What counts as earnings during your trial work period
During your trial work period, Social Security counts money you earn from work — wages, self-employment income, and certain other forms of payment. The amount you earn does not reduce your SSDI payment during the trial work period itself. Instead, Social Security uses your earnings to measure whether you can work at a substantial gainful activity level, which is their term for work that shows you may no longer be disabled.
Not all money counts. Social Security excludes certain types of income: impairment-related work expenses (equipment or services you need because of your disability), plans to achieve self-support (PASS), subsidies from an employer, and sheltered workshop payments. If you are self-employed, they count your net profit after legitimate business expenses, not your gross revenue.
The trial work period lasts nine months — they do not have to be consecutive. You can work, stop, work again, and the months still count toward your nine. Once you complete nine trial work months, you enter the extended may be able to access period, where the earnings rules change.
Key Takeaways
- During your trial work period, there is no monthly earnings limit — you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI payment.
- Social Security counts only work earnings, not other income like SSI, pensions, or investments.
- The trial work period lasts nine months total, and the months do not have to be in a row.
- After your nine trial work months end, you move into the extended may be able to access period, where a different earnings rule applies.
- You must report your earnings to Social Security; they do not monitor your pay stubs automatically.
The nine-month trial work period: no earnings cap
During the trial work period itself, Social Security sets no upper limit on how much you can earn. You could earn $500 in one month, $5,000 in another, or $10,000 in a third — your SSDI payment stays the same. The point of the trial work period is to let you test whether you can work without losing your cash benefit when ready.
A trial work month is any month in which you earn $240 or more (in 2025). That is the only threshold that matters during these nine months. Earn $240 or more in a month, and that month counts. Earn $239, and it does not count toward your nine. Once you have used nine months where you earned $240 or more, your trial work period ends.
The $240 figure is set by federal law and does not change year to year based on inflation. Social Security updates it only when Congress changes the law. If you are self-employed, you count a trial work month the same way: net profit of $240 or more in that month.
What happens after your nine trial work months end
Once you complete nine trial work months, you enter the extended may be able to access period. This period lasts 36 months (three years). During extended may be able to access, the earnings rules shift: if you earn $1,550 or more per month in 2025, Social Security will suspend your SSDI payment for that month.
The $1,550 figure is the 2025 substantial gainful activity (SGA) amount for non-blind workers. This amount increases each year based on national wage trends. If you are blind, the SGA limit is higher — $2,590 in 2025. Check with Social Security or your representative each January to confirm the current year's amount, because it changes.
If your earnings drop below the SGA amount during extended may be able to access, your payment restarts automatically the following month. You do not have to reapply. This is why the extended may be able to access period matters: it gives you a safety net if your work does not last or if you need to reduce your hours.
Reporting your earnings to Social Security
You are responsible for telling Social Security about your work income. They do not receive your pay stubs automatically or monitor your employer reports. If you do not report earnings and Social Security later discovers the discrepancy, you may owe back benefits or face overpayment collection.
Report your earnings by contacting your local Social Security office, calling 1-800-772-1213, or logging into your my Social Security account online. Tell them your gross monthly earnings (before taxes), your employer's name, and the month the work began. If you are self-employed, report your net profit after business expenses.
Report earnings as soon as you start working, not at the end of the month or year. Social Security uses the information to track which months count toward your nine trial work months and to determine whether you have entered the extended may be able to access period. Delays in reporting can cause confusion about your status later.
Self-employment income and trial work months
If you are self-employed, the same $240 threshold applies: a trial work month is any month where your net profit reaches $240 or more. Net profit means your total business income minus legitimate business expenses — rent, supplies, equipment, wages you pay employees, and similar costs.
Do not count personal expenses, loan repayments, or taxes as business expenses. Social Security has specific rules about what qualifies. If you are unsure whether an expense counts, ask Social Security before you deduct it. Claiming expenses you cannot document can trigger a review and potential overpayment.
If you operate a business with a partner or spouse, Social Security counts only your share of the net profit. If you own 50 percent of the business, you report 50 percent of the net profit, not the full amount.
Income that does not count during trial work
Several types of income are excluded from the trial work period calculation. Impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay because of your disability — a service animal, specialized transportation, medical equipment, or personal care attendant services needed for work. You can deduct these from your gross earnings before reporting to Social Security.
A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) is a written plan you submit to Social Security that sets aside income and resources for a specific work goal. Money set aside under an approved PASS does not count as earnings. Subsidies from an employer — money paid to you that is not based on your productivity — also do not count. If your employer pays you $15 per hour but a coworker doing the same job earns $10, the $5 difference is a subsidy and does not count.
Sheltered workshop payments, certain student earnings, and royalties from creative work have their own rules. If you receive any of these forms of income, ask Social Security whether they count toward your trial work period.
Tracking your trial work months and staying informed
Keep your own record of which months count as trial work months. Write down the month, the amount you earned, and whether Social Security confirmed it counted. This protects you if there is a disagreement later about how many trial work months you have used.
Social Security should send you a notice when you complete your ninth trial work month and enter extended may be able to access. Read this notice carefully — it will tell you the new earnings limit that applies. If you do not receive a notice, contact Social Security to confirm your status. Do not assume you know which period you are in.
The earnings amounts change each year. The $240 trial work threshold stays the same, but the SGA amount (the limit during extended may be able to access) increases annually. In 2026, the SGA amount will be higher than $1,550. Check Social Security's website or call them each January to learn the new figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I earn more than $240 in a trial work month without losing my SSDI?
Yes. During the trial work period, there is no upper limit on earnings. You can earn $1,000, $5,000, or more in a single month and keep your full SSDI payment. The $240 threshold only determines whether that month counts as one of your nine trial work months.
What if I earn $240 in one month and nothing the next month?
Only the month where you earned $240 or more counts as a trial work month. The month with no earnings does not count. Your nine trial work months are spread across however many calendar months it takes to earn $240 or more nine separate times.
Do I lose my trial work period if I stop working?
No. The nine trial work months do not expire if you take a break from work. If you have used five trial work months and then stop working for six months, you still have four trial work months remaining when you return to work. The months do not have to be consecutive.
What happens to my Medicare if I earn too much during extended may be able to access?
Your Medicare coverage continues even if your SSDI payment is suspended due to high earnings during extended may be able to access. You keep Medicare for the full 36-month extended may be able to access period, and for an additional eight and a half years after that, regardless of earnings. This is one of the main protections of the extended may be able to access period.
Do I have to report earnings if I am self-employed and have not made a profit yet?
If your net profit is below $240 in a month, that month does not count as a trial work month, but you should still report the income to Social Security. Reporting keeps your record accurate and prevents confusion later about which months count toward your nine.