Can you work after winning disability benefits?
The Social Security Disability program is quickly
growing with more and more disabled people winning
benefits each month. The law generally requires a
claimant to prove they are unable to work to become
disabled, but some work is allowed. Disability law
doesn’t allow someone to be disabled who is working
at the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level. For
2015 SGA is $1,090 per month. If you have earnings from work
that are over the SGA limits then you are not
disabled as a matter of law.After a claimant wins disability their condition may change. Some may even feel well enough to get back to work. Social Security is very motivated to help people get back to work, since they may be able to reduce or terminate disability payments to people who are successful in getting a new job.
Disability payments average less than $14,000 a year per person so many people do better financially if they were working full time. Of course not every disabled person is capable of returning to work, and so returning to work is never required. Social Security’s programs do however offer attractive options to help the disabled try to get back to work.
How will Social Security Help You Get Back to Work?
There are specific programs for people on either Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI.) For people on SSDI they can get vocational help or training to get ready to return to work. During a trial work period and during the vocational training a person on SSDI is exempt from a continuing medical review (when Social Security reviews a disabled person’s case to see if they are still disabled.) The rules allow you to try to work, and still get benefits, to see if you will be able to stick with the new job.
For those on SSI they will be incentivized with the earned income exclusion (EIE.) Under the EIE less than half of your earnings from work are counted by Social Security as earnings from work which will decrease your SSI check less than they normally would be decreased. This may allow someone on SSI to work and still get some of their SSI check. For Students less than 22 the EIE is an even better deal, they get to keep more of their earnings while working and going to school.
Each person’s situation will be different, so be sure to learn more about which programs apply to you if you are interested in getting back to work.
Where to Learn More about Returning to Work?
Search online for “Work Incentives Planning and Assistance” or “WIPA” to find your local WIPA office near you. You can also request Social Security’s Red Book, their publication on work Incentives. You can get questions answered in an online webinar that is hosted monthly by Social Security too. For more information on the next webinar call toll free 1-866-968-7842.
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How to
Get More Help
We hope
the information linked to from this page will help you
regardless of where you are in the process. If
you have a question about your disability case that
you don’t find answered in the resources linked to
above, then contact us
here or give us a call at (800) 584-3700.
For more information on our attorneys, please visit Our Attorneys page.
For more information on Social Security Disability, please see:
Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) FAQs
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) FAQs
Social Security Disability Links
Social Security Glossary
