[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 2026, the trial work level is $1210 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 a month, 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 2026, SGA is $1690 a month,
or $2830 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 $1690 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 spent $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
$1,400 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, its 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 even more about SSDI
and work on 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 your 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.