Understand Your Disability Benefits and Work Incentives

Before you start planning to return to work, it’s important to understand how your disability benefits will be affected by your earnings. The SSA offers several work incentives that allow you to test your ability to work without immediately losing your benefits. Some of these programs include:

• Trial Work Period (TWP): If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you can attempt to return to work without losing your benefits. During the Trial Work Period, you can earn above a certain monthly amount (the TWP threshold) for nine months while still receiving your full disability benefits.
• Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): After the Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended Period of Eligibility, which lasts for 36 months. During this time, you can continue to receive benefits for any months in which your earnings are below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit.
• Ticket to Work Program: This program provides free job training, employment support, and vocational rehabilitation services to help you return to the workforce. It’s available for people receiving SSDI or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Understanding these incentives will help you take advantage of opportunities to work while protecting your benefits.

Start Small and Gradually Increase Your Work Hours

One of the best ways to transition from disability benefits back to work is to start gradually. Instead of jumping into full-time work right away, consider these steps:

• Start part-time: If possible, begin by working part-time. This allows you to test your ability to manage work responsibilities without overwhelming yourself or risking the loss of benefits.
• Gradually increase hours: Once you feel comfortable with part-time work, you can gradually increase your hours to full-time. This slow transition can help you adapt to the physical and mental demands of working again.

Remember that it’s okay to take your time and build back up to a full-time work schedule.

Explore Vocational Rehabilitation Services

If you’re unsure about how to transition back to work, consider taking advantage of vocational rehabilitation services. These services can help you develop new skills, explore different career options, and identify reasonable accommodations that may help you in your new job.

The Ticket to Work Program is a great resource, but many states also have local programs that provide additional support for individuals with disabilities. These programs can help with:

• Job training: Learning new skills or updating your current skill set.
• Resume building: Assistance with creating a resume that highlights your skills and work experience.
• Job placement assistance: Help finding employment opportunities that are a good fit for your abilities and interests.

Know Your Rights and Protections at Work

It’s important to understand that you are protected by federal law when returning to work. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations might include:

• Modified work schedules.
• Special equipment or tools.
• Changes to your workspace.
• Additional break time or time off for medical appointments.

Make sure to communicate with your employer about any accommodations you may need and ensure they are in compliance with the ADA.

Be Prepared for a Trial Period of Working

When transitioning from disability benefits to work, it’s important to acknowledge that you might need time to adjust to the demands of a job. The Trial Work Period allows you to test your ability to work without losing benefits, but it’s also an opportunity to assess how well you are adjusting to your new work schedule. If you find that working is too physically or mentally challenging, you can still return to receiving disability benefits.

It’s important to communicate openly with the SSA if you experience difficulty returning to work so that you can take advantage of the work incentives.

Understand the Impact on Your Social Security Disability Benefits

Once you start working, you may worry about how it will affect your disability benefits. The SSA has rules about how much you can earn without losing your benefits:

• For SSDI recipients, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold is the key limit. In 2025, the monthly SGA limit is $1,470 for non-blind individuals. If your earnings exceed this amount, the SSA may determine that you are no longer eligible for benefits.
• For SSI recipients, the SSA also has income limits, and you may lose benefits if your income exceeds the eligibility threshold. However, the earned income exclusion allows you to earn a certain amount before your SSI benefits are reduced.

Make sure you understand these limits before you start working and be sure to report your income to the SSA to avoid overpayment issues.

Stay Informed About Your Work Incentives and Benefits

It’s important to stay up-to-date on the various work incentives and options available to you as you transition back into the workforce. Some programs can help you continue receiving disability benefits for a period of time as you make the transition, including:

• Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA): This program offers free counseling services to help you understand how work will affect your benefits and provide advice on your specific situation.
• Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE): These are expenses that you incur because of your disability that are necessary for you to work, such as special equipment or transportation. These expenses can be deducted from your earnings when determining if you are engaging in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).