Can u apply for disability while working

The Voice is the e-mail newsletter of The Special Needs Alliance. This installment was written by Special Needs Alliance member Barbara Isenhour, Esq., of the firm of Isenhour Bleck, PLLC in Seattle, Washington. The firm focuses on government benefits for individuals with disabilities and estate planning for families with special needs children. A board member of NAMI Eastside in Redmond, Washington, and Full Life Care in Seattle, Barbara frequently lectures around the state of Washington on issues involving special needs trusts and government benefits for the elderly and disabled.

Sometimes a person receiving disability benefits has an opportunity to work. The individual still has a medical disability but would like to have a job and earn a wage. A job may mean more monthly income than the disability benefit, and the job can provide a sense of purpose and personal growth. Even with these potential benefits, there is often anxiety about trying to work: “What if my work attempt is unsuccessful?” “Will I end up with less net income than the SSDI cash benefit if I try to work?” And for many individuals attempting work, the biggest worry is what will happen to their health benefits from Medicare or Medicaid.

Title II Disability Benefits

This article discusses how work can affect a person’s eligibility for Title II disability benefits, commonly referred to as “Social Security Disability.” The next Voice article will discuss three additional work incentives for Title II beneficiaries: Ticket to Work Program, extended Medicare benefits and extended Medicaid benefits.

Dealing with a disability or life-threatening illness can be hard enough without having to worry about your financial stability. Thankfully, there are some support systems in place such as Social Security disability benefits to help you deal with such a scenario. However, obtaining disability benefits can be a complicated and confusing process with a lot of misinformation, which is why Second Chance Lawyer Merryl Jones is here to help.

There are a few things you need to know if you’re considering filing a claim for Social Security disability benefits.

Work & Disability Benefits

When many people begin researching whether they qualify for Social Security disability benefits, one of the first questions that will arise is: do I need to quit my current job in order to obtain benefits? The short answer is no! This is a common misconception that simply isn’t true.

However, there are limits put in place by the Social Security Administration as to how much you can gross per month and still apply. These limits are known as Substantial Gainful Activity and  increase annually typically keeping up with the cost of inflation.  Further, if you are still working full time with no special accommodations, then this is likely to harm your chances of getting approved.

Exceptions to the Substantial Gainful Activity Income limit rule

There are always exceptions to every rule and the Social Security Administration is no different. If you can prove you are being paid more than the value of your work under certain special circumstances or you can prove a portion of your income is being spent on medical expenses incurred for you to be able to work, then you could possibly gross more than Substantial Gainful Activity Income limits and still file for Social Security disability benefits. Therefore, it is best to have an attorney who understands these exceptions to the rule and can ensure the facts of each case are presented with the best chance of receiving eligible benefits rather than being arbitrarily denied based on standard limits.

Let us help you get the disability benefits you deserve in Waco/Temple!

If you need to file a claim or an appeal, Second Chance Lawyer can help you get the financial benefits you deserve. To learn more, contact us online today or call (254) 776-3611 (Waco) or (254) 493-0345 (Temple).

Case managers are encouraged to support individuals to pursue their vocational goals, both before and after applying for SSI/SSDI. This overview will briefly discuss how the Social Security Administration (SSA) views the work activity of an SSI/SSDI applicant, and the many work incentives available to beneficiaries.

Yes, you can work while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, but only within strict limits. Payments will stop if you are engaged in what Social Security calls “substantial gainful activity.” SGA, as it’s known, is defined in 2022 as earning more than $1,350 a month (or $2,260 if you are blind). 

If your income exceeds those caps, you cannot collect disability benefits, unless you are taking part in one of Social Security’s "work incentives" — programs and trial periods aimed at helping SSDI recipients transition back into the workforce without sacrificing their benefits. Some work incentives are also available to recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is administered by Social Security and also provides benefits to people with disabilities.

The major such program is Ticket to Work, which offers people on SSDI and SSI job training, work experiences and other services to help them become self-supporting. As do other work incentives, Ticket to Work temporarily waives the SGA earnings limits, so you continue collecting your disability benefits while you engage in trial work with employers who have signed up to participate. If you get a job through the program, you go off disability benefits. The payments will resume if you have to stop working because your medical condition worsens.

SSDI beneficiaries are also allowed a trial period of up to nine months to test their ability to work. The trial months can be spread out over five years, and during these months you can get your full benefit regardless of your earnings. You’ll find more information on these and other work incentives in the Social Security publication "Working While Disabled — How We Can Help."

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