What the Trial Work Period Does

The Trial Work Period (TWP) is a nine-month window during which you can work and earn any amount of money without Social Security reducing or stopping your SSDI benefit. It exists specifically so you can test whether you can sustain work before your case closes permanently. During these nine months, you keep your full benefit check every month, regardless of how much you earn.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only the months in which you earn $940 or more (in 2024) as "trial work months." If you work part-time one month and earn $500, that month does not count. If you earn $1,200 the next month, that month counts. You can spread nine may have access to months across two or three years if you need to.

After your nine trial work months end, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts 36 months. During Extended may be able to access, your benefit stops in any month you earn $1,550 or more (in 2024), but you can still request reinstatement of benefits in months you earn less than that amount, without reapplying or proving disability again.

Key Takeaways

  • You can earn any amount during your nine trial work months and keep your full SSDI benefit each month, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • A trial work month counts only if you earn $940 or more in that month; months below that threshold do not count toward the nine.
  • After the nine months end, you have 36 months of Extended may be able to access during which your benefit stops only in months you earn $1,550 or more.
  • You must report all work and earnings to Social Security; failure to report can result in overpayment and benefit suspension.
  • If you stop working or your earnings drop below the threshold, you can request reinstatement without reapplying for SSDI.

How Trial Work Months Are Counted

Social Security counts a month as a trial work month only if you earn $940 or more during that calendar month (January through December). The $940 figure is set by federal law and changes each year; Social Security publishes the current amount in January. Earnings include wages from an employer, net profit from self-employment, and certain other forms of income, but not Supplemental Security Income (SSI), food stamps, housing information, or other benefits.

You do not have to work the same number of hours or earn the same amount each month. You could work full-time one month and part-time the next. You could take a month off entirely. Only the months in which you cross the $940 threshold count. This flexibility is the core of the trial work design: it lets you ramp up gradually, test different jobs, or take breaks without losing ground.

Once you have used nine trial work months, they are gone. You cannot earn them back or extend the period. The clock does not reset. This is why it is critical to report your work accurately and understand where you stand in the nine months before you make major work decisions.

What Happens After Your Nine Trial Work Months End

When you complete your ninth trial work month, you automatically enter the Extended may be able to access Period. This 36-month period is a safety net. During Extended may be able to access, your SSDI benefit stops only in months when your earnings reach or exceed the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, which is $1,550 per month in 2024 (and changes annually). If you earn $1,549 in a month, you receive your full benefit. If you earn $1,550 or more, your benefit stops for that month only.

The Extended may be able to access Period does not require you to reapply or prove your disability again. You remain in the Social Security system. If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, you can request that your benefit restart without filing a new process. Social Security calls this reinstatement. You have five years from the end of your trial work period to request reinstatement if you become unable to work again.

After Extended may be able to access ends (36 months after your ninth trial work month), the rules change. If you are still working and earning at or above SGA, your case closes and you are no longer may have access to to SSDI. If you stop working at that point, you would have to reapply and prove disability again from the beginning.

Reporting Your Work and Earnings

You must report all work and earnings to Social Security, even during the trial work period when your benefit does not change. Social Security needs this information to track which months count toward your nine and to monitor your progress. You can report work by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. Many people report quarterly or monthly to stay current.

If you do not report work, Social Security will not know you are working. This creates two problems. First, you may not receive credit for trial work months because Social Security has no record of them. Second, if Social Security discovers unreported work later, it can demand repayment of benefits you received while working, even though you were may have access to to them under the trial work rules. This overpayment can be substantial and is difficult to dispute after the fact.

Be specific when you report: include the month, your gross earnings (before taxes), the name of your employer or business, and the type of work. If your earnings vary, report what you actually earned, not an estimate. Social Security uses this information to calculate your benefit during Extended may be able to access and to determine whether you have crossed into SGA territory.

How Trial Work Interacts with Medicare and Medicaid

During your trial work period and Extended may be able to access period, your Medicare coverage continues unchanged. You keep Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) even if your SSDI benefit stops during Extended may be able to access because you earned too much that month. This is one of the most important protections in the work incentive rules: you do not lose health insurance because you worked.

Medicaid coverage depends on your state. In most states, if you lose your SSDI benefit because of work, you also lose Medicaid. However, some states have Medicaid continuation programs that let you keep Medicaid for a limited time after your SSDI stops. A few states have 1619(b) Medicaid, which allows you to keep Medicaid indefinitely as long as you remain disabled, even if you earn above SGA. Ask your state Medicaid office or your local Social Security office whether your state offers either option.

Common Mistakes During Trial Work

The most common mistake is not reporting work at all. People sometimes assume that because their benefit does not change during trial work, they do not need to tell Social Security. This is wrong. Unreported work can disqualify you from trial work credit and create an overpayment debt later.

A second mistake is misunderstanding the Extended may be able to access rules. Some people think their benefit automatically restarts if they earn less than SGA during Extended may be able to access. It does not. Your benefit stops in the month you earn $1,550 or more, but you have to request reinstatement to restart it in a later month when your earnings drop. If you do not request reinstatement, your benefit stays stopped.

A third mistake is losing track of how many trial work months you have used. If you have used eight months and then take a job that pays well, you might not realize your ninth month is coming up and that Extended may be able to access rules will kick in the next month. Keep a record of your trial work months or ask Social Security for a written statement of how many you have used.

When Trial Work Ends Early

Your trial work period ends automatically after nine months of may have access to earnings, but it can also end early if you become unable to work due to your disability. If you stop working and report to Social Security that you can no longer work, Social Security may close your trial work period and reinstate your full benefit when ready, without waiting for the Extended may be able to access period. This is called expedited reinstatement.

Expedited reinstatement is not automatic. You have to report that you cannot work and provide information about why. Social Security will review your case, but the process is faster than a new disability information. You have five years from the end of your trial work period to request expedited reinstatement if your condition worsens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use all nine trial work months?

No. You can stop working at any time. If you use only three trial work months and then decide work is not sustainable, you can stop and your benefit continues. You do not lose the unused months; they straightforward expire when you reach nine months of may have access to earnings or when you stop working and do not earn $940 in a month for 12 consecutive months.

What if I earn $900 one month and $1,000 the next?

The first month does not count as a trial work month because you earned below $940. The second month counts as one trial work month. You have eight months remaining. Only months in which you earn $940 or more count toward your nine.

Can I go back to work after Extended may be able to access ends?

If you stop working before Extended may be able to access ends and your earnings drop below SGA, you can request reinstatement and your benefit restarts. If Extended may be able to access ends while you are still working above SGA, your case closes. You would have to reapply for SSDI and prove disability again if you later become unable to work.

Does my trial work period affect my family's benefits?

No. Your trial work period and work earnings do not change the benefits your spouse or children receive on your record. Their benefits are based on your primary insurance amount at the time you were approved for SSDI, not on your current earnings.

What if Social Security made a mistake in counting my trial work months?

Request a written statement from Social Security showing exactly which months counted as trial work months and why. If you disagree, you can appeal. Keep your own records of work and earnings each month so you can compare them to Social Security's count.