Most people have a desire to work and make a living for themselves. Those who are recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), however, may be unsure how their earnings will affect their disability payments. In many cases, those who are on disability can continue to work and still receive their benefit payments, though certain restrictions may apply.
What is a Trial Work Period (TWP)?
SSDI recipients who wish to return to work may do so and may earn as much as they want without any effect to their benefits for a total of nine months of non-consecutive work during a 60-month period. This is known as a Trial Work Period (TWP) and is designed to encourage disability recipients to return to work. A month of work counts as a TWP month if a person earns more than the income threshold of $810 per month. To continue to receive one’s benefits, a person must inform their local Social Security office of their work and income every month.
What Happens After the Trial Work Period Ends?
If a person wishes to continue to work after their TWP is completed, they enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). A person will continue to receive their benefits during this time as long as they remain disabled and earn less than the established substantial gainful activity (SAG) threshold. As of 2016, the SAG is $1,130 for non-blind benefit recipients and $1,820 for those who are blind.
Earning over this limit will cause the Social Security Administration to believe that a person is no longer disabled, thereby causing their benefits to cease unless they stop working or if their income falls below the SAG threshold during their EPE. Earning more than the SAG after the EPE has expired, however, will result in cancellation of benefits.
Contact Disability Action Advocates Today
If you are looking to work while disabled, it is imperative that you do so with the advisement of a Las Vegas social security disability representative from Disability Action Advocates. With more than two decades of experience handling SSD claims, our representatives have the skills and knowledge to help you get back to work while protecting your deserved benefits.
To get started, give us a call at (888) 421-8705 to request a free consultation today!
