WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.120 [Narrator] SSDI Work Incentives: a Griffin-Hammis   00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:08.800 production tailored for Minnesota. [Person] Hi. I receive SSDI and was   00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:16.320 just offered a job where I would make $1700 a  month. I haven't worked since I got SSDI, and   00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:22.080 I'm wondering what would happen if I took the job. [Narrator] Well, that's an exciting opportunity.   00:00:22.080 --> 00:00:27.280 With SSDI, there are three phases of work  incentives. The first phase is called the   00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:32.920 trial work period. During this phase, you  can earn any amount and keep your SSDI.  00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:39.280 [Person] That's great. How does it work? [Narrator] When you became eligible for SSDI,   00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:44.400 Social Security gave you nine trial work months.  Each time you earn above the trial work level,   00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:53.040 you use up one of those months. In 2026, the trial  work level is $1210 a month. It usually goes up   00:00:53.040 --> 00:00:58.800 in January of each year. If you haven't worked  since your SSDI began, you likely have all nine   00:00:58.800 --> 00:01:05.120 trial work months available. That means when you  begin earning $1700 a month, you should be able   00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:10.160 to keep your SSDI for at least nine months. [Person] That sounds great. What happens   00:01:10.160 --> 00:01:13.520 after the nine trial work months? [Narrator] After you finish your   00:01:13.520 --> 00:01:20.160 ninth trial work month, you enter phase two. Phase  two is called the extended period of eligibility,   00:01:20.160 --> 00:01:26.000 and it lasts for three years. During phase two,  Social Security checks to see if your work is   00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:36.320 above or below substantial gainful activity, or  SGA for short. In 2026, SGA is $1690 a month,   00:01:36.320 --> 00:01:43.760 or $2830 for people with blindness. During  phase two, in months your work is below SGA,   00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:51.760 you get SSDI. In months your work is above SGA,  you don't get SSDI. It is paused in those months.   00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:57.840 Most people don't know that this phase is a great  safety net. You keep SSDI eligibility status,   00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:04.240 even if your SSDI is paused due to SGA work. That  means during phase two, you can easily get your   00:02:04.240 --> 00:02:10.000 SSDI restarted. Some people plan to get a job  that pays more than their SSDI, so they're okay   00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:15.840 with it pausing. Other people can't work that  much right now, so their plan is to stay below   00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:22.000 SGA and keep getting SSDI while they work. You  get to decide what makes the most sense for you.  00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:28.000 [Person] Good to know I can  choose. So, if I earn $1700,   00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:33.280 does that mean my SSDI will pause in phase two? [Narrator] Well, since your gross wages would   00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:41.840 be above the $1690 SGA level, that's possible.  However, if your countable wages fall below SGA,   00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:46.240 then you could still get SSDI. [Person] What are countable wages?  00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:50.720 [Narrator] Countable wages are the amount  that's left after subtracting paid time off   00:02:50.720 --> 00:02:56.560 and work incentives, like impairment-related work  expenses and subsidy. Let me explain those work   00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:03.200 incentives. Impairment-related work expenses,  IRWE for short, are expenses that relate to a   00:03:03.200 --> 00:03:08.960 medical condition you have that you pay for and  that make it possible for you to work. Subsidy is   00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:13.360 the amount of extra help you get, or less work  you do on the job, because of your disability.  00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:17.440 [Person] Oh, okay. So, how  would all that apply to me?  00:03:17.440 --> 00:03:24.000 [Narrator] That's a great question. Let's look at  an example. Let's say each month you spent $100   00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:30.000 on medication that you need to be able to work.  Plus, let's say you get $200 worth of help from   00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:35.200 your coworkers to do your job. After subtracting  those from your gross wages, you end up with   00:03:35.200 --> 00:03:42.000 $1,400 in countable wages. That's below SGA, which  means you would likely still receive your SSDI.  00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:48.560 [Person] Great, I got it. So, if I do end up  earning above SGA, its good to know I can easily   00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:54.880 get it back. So, what happens in phase three? [Narrator] In the third phase, Social Security   00:03:54.880 --> 00:04:00.640 will still check to see if your countable wages  are above or below SGA. If they're below SGA,   00:04:00.640 --> 00:04:07.840 your SSDI simply continues. If your countable  wages go above SGA, then your SSDI would stop   00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:13.760 completely. To get it back, you would need  to do a new application, or request expedited   00:04:13.760 --> 00:04:19.040 reinstatement, which is another safety net.  Expedited reinstatement gives you up to six   00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:24.040 months of SSDI while Social Security checks  to see if you're eligible for benefits again.  00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:27.680 [Person] All right, I think I've  got it. It's great to know I have   00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:32.160 safety nets to support me as I return to work. [Narrator] You can learn even more about SSDI   00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:45.200 and work on mn.db101.org. Read the article titled  "SSDI and Work." You can also use the Benefits and   00:04:45.200 --> 00:04:53.440 Work Estimator to see how you can be better off  with a job, or get answers to your SSDI and work   00:04:53.440 --> 00:05:00.480 questions by starting a chat. Click the chat link  at the top or bottom of each page to get started.   00:05:01.200 --> 00:05:04.880 And if you'd like to talk to someone  about your SSDI and work questions,   00:05:04.880 --> 00:05:13.280 call the Disability Hub MN at 1-866-333-2466.  To see more videos like this one, go to   00:05:13.280 --> 00:05:20.756 mn.db101.org. Knowledge is power. Take  time to learn more about SSDI and work.