Yes, you can work while on disability, but how much, how long, and how your benefits are affected depends on your type of disability benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides several programs and earning limits to help people ease back into the workforce without immediately losing their benefits.
If you’re wondering if you can still work while receiving disability benefits, this guide will walk you through the key rules, programs, and strategies to help you make informed choices.
Key Takeaways
- You can work while receiving SSDI or SSI, but you must follow specific rules regarding income, work activity, and eligibility to avoid interruptions or penalties.
- SSDI recipients can use programs like the Trial Work Period and Extended Period of Eligibility to test working without immediately losing benefits.
- SSI recipients may see reduced monthly payments when they work, but income exclusions, resource limits, and tools like ABLE accounts and PASS plans help protect eligibility.
- SSA offers several work incentive programs, including Ticket to Work and Expedited Reinstatement, to support a safe and gradual return to employment.
- You must report all work activity, stay within income guidelines, and maintain medical documentation to remain in compliance and protect your benefits.
- A disability lawyer can help you navigate the process, avoid common pitfalls, use work incentives effectively, and fight to keep or reinstate your benefits if needed.
Table of Contents
- SSDI: Can You Work and Be on Social Security Disability?
- SSI: Can You Work on SSI Disability?
- Work Incentives: SSA Programs That Help
- What Are the Rules for Working While Receiving Disability Benefits?
- How Many Hours Can You Work on Disability?
- Can You Work While Waiting on Disability?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Need Help Managing Work and Disability Benefits?
SSDI: Can You Work and Be on Social Security Disability?
Yes, you can work and still receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), but there are important conditions and timelines to follow. The SSA has created a structured process that allows you to test your ability to work without immediately losing your benefits.
Trial Work Period (TWP)
The Trial Work Period is your opportunity to ease back into the workforce. During this time:
- You can work for a total of 9 months within a rolling 5-year window while continuing to receive full SSDI payments.
- These months don’t need to be back-to-back. As long as your earnings exceed a set monthly amount (defined each year by the SSA), that month counts toward your trial period.
This stage is designed to encourage you to try working without fear of losing your benefits right away.
Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)
Once you finish your Trial Work Period, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility. Here’s how it works:
- You continue receiving SSDI benefits during any month your earnings fall below the SSA’s defined Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit.
- If your income goes over the SGA limit, your benefits may be paused, but not permanently lost.
What makes the EPE valuable is that it acts like a safety net—your benefits can restart quickly if your earnings drop again, as long as you’re still within this period and your disability continues.
Medicare Coverage Continues
Another key advantage of SSDI is continued access to Medicare:
- Even if your SSDI payments stop because you’re working above the income threshold, your Medicare Part A coverage can remain in place for several more years.
- This ensures that your health care coverage doesn’t disappear the moment you return to work, which is a reassurance for many people managing a disability.
What If You Need to Stop Working?
If your attempt to return to work doesn’t go as planned and you’re still within the Extended Period of Eligibility, your SSDI payments may resume without needing to reapply. Even if you’re outside of the EPE, the SSA provides an Expedited Reinstatement process that allows you to request benefits again without starting from scratch, as long as your original disability returns or worsens.
SSI: Can You Work on SSI Disability?
Yes, you can work while receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), but your income may reduce your monthly benefit amount. SSI is a needs-based program, so your financial resources and earnings play a large role in determining your ongoing eligibility and payment level.
How Earnings Affect SSI Benefits
The SSA encourages SSI recipients to work if they are able, and it doesn’t automatically disqualify you for earning income. However, the amount you earn directly impacts how much you receive in SSI payments each month.
- The first $85 of your monthly earnings is not counted toward your income.
- After that, your SSI benefit is reduced by $0.50 for every dollar earned.
- The more you earn, the more your benefit is reduced—until eventually, you may become ineligible for payments if your income is too high.
Even though your monthly payments may decrease, you could still come out ahead financially by working. That’s why it’s important to understand how the rules apply to your situation.
Understanding SSI Resource Limits
SSI also has strict limits on the resources (assets) you can own:
- You’re allowed to keep certain essentials, like your home and vehicle, without affecting eligibility.
- However, other assets, such as savings accounts or cash on hand, count toward your limit.
- If your total countable resources exceed the allowed threshold, your benefits could be paused or stopped until you’re back within the limit.
Tools to Help You Work and Stay Eligible
Several programs can help you work without losing SSI eligibility right away:
- ABLE Accounts allow people with disabilities to save money without it counting against their SSI resource limits, as long as the funds are used for qualified expenses.
- Work Incentives and income exclusions can reduce how much of your income SSA counts, which helps protect your benefits.
If you use these tools wisely and report your earnings promptly, you may be able to work part-time or even return to full-time work gradually without jeopardizing your benefits.
Work Incentives: SSA Programs That Help
The Social Security Administration offers several work incentive programs to help disability beneficiaries explore employment opportunities without immediately losing their benefits. These programs are designed to ease the transition back to work, reduce financial risk, and support long-term self-sufficiency.
The Ticket to Work program is a free and voluntary service available to most adults receiving disability benefits.
- It connects you with Employment Networks (ENs) and vocational rehabilitation services that can help with job training, career counseling, résumé building, and job placement.
- Participation won’t trigger a medical review while you’re actively working toward your employment goals through the program.
- You can explore your ability to work at your own pace, with a safety net in place.
This program is especially helpful for those who want to return to work gradually or build new skills while maintaining access to healthcare coverage and disability payments for a period of time.
If your disability benefits stop due to work and earnings, but you later become unable to continue working because of your medical condition, you may qualify for Expedited Reinstatement.
- You don’t have to start from scratch with a new application.
- SSA will temporarily restart your benefits while reviewing your request.
- You must apply within 5 years of when your benefits ended, and your original disability must still be present or have worsened.
The PASS program is specifically for SSI recipients who want to set aside income or resources to pursue a work goal, such as:
- Going back to school
- Starting a business
- Paying for transportation or equipment needed for employment
The money set aside under a PASS plan is not counted toward your income or asset limits, which helps you maintain SSI eligibility while working toward greater independence.
ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts allow people with disabilities to save for qualified expenses like education, housing, or health care without risking their SSI eligibility.
- Funds in an ABLE account can be used for disability-related expenses that support employment and independence.
- These accounts provide a way to save money legally while staying within SSI’s strict financial requirements.
SSA also offers:
- Impairment-Related Work Expense (IRWE) exclusions, which allow you to deduct the cost of disability-related items or services needed for work.
- Subsidies and special conditions, which take into account extra support you receive from employers or others that may affect your actual earnings evaluation.
- Continued healthcare coverage, like Medicare or Medicaid, even after you return to work, so you don’t lose access to medical care.
What Are the Rules for Working While Receiving Disability Benefits?
If you’re receiving disability benefits and considering going back to work, it’s important to understand the rules that protect your eligibility. SSA supports beneficiaries who want to try working again, not following the rules can lead to reduced payments or even loss of benefits.
Here are the key responsibilities and guidelines to keep in mind:
1. Report Your Work Activity Promptly
Any time you start a new job, stop working, change hours, or experience a shift in your job duties or pay, you must report it to the SSA.
- Why it matters: SSA uses your work information to determine how your benefits are affected and to monitor compliance with program rules.
- What to report: Start dates, employer information, hours worked, wages earned, and any special support or accommodations you receive on the job.
Failing to report changes in a timely manner can result in overpayments, penalties, or even allegations of fraud.
2. Stay Within Work and Earnings Guidelines
SSA sets limits on how much work or income is considered “too much” while still receiving benefits.
- If you earn over what SSA considers acceptable for someone with a disability, they may determine that you’re capable of “Substantial Gainful Activity.”
- Crossing this threshold, especially without using work incentives, could cause your benefits to stop.
It’s important to monitor your work activity and stay within approved limits unless you’re participating in a trial work period or using other SSA programs designed to help.
3. Keep Strong Medical Documentation
Even if you return to work, your medical condition must continue to meet SSA’s disability criteria. That means it’s essential to:
- Continue seeing your doctors regularly.
- Follow prescribed treatment plans.
- Maintain records of ongoing symptoms and limitations.
This medical evidence will be important if your case is ever reviewed or if you need to request reinstatement of benefits in the future.
4. Understand How Your Specific Benefits Work
Not all disability programs are the same:
- SSDI and SSI have different rules about income, resources, and work incentives.
- The amount and type of benefits you receive will determine which rules apply to you.
Take time to learn how your specific benefits program works and speak to a qualified disability attorney to avoid confusion or missteps.
How Many Hours Can You Work on Disability?
The SSA doesn’t set a hard cap on hours worked—it cares more about how much you earn. But hours often matter indirectly:
- Working 30+ hours/week may suggest to SSA that you’re capable of Substantial Gainful Activity, risking your benefits.
- If self-employed, SSA considers hours worked more closely (generally over 80/month = SGA).
Can You Work Part Time on Disability?
Yes. Many people work part-time while on SSDI or SSI, as long as their monthly income remains within limits and they report their work.
Can You Work While Waiting on Disability?
Yes, you can work while your disability application is being reviewed, but it’s important to proceed with caution. The SSA considers your ability to work a key factor in deciding whether you meet their definition of disability.
Keep in mind:
- Working too much or earning too much while your claim is pending may suggest to SSA that you’re capable of performing substantial work, which could lead to a denial.
- If your job duties or earnings rise above what SSA considers acceptable for someone who is disabled, your application may be denied, even if you still feel unable to work full-time or consistently.
What to Consider
If you do choose to work while your application is under review:
- Try to keep your work limited in scope, hours, and physical/mental demand.
- Be prepared to explain how your condition impacts your ability to sustain work long-term.
- Keep thorough documentation of any difficulties, such as missed days, accommodations, or reduced duties.
- Report all work activity to SSA promptly and accurately.
For many applicants, it may be safer to reduce or pause employment during the application process, unless you’ve received guidance from a disability attorney or benefits planner familiar with your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Working full time while receiving disability benefits is possible in some cases, but it often depends on how much you’re earning and whether your work exceeds the SSA’s definition of Substantial Gainful Activity. If SSA believes that your full-time work shows you’re able to engage in substantial, ongoing employment, your benefits could be reduced or stopped. However, programs like the Trial Work Period or Ticket to Work may allow you to explore full-time work temporarily without losing benefits right away.
You can earn income while on disability, but how much you’re allowed to make depends on whether you receive SSDI or SSI, and whether you’re using work incentives. SSA sets income thresholds that determine when benefits may be reduced, paused, or stopped. If your earnings stay below the SGA limit or fall within an approved work program, you may continue to receive benefits. However, exceeding SSA’s income guidelines could lead to a reevaluation of your disability status.
Working while on disability can be a good idea for many people, especially those who want to increase their income, gain independence, or explore returning to the workforce. SSA encourages work through programs that protect your benefits during trial periods and offer tools like vocational training and job support. Just be sure to understand the rules and report your earnings accurately, so you don’t risk overpayment or loss of benefits.
Working while applying for disability doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but it may affect the outcome of your application. If your work shows that you’re capable of performing regular, sustained employment, SSA may determine that you’re not disabled under their standards. However, limited or sporadic work—especially if it reflects attempts to remain financially stable while dealing with serious health issues—may still be consistent with a valid disability claim.
Yes, self-employed individuals and small business owners can qualify for disability benefits, but SSA evaluates their work activity differently than for traditional employees. Instead of just looking at income, SSA also considers the number of hours worked, the type of work performed, and the overall value of the services provided to the business. It’s crucial for self-employed applicants to document their role and limitations carefully when applying or working while receiving benefits.
Failing to follow SSA rules can result in serious consequences:
- Overpayment notices: You may have to repay months of benefits.
- Benefit termination: Especially if you exceed SGA for too long.
- Fraud investigations: If SSA believes you intentionally hid your work, you could face criminal penalties or jail time.
Always report changes in work status to SSA promptly.
Need Help Managing Work and Disability Benefits?
Navigating the Social Security Administration’s work and benefits rules can be overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to balance your health, income, and future. That’s where an experienced disability lawyer can make all the difference.
Dr. Bill LaTour and his team understand the challenges you’re facing and offer personalized guidance every step of the way. Whether you’re thinking about returning to work, unsure about how much you can earn, or already facing issues with your benefits, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence.
Here’s how we can support you:
- Protect your benefits while you explore part-time or full-time employment opportunities, making sure you stay within SSA rules.
- Accurately report your work activity and earnings to the SSA to avoid overpayments, penalties, or misunderstandings that could jeopardize your benefits.
- Help you understand and use SSA work incentives, so you can make informed choices without risking everything.
- Build a strong case if your eligibility is challenged, including appealing denials, fighting overpayment claims, or reinstating benefits after a work attempt doesn’t go as planned.
- Offer peace of mind, knowing that a knowledgeable advocate is by your side and helping you avoid costly mistakes.
We’ve helped thousands of individuals across California protect their rights and financial stability while working toward greater independence. Whether you’re just considering a job or already facing issues with your benefits, our team is ready to fight for your future.
Contact us now for a free consultation.
