gain experience and learn more about what works for your situation. Work hours may change. Job responsibilities may change. Long-term plans may change.

These changes do not necessarily mean something went wrong.

Think of employment planning like taking a long road trip. Even with a destination in mind, adjustments are expected along the way as routes, conditions and priorities shift.

The same is often true when returning to work after a disability.

Ticket To Work As A Bridge Between Benefits And Employment

Ticket To Work is available to Social Security disability beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 64 who are interested in exploring employment opportunities. Through the program, you can access Employment Networks (ENs) and work incentives that make returning to work feel less overwhelming.

Many people hesitate to return to work because of the fear of losing their benefits. Healthcare coverage and monthly disability payments often provide important financial stability, and the possibility of losing that support can make work feel risky.

TTW was designed with those concerns in mind.

The program includes several work incentives that allow you to explore employment while maintaining important protections, including:

• Trial Work Period (TWP): Test your ability to work for up to nine non-consecutive months (within 60 months) plus a three-month grace period while continuing to receive your full SSDI benefits, no matter how much you earn.
• Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): 36 months in which you receive your regular SSDI benefits in any month that your earnings are below Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
• Expedited Reinstatement (EXR): If your disability makes it impossible to continue working after your SSDI payments have stopped, you can get your benefits restarted without filing a new application. You have 60 months after benefits end to request this.
• Medicare Continuation: Even if your SSDI payments have stopped due to earning above SGA, you can continue receiving Medicare for up to 93 months after your TWP ends.

Together, these protections help create a bridge between benefits and work. Rather than viewing employment as an immediate loss of support, you can use Ticket To Work to gradually explore what work is realistic for you.

How Employment Networks Help Turn Goals Into A Plan

One of the most valuable parts of TTW is the support available through Employment Networks like Allsup Employment Services (AES).

ENs are organizations approved by the SSA to provide employment-related assistance to Ticket To Work participants. An EN may help with career exploration, resume development, interview preparation and understanding how work may affect benefits.

An EN like AES will also work with you to develop an Individual Work Plan (IWP) that:

• Outlines your employment goals.
• Identifies support needs.
• And establishes milestones that help track progress over time.

Support can also come from other places, including healthcare providers, counselors and family members. Together, these resources can help create stability while employment goals are developing.

Returning To Work With Allsup Employment Services

Allsup Employment Services (AES) is an SSA-authorized EN for TTW. We have over 10 years of experience helping thousands return to work successfully and can help you understand how work affects SSDI, SSI and Medicare. We can help guide you through the SSDI work incentives on your return-to-work journey.

The Ticket To Work Program helps youprotect your SSA disability benefits, and working with AES you can:

• Earn More. Make as much income as you choose during the Trial Work Period and protect your full SSDI benefits.
• Stress Less. Avoid medical disability reviews and the worry that comes with them.
• Keep Medicare. While working, you can keep Medicare for over seven years.
• Avoid Risk. If you stop working anytime within five years, your SSDI benefits can resume through a reinstatement process.
• Pay Nothing. As a Social Security-authorized Employment Network, our services are provided at no cost.

Choosing AES means working with an EN who’s focused on your goals and will work with you every step of the way.

Get Started – With No Cost And No Obligation

You can reach Allsup Employment Services today by calling 866-540-5105 or requesting a call.