[Narrator] SSDI Work Incentives: A Griffin-Hammis
Production tailored for Minnesota. [Person] Hi. I receive SSDI and was
just offered a job where I would make $1700 a month. I haven't worked since I got SSDI, and
I'm wondering what would happen if I took the job. [Narrator] Well, that's an exciting opportunity.
With SSDI, there are three phases of work incentives. The first phase is called the
Trial Work Period. During this phase, you can earn any amount and keep your SSDI.
[Person] That's great. How does it work? [Narrator] When you became eligible for SSDI,
Social Security gave you nine trial work months. Each time you earn above the trial work level,
you use up one of those months. in 2024, the trial work level is $1100 a month. It usually
goes up in January of each year. If you haven't worked since your SSDI began, you likely have
all nine trial work months available. That means when you begin earning $1700, you should be able
to keep your SSDI for at least nine months. [Person] That sounds great. What happens
after the nine trial work months? [Narrator] After you finish your
ninth trial work month, you enter phase two. Phase two is called the Extended Period of Eligibility,
and it lasts for three years. During phase two, Social Security checks to
see if your work is above or below substantial gainful activity, or SGA for short. In 2024,
SGA is $1550 a month or $2590 for people with blindness. During phase two, in months your work
is below SGA you get SSDI. In months your work is above SGA, you don't get SSDI. It is paused
in those months. Most people don't know that this phase is a great safety net. You keep SSDI
eligibility status even if your SSDI is paused due to SGA work. That means during phase two,
you can easily get your SSDI restarted. Some people plan to get a job that pays more than
their SSDI, so they're okay with it pausing. Other people can't work that much right now,
so their plan is to stay below SGA and keep getting SSDI while they work. You get to
decide what makes the most sense for you. [Person] Good to know I can choose. So,
if I earn $1700, does that mean my SSDI will pause in phase two?
[Narrator] Well, since your gross wages would be above the SGA level, that's possible. However,
if your countable wages fall below SGA, then you could still get SSDI.
[Person] What are countable wages? [Narrator] Countable wages are the
amount that's left after subtracting paid time off and work incentives, like impairment-related work
expenses and subsidy. Let me explain those work incentives. Impairment-related work expenses,
IRWE for short, are expenses that relate to a medical condition you have that you pay for and
that make it possible for you to work. Subsidy is the amount of extra help you get, or less work you
do on the job, because of your disability. [Person] Oh, okay. So,
how would all that apply to me? [Narrator] That's a great question. Let's look
at an example. Let's say each month you spend $100 on medication that you need to be able to work.
Plus let's say you get $200 worth of help from your coworkers to do your job. After subtracting
those from your gross wages, you end up with $1400 in countable wages. That's below SGA, which means
you would likely still receive your SSDI. [Person] Great. I got it. So, if I do end up
earning above SGA, it's good to know I can easily get it back. So, what happens in phase three?
[Narrator] In the third phase, Social Security will still check to see if your countable
wages are above or below SGA. If they're below SGA, your SSDI simply continues. If
your countable wages go above SGA, then your SSDI would stop completely. To get it back,
you would need to do a new application or request expedited reinstatement, which is another safety
net. Expedited reinstatement gives you up to six months of SSDI while Social Security checks to
see if you're eligible for benefits again. [Person] All right, I think I've got it.
It's great to know I have safety nets to support me as I return to work.
[Narrator] You can learn more about SSDI and work at mn.db101.org. Read the article titled
"SSDI and Work." You can also use the benefits and work estimator to see how you can be better off
with a job, or get answers to your SSDI and work questions by starting a chat. Click the chat link
at the top or bottom of each page to get started. And if you'd like to talk to someone about SSDI
and work questions, call the Disability Hub MN at 1-866-333-2466. To see more videos like this one,
go to mn.db101.org. Knowledge is power. Take time to learn more about SSDI and work.