How to go back to work while on Social Security Disability
Social Security Disability "Trial Work Period"
People with disabilities who are receiving Social Security Disability benefits and are thinking of returning to work need to understand the Social Security Administration's "Trial Work Period".
What is the Trial Work Period? This is a period of time that the Social Security Administration (SSA) allows an individual who is receiving Social Security benefits on Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) to test their ability to work. This period is up to nine (9) months. An important thing to understand here is that the 9 months are cumulative within a rolling of 60 months. As an example if you worked for 5 months in 2014 and stopped working during 2015 and now wanted to test your self again in 2016, you would only have 4 months of the Trial Work Period (TWP) left. During your TWP you will receive your full SSDI benefits regardless of how much money you make as long as you report your work activity to the SSA and have a disabling impairment.
The TWP starts when the person with a disability begins working and performing services. In 2016, the SSA considers you working if your gross income is $810 or more a month or if you work more than 80 hours in a month as a self employed individual. Your TWP cannot begin until the first month you are entitled to receive SSDI benefits, or the month you file for benefits, whichever is later.
What happens after your TWP ends? Well, you enter the Extended Period of Eligibility or EPE. This will be talked about in a subsequent blog.
So what is the deal here? You are receiving Social Security Disability benefits and for whatever the reason, you want to attempt to go back to work? What is your first step? No question about it, your first step is contact your local Social Security Administration office and inform them that you wish to test your ability to work so they can document it and assign someone to monitor your case. In 2016, nothing happens unless your gross income is $810 a month or hire. If you begin working after the notification and you start slowly and the first month your gross income is $800, you have not entered the TWP. Lets take it further, lets say that you work for 5 months and your gross monthly income in any of those months does not reach $810, you have not utilized any of your 9 TWP months.
A different scenario is that you work for 5 consecutive months and the first 2 months your gross monthly income does not reach the $810 (2016) but months 3 and 4 your gross monthly income $900 and month 5 your gross monthly income is $800, you have only used up 2 months of the 9 months available to you during your TWP. I just want you to understand.
In order to maintain the integrity of your social security disabilty benefits the most important thing you need to do during all of this is to keep the Social Security Administration informed. How do you do this? Monthly, you need to copy your pay stub and send it to the person assigned to you at your local SSA office. I cannot stress this enough. Keeping SSA informed by sending them copies of your pay stub will make your transition to work or attempted transition to work so much easier. Just a note: It is best to bring a copy of your pay stub to the local SSA office and drop it off. If you cannot and you can afford it, send it registered return receipt. Finally, KEEP ALL COPIES OF PAY STUBS AND ANY CORRESPONDENCE YOU RECEIVE FROM SSA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next up Extended Period of Eligibility. See you next time!