Answer A Few Questions To Check Your Eligibility
How much you can earn while on disability is different for individuals currently getting SSDI benefits and those getting SSI benefits. For a discussion of how much you can work when first applying for benefits, see our section on working and eligibility for Social Security disability. This article is about how working affects people who are currently receiving SSDI benefits, versus how working affects people who are currently receiving SSI benefits.
Substantial Gainful Activity & Disability Benefits
As mentioned above, eligibility for SSI and SSDI is based on your inability to work. This is specifically defined by the SSA as a substantial gainful activity, or SGA. Earning more than a certain amount of money is deemed engaging in a substantial gainful activity, which would make one ineligible for benefits. As of 2020, the substantial gainful activity limit is $1,260 per month for disabled applicants.
If you earn more than that, you may not be eligible for SSDI. There is no limit on unearned income.
Is Your Condition Found In The List Of Disabling Conditions
For each of the major body systems, we maintain a list of medical conditions we consider severe enough to prevent a person from doing SGA. If your condition is not on the list, we must decide if it is as severe as a medical condition that is on the list. If it is, we will find that you have a qualifying disability. If it is not, we then go to Step 4.
We have two initiatives designed to expedite our processing of new disability claims:
- Compassionate Allowances: Certain cases that usually qualify for disability can be allowed as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. Examples include acute leukemia, Lou Gehrigs disease , and pancreatic cancer.
- Quick Disability Determinations: We use sophisticated computer screening to identify cases with a high probability of allowance.
For more information about our disability claims process, visit our Benefits for People with Disabilities website.
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Is It Legal To Work While On Disability
Yes, its even encouraged. The Social Security Administration helps disabled people find employment through work-incentive programs. How much a disabled worker is allowed to work and earn depends on several factors, and the two primary forms of assistance Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance work very differently.
Private Disability Insurance Rules
Private and employer-sponsored group plans vary regarding working while receiving benefits, according to HCV Advocate. With some policies, you can receive some benefits if you are receiving wages, but with others, benefits end when you get a job. Read your contract or contact your provider to determine if you can continue receiving benefits if you get a part-time job. Typical policies allow you to work, but reduce your benefit by the amount you earn. While this may seem to defeat the purpose of working, it can extend your benefit if your policy has a cap on its lifetime benefit amount.
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How Many Hours Can You Work On Disability If Youre Self
When you work for yourself, you can work hours without receiving an hourly wage. In that case, the SSA will look at how many hours youve worked, plus your monthly income.
Social Security typically allows up to 45 hours of work per month if youre self-employed and on SSDI. That comes out to around 10 hours per week. The SSA will also see whether or not youre the only person working for your business. You must not be earning SGA, along with not working too many hours.
About A Trial Work Period
During your trial work period, the Social Security Administration will most likely want to know such things as whether you are undergoing medical care and whether you are working within the restrictions that qualified you as disabled. If the Social Security Administration determines that you are no longer disabled, your benefits may be suspended. However, if you then have to stop work again in the future, there will be a window of time during which you can reopen your original application in an expedited claim.
Rules and guidelines regarding returning to work after being approved for Social Security Disability benefits are both complex and straightforward. An experienced attorney can point the way to your most favorable course of action.
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Benefits For Children With Disabilities
A child under age 18 may have a disability, but we don’t need to consider the child’s disability when deciding if he or she qualifies for benefits as a dependent. The child’s benefits normally stop at age 18 unless they are a full-time student in an elementary or high school or have a qualifying disability.
Children who were receiving benefits as a minor child on a parents Social Security record may be eligible to continue receiving benefits on that parents record upon reaching age 18 if they have a qualifying disability.
Can You Work And Collect Disability Benefits
When you collect Social Security disability benefits, the decision whether or not to attempt to work is complicated, because you need to consider personal, medical, vocational, and legal issues. The most important thing to remember is that trying to work should not lessen your chances of receiving Social Security disability benefits. There are three basic situations in which someone who is working may still be entitled to disability benefits.
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Employment: Social Security Disability Work Incentives At A Glance
SSDI WORK INCENTIVES
Trial Work Period – The trial work period allows you to test your ability to work for at least nine months. During your trial work period, you will receive your full Social Security benefits regardless of how much you are earning as long as you report your work activity and you continue to have a disabling impairment. In 2021, a trial work month is any month in which your total earnings are $940 or more, or, if you are self employed, you earn more than $940 or spend more than 80 hours in your own business. The trial work period continues until you have worked nine months within a 60-month period.
Extended Period of Eligibility – After your trial work period, you have 36 months during which you can work and still receive benefits for any month your earnings are not substantial. In 2021, earnings of $1,310 or more are considered substantial. No new application or disability decision is needed for you to receive a Social Security disability benefit during this period.
Expedited Reinstatement – After your benefits stop because your earnings are substantial, you have five years during which you may ask Social Security to start your benefits immediately if you find yourself unable to continue working because of your condition. ou will not have to file a new disability application, and you will not have to wait for your benefits to start while your medical condition is being reviewed to make sure you are still disabled.
Can You Work And Still Collect Long
Posted July 16, 2018
Some people who are receiving long term disability benefits feel that they are able to return to some form of paid employment and that it would be better for them to be out working, even part-time, than sitting at home. But does returning to work put their entitlement to LTD benefits at risk?
If you are receiving LTD benefits and return to work, you may jeopardize your LTD benefits, especially if you earn as much as you were making before you became disabled. Even earning a substantial portion of your pre-disability income could result in the loss of your benefits.
The terms of your specific policy will determine whether you will be able to receive your full long-term disability benefits if you return to work. Generally speaking Own Occupation policies give greater freedom to work than Any Occupation policies.
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Does Social Security Make Exceptions To The Sga Limit
Some argue that the monthly SGA earnings limit is an arbitrary amount with no real basis and is unfair, and to some extent that’s true. For instance, someone making the federal minimum wage can work 32 hours per week and have their earnings come under the SGA amount, while someone who makes significantly more can work only five hours per week without becoming ineligible for benefits.
In actuality, Social Security can look at things that affect the true “worth” of your work. If the value of your work is more or less than the dollar amount earned, Social Security might take this into account when it determines whether you’re doing SGA-level work activity.
Social Security claims representatives will investigate whether an individual is performing work activity that is actually worth what they are being paid. They will consider the fact that some employers will subsidize disabled employees’ work by paying them their full wage even though the employees are not performing up to the value of that wage because of their disability. For instance, if an employer considers an employee’s work to be worth half of the actual pay, then Social Security could just count half the amount of earnings toward the SGA determination.
Can You Work While On Social Security Disability
Qualifying to receive Social Security Disability Insurance benefits from the Social Security Administration isnât easy. Itâs not uncommon for the processing of an application to take six months, or more, before getting a decision. The SSA is not known for moving quickly or being easy to work with. As you probably know, thereâs a lot of red tape working with any government agency the SSA is no exception.
Based on this, you would think that working part-time while collecting SSDI benefits would be a definite âno-no.â But, surprisingly, thatâs not the case. The SSA wants you to work, so the amount of benefits they have to pay out is reduced. So yes, you can work while on social security disability.
But, there are, of course, some rules and regulations that Uncle Sam has imposed for you to continue to receive payment if youâre working while collecting SSDI benefits. Letâs take a look at how this works.
You need to know three things about collecting Social Security disability benefits while working: the trial work period, the extended period of eligibility, and work expenses related to your disability payment.
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Option #: Apply For Other Types Of Support
There are a number of local, state, and federal support programs in North Carolina. These include:
- Food and Nutrition Services Available through the Division of Social Services
- Medicaid Provided through the Division of Health Benefits
There may be additional programs that interest you. Your local family social services office or Department of Social Services is the place to start. A social worker with one of these agencies will assist you in completing applications for any programs available to you.
Seek Guidance Before Returning To Work
It is important to keep in mind that, even if your policy allows you to return to some type of work and still receive long-term disability benefits, the insurance company may still try to use your return to work as evidence that you are no longer disabled under the terms of your policy. If you wish to return to work, you may want to seek professional advice before you begin filling out job applications. It is important to consult your doctor, who may be able to advise you on your specific limitations and provide guidance as to what you should and should not do within the restrictions of your condition.
This can ensure safe conditions that are manageable with your illness, while also providing evidence to your insurance company that your disability still impairs you. If your doctor gives you permission to return to work but does not provide additional evidence of your restrictions, your insurance company may deduce that you are recovered or no longer disabled and may use that as a reason to terminate your benefits.
Alternately, if your doctor or attorney advises you not to return to work, perhaps because it would aggravate your condition or put your benefits in danger, it may be wise to follow their instruction. You do not want to risk worsening your condition or losing your benefits. By heeding their advice and taking care of your health now, you may be able to return to work in the future.
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Contact Our Disability Benefits Lawyers Today
Krasno, Krasno, & Onwudinjo is a law firm that comes from three different generations. Our highly qualified team of lawyers will do anything in their power to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free initial consultation, email us or call us at 215-310-0001 or toll-free at 877-794-2396. We handle all cases on a contingency basis, meaning that we collect attorneys fees only if you receive compensation in your case to obtain benefits.
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Is My Earned Income Deducted From Ssdi And Ssi
Any income you earn has the potential to reduce your SSD monthly financial benefits. To understand how your income will impact your benefits, you must first apply for, or be a recipient of, the appropriate SSD benefits program. You may even qualify to receive benefits from both programs simultaneously.
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Hi My Name Is Titshaun I
Hi my name is Titshaun I& #039 m legally blind in my right eye and I have limited sight in my left eye I suffer with diabetes high blood pressure anxiety and depression I have migraine headaches and mild degenerate muscle decay in my right hip and leg I applied for disability in June I went to see the disability doctor I also let disability know when I spoke to them that I still work and I can& #039 t quit until a decision is made I can& #039 t afford to be homeless I have no where to go I& #039 ve been on my own since 14 it& #039 s hard because I am being told that my case is still pending what can I do
The SSA imposes different financial requirements on eligibility for SSDI and SSI:
- You must meet certain standards concerning your work history. A 55-year old, for example, must have worked at least eight years during his working lifetime, five of which must have been during the last ten years. These standards vary according to age.
- To be eligible for SSDI, you must not be involved in substantial gainful activity, which means that you are not eligible for disability benefits if you earn at least $1,220 per month .
- To become eligible for SSI you dont need any work history, but you must meet very low family asset and income maximums.
Can You Apply For Disability While Still Working
September 15, 2021 By Rich Frankel
If you are unable to work due to a disability, then you may qualify for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration . Depending on your situation, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance and/or Supplemental Security Income .
The process to get approved for SSDI and/or SSI can be lengthy, which can create financial difficulty for many people. However, if you continue to work while applying for disability or while you are waiting for a decision on your disability claim, then your application for disability benefits will likely be denied.
Among other factors, the SSA considers your ability to work in determining whether you are disabled. Generally, you should not apply for Social Security disability benefits while still working. If you have questions about the process, reach out to a skilled New Jersey disability lawyer to schedule a free claim review.
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What If Your Countable Income Goes Above The Ssi Income Limit
Supplemental Security Insurance pays out based on financial need and is not the same as SSDI, although overlap in those who qualify exists. SSI is for people who are:
But they also have little or no income or financial assets. We fund it through taxes, not someones income, so adults with disabilities who have never worked may qualify for it.
Its not intended to replace income, but to help a person cover the basics when they dont have the means to do so:
Your countable assets cant exceed $2000 for an individual or $3000 for a couple to get SSI. However, many assets are not counted like your:
- Primary residence
- Primary vehicle if you or a family member use it for transportation
The SSI countable income limit is the same as SSDI . However, if you are not blind, SSI and the Social Security you get at retirement age will count toward your income limit. Be sure to subtract these amounts to determine the upper limit for your monthly income from gainful employment.
You can use the Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool on SSA.gov to determine what you or a loved one may qualify for SSDI, SSI or both.
You Are Working Sporadically When Able
If you can work on and off, but you can’t work “on a regular and continuous basis,” you can be considered disabled. For example, if your medical condition is episodic, and only prevets you from working some of the time, or if you must miss a lot of work due to illness or hospitalizations, you can be considered disabled.
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What Happens If The Dac Gets Married
If the child receives benefits as a DAC, the benefits generally end if they get married. However, some marriages are considered protected.
The rules vary depending on the situation. Contact a Social Security representative at 1-800-772-1213 to find out if the benefits can continue.
1-800-772-1213
To speed up the application process, complete an Adult Disability Report and have it available at the time of your appointment.