SSDI And Working: Protecting Your Social Security Disability

For individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the prospect of returning to work can be both exciting and daunting. The opportunity to increase income, regain independence or explore new work opportunities often competes with the concern of losing SSDI benefits.

Fortunately, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has developed rules and safeguards designed to support individuals who want to explore employment without the immediate risk of losing critical benefits.

In this article, you will find a clear explanation how SSDI and working interact and how you can protect your benefits. We’ll answer important questions such as:

• Can you work while receiving Social Security disability benefits?
• What protections are in place to ensure you don't lose SSDI benefits too quickly?
• How much can you earn while working and still receive SSDI benefits?
• How do you report work activity to the SSA?

What SSDI Eligibility Requires

The SSDI program is designed to support individuals with significant disabilities who have worked and paid into the Social Security system. Eligibility depends on meeting the SSA’s strict medical criteria.

To be eligible, you must be unable to engage in substantial work activity due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment. This condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. Unlike workers’ compensation or short-term disability programs, SSDI does not provide benefits for partial or temporary disabilities.

This strict criteria for eligibility helps explain why decisions about returning to work require careful planning. If the SSA determines that work activity demonstrates the ability to engage in substantial employment, benefits can be reduced or ended. Understanding how work is evaluated becomes crucial for anyone considering re-entering the workforce.

Exploring Ticket To Work

Returning to work while receiving SSDI can feel risky—but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. For individuals thinking about employment, one of the key supports available is the Ticket To Work (TTW) Program, a free and voluntary program from the SSA that provides services to help you explore work at your own pace.

Through Ticket To Work, eligible SSDI recipients can access professional guidance from approved Employment Networks (ENs), like Allsup Employment Services (AES), or state vocational rehabilitation agencies. These providers offer:

• Career counseling.
• Job placement support.
• Benefits coordination and planning.

In many cases, participating in TTW can also delay medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs), helping you focus on your employment goals without the added stress of a review. The Ticket To Work Program helps simplify the process of managing SSDI and working, ensuring that individuals can explore employment opportunities without losing benefits prematurely.

Work Incentives For A Smooth Transition

When returning to work with TTW, there are a range of work incentives that allow SSDI recipients to explore employment while maintaining critical protections. These built-in rules and time-limited supports help reduce the fear of benefit loss, offering a phased, informed transition into the workforce.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)

SSA uses Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) as a benchmark to assess whether income from work shows the ability to engage in significant, ongoing employment. For 2025, the monthly SGA threshold is $1,620 for non-blind individuals and $2,700 for those who are blind.

Earnings below the SGA level typically allow SSDI benefits to continue. Earning above it may lead to suspension or termination of benefits—depending on which work incentive phase you're in.

Trial Work Period (TWP)

SSA’s Trial Work Period allows you to test your ability to work for at least nine non-consecutive months within a rolling 60-month window. For 2025, any month with earnings above $1,160 counts as a TWP month.

During this period, SSDI benefits continue in full—regardless of how much you earn—as long as you report your work activity. This flexible structure lets you evaluate how work affects your health and capacity, without the immediate risk of losing your benefits.

For example, if you earn $1,500 in a given month, that income may trigger a TWP month but won’t reduce your SSDI payment. The key to maintaining eligibility during this phase is timely and accurate reporting.

Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)

After the Trial Work Period concludes, SSA provides a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility. This safety net allows you to receive benefits in any month your earnings fall below the SGA threshold.

If your earnings are consistently above SGA during the EPE, benefits may be paused. If they dip below SGA in a later month, benefits can resume. This feature is especially helpful for individuals whose health conditions vary or whose work hours and income fluctuate.

The EPE gives you time to assess whether long-term work is possible, without ending benefits right away. It is one of several ways SSA aims to reduce risk as you explore the path back to work.

Healthcare Continuity

Even if cash benefits stop due to earnings from work, Medicare coverage often continues. Most SSDI recipients can keep premium-free Medicare Part A for at least 93 months after their Trial Work Period ends, as long as their disability continues. This extended coverage helps ensure that a return to work doesn’t mean losing access to vital healthcare—and it can give time to transition to employer-sponsored insurance or other coverage options if needed.

Reporting Work And Avoiding Pitfalls

Why Reporting Matters

Accurate reporting of work activity and earnings is a fundamental part of SSA’s work incentives. Failing to report your income can lead to serious consequences, including overpayments, penalties or unexpected loss of benefits.

SSA requires that any changes in work status, income, hours or job duties be reported promptly. This helps the agency evaluate how work affects eligibility and apply the correct rules at each stage of the return-to-work process.

How Reporting Works

Beneficiaries are responsible for keeping SSA informed. Fortunately, multiple reporting methods are available:

• SSA’s online portal (My Social Security).
• Phone or mail submissions to your local SSA office.

Information to report includes gross earnings, hours worked, changes in duties and any job-related accommodations. Keeping detailed records and reporting consistently can help prevent overpayments or incorrect benefit suspensions.

Proper guidance is key to avoiding common errors and ensuring a smooth transition between SSDI and working. Working with a knowledgeable Employment Network, like AES, can help you stay on track with reporting requirements, track earnings accurately and make sure you understand your specific work incentive phase.

When Employment Affects Benefits

The Ticket to Work Program (TTW) provides important protections, but they do not eliminate risk. Exceeding SGA limits or missing reporting deadlines can result in:

• Termination of SSDI benefits.
• Overpayments that must be repaid.
• Gaps in health insurance or income.

Each person’s situation is different. Some may experience temporary increases in income that do not affect benefits long term. Others may cross thresholds that permanently change eligibility. Because SSA’s determinations depend on specific earnings, timelines and documentation, outcomes vary widely.

Weighing Opportunity Against Risk With Informed Confidence

Returning to work while receiving SSDI presents both opportunity and complexity. The path forward is not one-size-fits-all. By understanding the relationship between SSDI and working, you can weigh your options more clearly.

If you are well-informed, you are better positioned to explore employment, make confident decisions and protect your financial and medical security. For many, the next steps involve evaluating personal circumstances, gathering information and leveraging the resources available through programs like Ticket To Work.

Returning To Work With Allsup Employment Services

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

TTW helps you protect 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.