Even after you start receiving disability benefits, you may want to try working again. To help you, there are many "work incentives" rules that are designed to ease the transition back to work. These rules continue cash payments and Medicare while you work, help with the extra work expenses associated with working with a disability and help with rehabilitation and training that may lead to a new line of work. A brief description of these rules follows. For detailed "work incentive" information, ask Social Security for the booklet, Working While Disabled...How We Can Help (Publication No. 05-10095).

Understanding "Substantial" Work

To understand how work affects your disability benefits, you need to understand how Social Security measures your work. Disability benefits can be paid only if you are unable to do any "substantial" work. The amount of your earnings is the key to determining whether your work is substantial.

In general, if your wages average more than $500 a month (after allowable deductions), you are performing substantial work.

If your average monthly earnings are between $300 and $500 a month, your work could be considered substantial if the amount and quality of your work are about the same as that done by workers in your area who are not disabled. In making this decision, we consider the time, energy, skill, and responsibility involved in your work. Earnings of less than $300 a month are not considered substantial. (See Part 4 -- Special Rules for Blind Persons Who Work.)

If your earnings are "subsidized" -- that is, if your employer says you are paid more than the reasonable value of your work -- the subsidy part of your pay is not counted as earnings in deciding whether you are performing substantial work.

If you are self-employed, your business income alone may not be the best measure of whether you are doing substantial work. Business income may depend on many other factors, such as the economic situation and services of other people. In such cases, more consideration is given to the amount of time you spend in your business than the amount of your income.

Following are the rules that may help you return to work.

Nine-Month Trial Work Period

You may be able to continue to receive benefits for up to nine months while you try to work. The months need not be in a row, but they must take place within a 60-month period. Generally speaking, a "trial work" month is any month in which you earn over $200 in gross wages (regardless of amount of time worked) or spend 40 hours in your own business (regardless of amount of earnings). You will receive your full benefits during this period.

At the end of nine months of trial work, we decide if you are able to do "substantial" work. If you can, your benefits will stop after a three-month adjustment period. If you are not able to work, your payments will continue.

Remember, your trial work period will continue only if you are still disabled. If you recover during a trial work period, your benefits will stop after a three-month adjustment period.

36-Month Extended Period of Eligibility

If your benefits stop because you have returned to work even though you are still medically disabled, you receive special "benefit protection" for the next 36 months. During that time, you can receive a benefit for any month your earnings fall below $500. You do not have to file a new application, but you do have to notify Social Security. If you are unable to continue working, your benefits continue indefinitely so long as you remain disabled.

Medicare Continues

If you are working even though you are still disabled, your Medicare coverage may continue for at least 39 months after the trial work period. After that, you may purchase the coverage with a monthly premium.

Help with Work Expenses

If you need certain equipment or services to help you work, the money you pay for them can be deducted from your earnings in deciding whether you are doing "substantial" work. It does not matter if you also need the items or services for daily living (such as a wheelchair).

The cost of medical equipment, certain attendant care services, prostheses, and similar items and services is generally deductible. The cost of drugs or medical services is deductible only if required because of your condition.

Vocational Rehabilitation

When you applied for disability benefits, information about you and your impairment may have been sent to the state vocational rehabilitation agency or other provider of vocational rehabilitation services. If they offer you services and you refuse them without good reason, your monthly benefits may be withheld. If you have not heard from them and are interested in receiving rehabilitation services, you should give them a call.

Your disability benefits will continue while you receive rehabilitation services. Under a special rule, benefits can continue even if you medically recover while participating in an approved vocational rehabilitation or training program. For more information, ask Social Security for the booklet, How Social Security Can Help With Vocational Rehabilitation(Publication No. 05-10050).

If You Become Disabled Again

If you become disabled a second time within five years after your benefits were stopped, your cash payments can begin again with the first full month you are disabled. Another "waiting period" is not required (as it was the first time you applied for Social Security disability benefits). However, you must file a new application. There is also no waiting period if you are a disabled widow or widower or a person disabled before 22 who becomes disabled again within seven years after benefits ended. If you had Medicare coverage, that also will resume without the 24-month waiting period. (Explained in Part 1 -- A Word About Medicare.)

Special Rules for Blind Persons Who Work

If you receive disability benefits because of blindness, there are two special rules that may help you when you work:

• Average monthly earnings of $1,050 or less in 1998 are not considered substantial work. This monthly amount will increase in future years. (Explained in Part 4 -- under section, Understanding "Substantial" Work.)

• If you are 55 to 65, monthly benefits will continue if you cannot do the regular (or similar) work you did before turning age 55 or becoming blind, whichever is later. For more information, ask Social Security for a copy of the booklet, Social Security -- If You Are Blind How We Can Help(Publication No. 05 10052).

For More Information

You can get recorded information 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays, by calling Social Security's toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. You can speak to a service representative between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on business days.

You can request:

• an application for a new or replacement Social Security card;
• a Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement(SSA-7004) that gives you an estimate of your Social Security benefit based on your lifetime earnings;
• a benefit verification (the amount of Social Security benefits you receive each month);
• a replacement Medicare card; or
• the location of the nearest Social Security office.

In addition, you can call after business hours to access the automated service to request a variety of publications or general information messages.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our toll-free "TTY" number, 1-800-325-0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on business days.

To help us serve you better, please have the following items handy when you call:

• your Social Security number;
• a list of questions you want to ask;
• any recent correspondence you received from us; and
• a pencil and paper to record information and answers to your questions.

Our lines are busiest early in the week and early in the month, so if your business can wait, it's best to call at other times.

The Social Security Administration treats all calls confidentially -- whether they're made to our toll-free numbers or to one of our local offices. We also want to ensure that you receive accurate and courteous services. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some incoming and outgoing telephone calls.

Other Booklets Available

Social Security has a number of publications that contain information about other Social Security programs. Contact Social Security to get a free copy of any of these publications -- all of which are also available in Spanish. They include:

• Social Security -- Understanding The Benefits (Publication No. 05-10024) -- a comprehensive explanation of all the Social Security programs;

• Retirement Benefits (Publication No. 05-10035) -- explains Social Security retirement benefits;

• Survivors Benefits (Publication No. 05-10084) -- explains Social Security survivors benefits;

• Medicare (Publication No. 05-10043) -- explains Medicare hospital insurance and medical insurance;

• SSI (Publication No. 05-11000) -- explains the SSI program, which provides a basic income to people who are 65 or older, disabled, or blind and have limited income and resources; and

• Working While Disabled...How We Can Help (Publication No. 05-10095) -- explains the work incentives available to people with disabilities who work.

Back | Table of Contents

Social Security Administration
SSA Publication No. 05-10153
February, 1998
ICN 480165