Working While on SSDI: Trial Work Periods and Keeping Your Benefits

• The 9 months do not have to be consecutive
• The 60-month rolling window resets as months fall outside it
• During the TWP, you must still report all work and earnings to SSA
• SSA may review your medical condition during this time (CDR)

Phase 2: Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)

After your 9 TWP months are used, you enter the Extended Period of Eligibility — a 36-month window during which your SSDI benefits are not terminated but are paid or withheld on a month-by-month basis depending on whether your earnings exceed SGA.

• Months with earnings below SGA ($1,620/month in 2026): you receive your full SSDI payment
• Months with earnings above SGA: SSDI payment is withheld for that month
• Benefits resume automatically the next month earnings fall below SGA — no reapplication needed

The EPE gives you enormous flexibility. You might earn more than SGA for a few months, see your income drop due to your condition, and have your benefits automatically reinstated — all without filing anything new. This 36-month window provides a crucial buffer as you navigate the unpredictability of returning to work with a disability.

Phase 3: After the EPE — Grace Period

SSA provides a grace period of 3 months at the end of the EPE (or once you demonstrate sustained earnings above SGA during the EPE). You receive benefits for the month you exceeded SGA and the following 2 months. After the EPE and grace period, your SSDI benefits are terminated if you are still working above SGA.

Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)

If your SSDI benefits were terminated because of work and you become unable to continue working due to your same disability within 5 years of when benefits stopped, you can request Expedited Reinstatement.

EXR allows SSA to restore your benefits quickly without requiring a brand new application. Key features:

• No new application — contact SSA to request EXR
• Up to 6 months of provisional (temporary) benefits while SSA decides your case
• SSA uses your previous medical evidence as a starting point
• Must request within 5 years of benefit termination

Work Incentives Timeline

Medicare Continues After SSDI Stops

One of the most important — and least-known — protections for working SSDI recipients is that Medicare continues long after your SSDI cash payments end. This is called the Extended Period of Medicare Coverage (EPMC).

After your TWP ends, Medicare continues for at least 93 months (approximately 7 years and 9 months) — even if your SSDI payments have been suspended or terminated due to earnings. During this extended Medicare coverage:

• Medicare Part A remains premium-free if you have sufficient work history
• Medicare Part B coverage continues (you continue to pay the monthly premium)
• You can purchase premium Medicare if you exhaust free Part A coverage

This extended Medicare protection is designed to prevent working disabled people from facing the impossible choice between income and health coverage. The 93-month window gives you years to establish yourself in employment before you'd need to obtain private insurance.

The Ticket to Work Program

The Ticket to Work program is a free, voluntary program offered by the SSA to SSDI and SSI recipients between ages 18 and 64 who want to return to work. It connects beneficiaries with approved Employment Networks (ENs) or State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies that provide:

• Career counseling and job placement assistance
• Vocational training and education
• On-the-job supports and accommodation advice
• Benefits counseling (so you understand exactly how work affects your benefits)

Key protection: While you are actively participating in the Ticket to Work program and making timely progress toward your employment goals, SSA will generally not conduct a medical Continuing Disability Review (CDR). This protection means you can focus on working without the added stress of a potential disability review that could end your benefits.

To learn more or find an Employment Network, visit the SSA's Ticket to Work program website or call 866-968-7842.

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)

When SSA counts your earnings to determine whether you're above SGA, you may be able to deduct certain disability-related costs you incur in order to work. These are called Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and can include:

• Prescription medications needed to work
• Medical devices or equipment (wheelchair, prosthetic limb)
• Attendant care services needed at work
• Transportation adapted for your disability
• Medical equipment maintenance costs

IRWEs must be paid out of pocket (not reimbursed by insurance), required because of your disability, and necessary for you to work. Document all IRWE costs carefully and report them to SSA — they can make the difference between counting as over or under SGA.

Reporting Your Work to SSA

Regardless of which phase of the work incentive process you're in, you must report all work activity and earnings to SSA. Failure to report — even if you mistakenly believed your earnings were too low to matter — can result in overpayments that SSA will demand you repay. Methods of reporting:

• Call your local Social Security office
• Use SSA's online "My Wage Report" tool at ssa.gov
• Use the SSA mobile app
• Send written notification by mail

Report promptly — ideally every month. Keep records of everything you report and who you spoke with.