Can you work without losing disability benefits?

On Behalf of | Aug 8, 2019 | Social Security Disability

There is a misplaced belief that people in New Jersey who are getting Social Security Disability benefits cannot work at all. The idea that a person who needs disability benefits to make ends meet and get the treatment required for their issue is unable to work is flat out wrong. People who get SSD benefits can try to work. However, it is important to understand the rules when doing so.

There are work incentives that the Social Security Administration makes available to disability recipients. Understanding how these function, what impact it has on the benefits and whether benefits will continue is a vital part of a case. A fundamental factor with working while getting disability is the trial work period. With the trial work period, the person will get a certain amount of time to see if he or she is capable of working. This will last for a minimum of nine months.

In the trial work period, the entire amount of SSD benefits will be paid no matter how much the person earns. It is required that the person report the work. The disability must still be in place. For 2019, the minimum that can be earned in a month to be considered a trial work period month is $880. For a person who is self-employed, it is $880 following the calculation of business costs, or the person works more than 80 hours. There is a 60-month time period in which those nine total months can be accrued.

When a person’s disability is so severe that it prevents them from trying to work, the trial work period and available programs to encourage a work attempt should be fully understood. When there are questions about SSD benefits or the applicant or SSD benefits recipient wants to know about the process and requirements for the trial work period or any other aspect of working while disabled, getting the right information about Social Security Disability benefits is essential.

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