Working While On Social Security Disability
The Social Security Administration defines a qualified disability as a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that has or is expected to last 12 months, or result in death, and that prevents the claimant from performing what the SSA calls substantial gainful activities, or SGAs.
The SSAs 2022 definition of substantial gainful activities is any work you perform that earns more than $1,350 per month. If you earn more than $1,350 per month, then you are no longer disabled under the Social Security Disability program.
But this Maximum Income Cap of $1,350 per month is not the whole story. The SSA created several special programs that allow SSD recipients to earn much more than the $1,350 monthly income cap and continue to collect SSD benefits for many months.
Excludable Work Expenses:
SSD benefit recipients who do perform some work often need to incur impairment-related work expenses and those costs are deductible from the amount of income counted toward the SGA $1,350 cap. For example, the costs of acquiring special transportation or modifying mobility equipment that an SSD recipient pays for out of their income is deductible from the $1,350 cap. The costs of using service animals, disability van transportation, and prosthetics are other examples.
Trial Work Period:
Extended Period of Eligibility:
Expedited Reinstatement:
The Maximum Earnings Allowed While Receiving Ssdi
Different rules about how much you can earn apply when you receive payments through the SSDI program. If you earn more than $1,310 a month in 2021, it could affect your eligibility for SSDI. The earnings maximum is $2,190 a month if you are blind. Earning more than those amounts are considered by SSA as a substantial gainful activity. The ability to engage in SGA means that you no longer meet the definition of disabled required for SSDI.
Fortunately, SSA has a program that gives you a trial work period to determine if you can work. If you notify SSA that you wish to attempt a return to work, it will treat any month that you earn over $940 as part of a nine-month trial period. Earnings from engaging in self-employment also count during a trial work period.
Earnings received during the initial nine months of a trial work period do not reduce the benefits you receive through SSDI. Your nine months do not have to be consecutive, but they must be completed within 60 months.
At the end of the nine-month trial period, you may continue to work while collecting SSDI for an additional 36 months. The SGA rules apply after the nine-month trial, so earning $1,310 a month, or $2,190 if you are blind, will affect your eligibility for SSDI.
If You Disagree With The Decision
If you disagree with the decision, you may ask to have the decision reviewed. You must request this review in writing within 90 days of receiving your decision letter.
Your application will be reviewed by Service Canada staff who were not involved in making the original decision on your application.
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Working While On Disability
The Social Security Administration has a wide range of work incentive programs designed to allow Social Security Disability Income beneficiaries to test their ability to re-enter the workforce and supplement the financial assistance they receive from the SSA with additional income while continuing to receive their monthly benefits.
These programs include the Trial Work Period , the Extended Period of Eligibility , and Ticket to Work Program. Each of these programs has special rules and guidelines related to the amount of income an individual can earn, the expenses they can deduct from their net income, and their continued eligibility.
Can You Work Part Time On Social Security Disability In Oklahoma City
Social Security Disability is meant to provide financial support to those who are incapable of working and making a living due to a disabling condition or illness. However, even with disability benefits, many beneficiaries could also benefit from an extra source of income through a part-time job. But the Social Security system is notoriously strict, so a common question people have is: Can you work part time on Social Security Disability?
Learn more about the rules surrounding disability benefits in Oklahoma City and how a part-time job may affect your benefits.
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Can You Receive Retroactive Payments
Once the SSA approves your SSDI application and calculates your monthly benefit, you may be entitled to a back pay award. How many months of payments you will receive will depend on the date you applied for benefits and your disability onset date.
If you are applying for SSDI benefits, you need the assistance of a skilled Social Security disability lawyer to get your application approved and receive the benefits you deserve. To schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team, fill out the online form on this page or call our Roswell office today.
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Limit On Substantial Gainful Activity
A person with a disability applying for or receiving SSDI can’t earn more than a certain amount of money per month by working this isn’t because of an income limit, but rather because the SSA wouldn’t consider that person disabled.
If you can do what the SSA calls “substantial gainful activity” , you aren’t disabled. A person who earns more than a certain monthly amount is considered to be “engaging in SGA,” and thus not eligible for SSDI benefits. In 2022, the SGA amount is $1,350 for disabled applicants and $2,260 for blind applicants.
The rules differ for business owners, since their monthly income may not reflect the work effort they put into their business. For more information, see our article on SGA for small business owners.
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How Much Can I Earn While On Social Security
Many people find themselves in a position needing to work another job while receiving Social Security benefits. Perhaps the retirement benefits they receive are not enough to make ends meet. So, how does working affect the benefits that you will receive? The Social Security Administration has strict rules about working while receiving benefits. They place an earnings limit on the amount that you can earn before your monthly benefit becomes affected. So, what is this earnings limit and how will it affect your benefits? Keep reading to learn all the details of how an extra income might affect your Social Security income.
What Is Full Retirement Age
Full retirement age is the age at which you can begin receiving your full benefit amount with no reductions. So, how old do you need to be to be considered full retirement age? It depends on the year in which you were born. If you were born after 1960, then your full retirement age is 67 years old. For those born from 1943 to 1954, normal retirement age is 66 years old. Birth years between 1954 and 1960 get a couple of months added to the full retirement age for each year.
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Need Help Understanding Your Benefits The Wolf Pack Has Your Back
Can you work part time on Social Security Disability? Does my part-time job exceed the SGA limit? How do I start my trial work period? From the start of the application process for disability benefits to long after youve been approved, there are many difficult questions you may have.
If you need help applying or appealing for SSDI or SSI benefits, The Wolf Pack at Colbert Cooper Hill Attorneys has your back! Serving disabled individuals and their families in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Ardmore, and surrounding communities, our experienced disability attorneys will do everything in our power to help you get approved for the benefits you deserve. We know the ins and outs of the Social Security system and will answer any questions you may have about your benefits.
Contact The Wolf Pack today at or to get your free case review today!
What Is A Substantial Gainful Activity Limit And How Does It Apply To The Benefits
The SSA sets an upper limit for how much earned income you can make and still fit their definition of disabled. This is the substantial gainful activity limit. The SSA adjusts this limit annually to account for changes in the cost of living.
In 2021, disabled workers can earn up to $1,310 per month and still qualify under the SGA limit. There is a higher limit for blind workers, who can earn up to $2,190 per month. If you earn above this limit, you may not qualify for SSD benefits. However, if you earn above this level while already receiving SSDI payments, it will not automatically stop your benefits. You may be entitled to a trial work period.
For a free legal consultation, call
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What Are The Rules For Working While On Ssdi
If you can work and earn money to make a living, you might not be eligible for SSDI or SSI benefits:
- SSDI benefits are for people who have medical/mental conditions that prevent them from working. These benefits are available to people who have worked long enough and recently enough to qualify.
- SSI is for disabled people based on financial need. Recipients cannot earn more than a certain amount of money nor possess more than a certain amount of property to qualify.
You can work while receiving Social Security retirement or survivors benefits, however.
Social Security Work Incentives
The SSA offers incentives to help people on SSDI or SSI get back to work, without jeopardizing their current benefits. These incentives include:
- A nine-month trial work period where you can still receive full Social Security benefits, regardless of how much money youre earning, as long as your reporting your work to the SSA.
- An extended 36-month eligibility period where you can receive Social Security benefits for any month that you earn less than $1,260 .
- Expedited reinstatement, which includes a five-year period where you can request for the SSA to restart your benefits if your disability prevents you from continuing to work, without having to go through the entire application process again.
- An extension of Medicare coverage for at least 96 months after your 9-month trial work period, if your Social Security Disability benefits have ended due to your earnings, but you are still disabled.
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If You Need Help With Your Application
You may want a representative to help you through the application and reconsideration process. A representative is someone who you choose. Your representative can be a friend, a family member, a lawyer, or another professional.
If you would like a representative to help you communicate with Service Canada about your application or reconsideration, you will need to:
- mail it to the address on your decision letter, or you may drop it off at your closest Service Canada Centre
You can change or cancel your representative at any time, by notifying Service Canada in writing.
How Much Money Can I Earn While On Ssdi In 2019
The amount of money an individual on SSDI can earn is largely determined by an annually adjusted SSA monthly earnings benchmark known as Substantial Gainful Activity . Generally speaking, SGA acts a threshold, for which if broken, may disqualify beneficiaries from receiving further SSDI benefits.
In 2019, the SGA earnings threshold was $1220/month . This means that in order to maintain SSDI benefits an individual receiving SSDI may earn up to $1219 per month and continue to receive full benefits.
However, there are exceptions to this rule. The effect and impact of SGA on an individuals SSDI benefits are primarily dependent upon the type of work incentive program they are enrolled in and whether or not they have previously completed a work incentive program.
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Get Legal Assistance When You Need It Most
Our team is committed to helping Social Security Disability applicants navigate the complex claims process. We also work hard to ensure a return to employment does not jeopardize your benefits. Your lawyer can help you determine how much you can make while on disability without having to risk losing your benefits.
Get legal assistance when you need it most by contacting Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC.
There Are Income Limits On Earned Income But Not On Passive Investments
If you receive Social Security benefits due to a disability, theres a strict limit on how much income you can earn each month from working before you risk losing your benefits. Still, theres no limit to the amount of unearned income you can have, which means investments can be a valuable way to build wealth.
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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.
Can You Make Too Much Money For Ssdi What’s The Maximum
When making money while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, keep in mind not all money is considered equal. The source of your income is as important as the amount of income when determining if you’re making too much money to receive SSDI.
SSDI is designed to help people who have a disability that’s so severe they can no longer be gainfully employed. While accepting SSDI, you can work part-time and still receive partial SSDI benefits as long as your income doesn’t exceed $1,010 per month.
The Social Security Administration also has a program called Ticket to Work that allows you to work part-time on a trial run for nine months without impact to your benefits, as long as you remain disabled and are earning more than $720 in the trial month period.
After your TWP trial period, you can continue to work and receive partial benefits for up to three years as long as your earnings don’t exceed $1,010 per month.
Monies received from outside sources may or may not reduce your monthly benefits, depending on where they come from. Receiving money from private sources will usually not impact your SSDI benefits. Some examples of private sources include: insurance benefits, private pensions and personal injury settlements.
Benefits received from public sources can alter your monthly benefits. One common example is workers’ compensation from any government agencies, employers, or insurance companies that your employer uses.
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Ticket To Work Program
The SSAs Ticket to Work program allows you to continue receiving monthly benefits while also working. You can work in your previous job or even try out a different job in a new industry.
The only thing you need to do to qualify for this program is notify your local Social Security office of your interest in obtaining at Ticket to Work. After you get your ticket, you can begin looking for a job. Then, you will report your earnings to the SSA for as long as you continue to work.
It is vital to report your return to work to the SSA before you earn your first paycheck. If you fail to take this step, the SSA may assume you are no longer disabled and schedule you for a re-examination of your qualifications or cancel your benefits outright.
Student Earned Income Exclusion
If you are a student who is under the age of 22, the SSA may disregard up to $1,900 of your gross wages when figuring your countable income. “Gross wages” means the amount of your paycheck before things like taxes are deducted. Note that the SSA limits this exclusion to $7,770 per calendar year, however .
To use this incentive, you must go to school on a regular basis. If you are between 7th and 12th grade, this means going to school at least 12 hours a week. If you go to a college or university, you must attend at least eight hours of classes a week. And if you are enrolled in a work-training program, you must attend between 12 and 15 hours a week depending on the type of training you are getting. Even if you can’t go to school because of your disability but you are educated at home, you may be eligible for this incentive.
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What Is The Extended Period Of Eligibility
The extended period of eligibility is a 36-month period following your trial work period. During this time, you can continue to receive SSDI benefits for any month in which your earnings from work are not considered substantial.
For example, say January is the last month of your trial work period. In February, you earn $1,500 from work, but in March, you only earn $900. You would not receive SSDI benefits for February since your earnings are over the SGA monthly limit of $1,260. However, you would receive SSDI benefits for March since your earnings are below this limit.
You wont need to reapply in order to get benefits for every month you qualify during the extended period of eligibility. As long as you are within this 36-month periodand earning less than the SGA monthly limityou will receive SSDI benefits.