How Part-Time Work Affects Your SSDI Payments

You can work part time and keep receiving SSDI, but your earnings will reduce your monthly benefit once you cross a specific income threshold. Social Security calls this threshold the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit. For 2024, that limit is $1,550 per month if you are blind, and $1,470 per month if you are not blind. These amounts change each year.

The key point: earnings below the SGA limit do not affect your benefit at all. You keep your full monthly payment. Once you earn above that limit in a single month, Social Security counts that month as a month of work, and your benefit may be reduced or suspended. The reduction is not automatic — it depends on which work incentive you are using and how much you earn.

Part-time work also keeps you connected to the workforce without the risk of losing your Medicare or Medicaid coverage when ready. Social Security has built-in protections for people who test their ability to work, which we cover below.

Key Takeaways

  • Earnings under $1,470 per month (or $1,550 if blind) in 2024 do not reduce your SSDI benefit at all.
  • The Trial Work Period lets you work and earn any amount for nine months without losing benefits, though you must report your earnings to Social Security.
  • After the Trial Work Period ends, the Extended may be able to access Period gives you nine more months where benefits stop only in months you earn above the SGA limit.
  • Your Medicare coverage continues for at least 93 months after your Trial Work Period begins, even if your benefits stop.
  • You must report all earnings to Social Security within the month you earn them, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits.

The Trial Work Period: Nine Months of Unrestricted Earnings

The Trial Work Period (TWP) is a nine-month window where you can earn any amount without losing a single dollar of your SSDI benefit. This is the most generous work incentive Social Security offers. The nine months do not have to be consecutive — they are counted based on the months in which you actually earn money.

During the TWP, you report your earnings to Social Security, but your benefit stays the same. A month counts toward your nine months only if you earn $240 or more in that month (this amount is set by federal law and does not change yearly). If you earn less than $240 in a month, that month does not count, and you can use it later.

Example: You start your TWP in January 2024 and earn $500. January counts as month one. In February you earn $100 — that month does not count. In March you earn $600 — that is month two. You continue until you have used nine months in which you earned $240 or more. Those nine months can stretch across two or three calendar years.

After your ninth TWP month ends, you move into the Extended may be able to access Period. You do not have to do anything to move between them — Social Security tracks this automatically once you report your earnings.

The Extended may be able to access Period: Nine More Months With Conditional Benefits

Once your Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period (EEP), which lasts nine more months. During the EEP, your benefit stops only in months when you earn above the SGA limit ($1,470 in 2024 for non-blind recipients).

This means: if you earn $1,200 in a month during the EEP, you get your full SSDI benefit that month. If you earn $1,600 in a month, your benefit stops for that month only. The next month, if you earn below the limit again, your benefit resumes. You do not lose the benefit permanently — it pauses and restarts based on your monthly earnings.

The nine months of the EEP also do not have to be consecutive. Like the TWP, only months in which you earn $240 or more count. If you have a month with earnings under $240, it does not count against your nine-month window.

After the Extended may be able to access Period ends, you are no longer protected by these work incentives. If you continue to work and earn above the SGA limit, your benefit will be suspended or terminated depending on how much you earn and for how long.

Medicare and Medicaid Coverage While You Work

One of the largest advantages of part-time work on SSDI is that your health coverage does not disappear when your benefit does. Medicare continues for at least 93 months after your Trial Work Period begins — that is roughly seven and a half years. This applies whether your benefit is suspended, reduced, or still being paid.

After the 93-month Medicare continuation period ends, you may be able to purchase Medicare coverage on your own, even if you are working. The cost depends on your income and the specific Medicare plan you choose.

Medicaid rules vary by state. Some states continue Medicaid as long as your earnings stay below a certain threshold. Other states tie Medicaid to your SSDI benefit, so if your benefit stops, Medicaid stops too. You need to contact your state Medicaid office or your local Social Security office to learn your state's specific rules before you start working.

Reporting Your Earnings to Social Security

You must report all earnings to Social Security within the month you earn them. Failing to report is one of the most common reasons people end up with overpayments — money Social Security paid you that you were not supposed to receive, which you then have to repay.

You can report earnings by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. Call 1-800-772-1213 to report by phone, or log in at ssa.gov to report online. Keep records of your pay stubs or a written statement from your employer showing the dates and amounts you earned each month.

Social Security will ask you for: the month you earned the money, the gross amount (before taxes), and the name and address of your employer. If you are self-employed, you report net profit (income minus business expenses). Report even if you earned less than $240 in a month — Social Security needs the full picture to track your TWP and EEP correctly.

What Happens After Extended may be able to access Ends

Once your nine-month Extended may be able to access Period ends, you have exhausted both major work incentives. If you continue working and earning above the SGA limit, your SSDI benefit will be suspended or terminated.

If you earn above the SGA limit for nine or more months in a row (not necessarily consecutive), Social Security will send you a notice that your case is being reviewed for termination. You have the right to request a hearing before a judge if you disagree with the decision. If your benefit is terminated and you later stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, you can request reinstatement — but you will have to go through a new review process.

Some people choose to move to a different work incentive at this point, such as the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which allows you to set aside income and resources for a specific work goal. PASS is more complex to set up and requires a written plan, but it can protect your benefit while you work toward a career change or education goal.

Part-Time Work and Your Benefit Amount

Part-time earnings do not change the amount of your monthly SSDI benefit itself — the benefit amount is based on your work history and age when you became disabled, and it does not adjust based on current earnings. What changes is whether you receive the benefit in a given month.

During the Trial Work Period, you receive your full benefit every month, no matter how much you earn. During the Extended may be able to access Period, you receive your full benefit in months you earn below the SGA limit, and nothing in months you earn above it. There is no partial benefit or reduction — it is either the full amount or zero for that month.

After both incentive periods end, the same rule applies: if you earn above SGA, your benefit stops for that month. The benefit amount itself never shrinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part time and still get my full SSDI check?

Yes, during your Trial Work Period (nine months) you can earn any amount and receive your full benefit. During your Extended may be able to access Period (the next nine months), you receive your full benefit in any month you earn below $1,470 (2024 limit for non-blind recipients). After both periods end, you must keep earnings below the SGA limit to receive your benefit.

What counts as earnings for SSDI?

Wages from a job, self-employment income (net profit after business expenses), and certain other forms of compensation count as earnings. Gifts, loans, tax refunds, and most government benefits do not count. If you are unsure whether something counts, ask Social Security before you receive it.

Do I lose Medicare if my SSDI benefit stops?

No. Medicare continues for at least 93 months after your Trial Work Period begins, even if your SSDI benefit is suspended or terminated. After 93 months, you may be able to buy Medicare coverage directly. Medicaid rules vary by state, so contact your state Medicaid office to learn whether your coverage continues if your benefit stops.

What happens if I do not report my earnings?

Social Security will eventually discover unreported earnings through tax records or employer reports. You will be considered overpaid — meaning you received benefits you were not supposed to get — and you will have to repay the money. This can happen months or years later, and the debt can be collected from future benefits or tax refunds.

Can I use a work incentive other than the Trial Work Period?

Yes. The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) and Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are two other incentives that can protect your benefit while you work. PASS requires a written plan and is more involved to set up. IRWE lets you deduct certain disability-related work costs from your earnings before Social Security counts them toward the SGA limit. Ask Social Security which incentive fits your situation.