Social Security Disability And Working On A Trial Basis

It may have been a long road, but you are finally able to get your Social Security benefits started. To keep these valuable benefits, it's important to understand the rules, particularly those that concern how much work you can do and still get your monthly payments. If you are interested in seeing if you can do some work even while getting benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has the perfect program for you. Read on to learn more about the Trial Work Period (TWP).

What to know about income limits: The SSA places strict limits on the amount of income you can earn while you are being paid benefits. Under normal circumstances, you can earn up to $1,170.00. The SSA regards this type of income as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). Since your income is checked on a monthly basis, exceeding the limit would likely place you at risk for losing your valuable Social Security benefit entirely.

What to know about the Trial Work Period

With this program, the SSA allows participants to exceed that limit shown above, even if only for a certain amount of time. If you wish to participate in the TWP, you are allowed to earn an unlimited amount of money for a limited amount of time.

How much time?

With the TWP, you can earn however much money you are able to earn, but only for nine months out of a rolling 60 month period. Since 60 months is about 5 years, you can spread that nine months out in any way your wish. For example, you may work during the holidays and earn an unlimited amount of money for a couple of months each year of the five years (only 1 month during one year, however). To be "bumped up" into the TWP, your income should exceed $840.00 for a given month.

Helpful deductions

There's more good news when it comes to this program: there are several deductions that you can use to reduce your income and thereby help you to limit the number of months that you exceed the $840.00. The deductions must be work-related, such as special shoes, clothing or transportation needed for work. This means that you can carefully plan ahead and choose which months you want to include your income in the TWP, preferably choosing months where you are assured of large earnings.

If you are experiencing problems getting with your benefits or getting your benefits approved, speak to a Social Security attorney, like one from Prediletto, Halpin, Scharnikow & Nelson, P.S., right way. 

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