Working Part-Time on Social Security Disability: What’s Allowed?
The Social Security Administration encourages working while on disability through work incentives. The incentives minimize the risk of losing benefits you receive through the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs.
Part-time work SSDI incentives and SSI incentives have different rules. The American Disability Action Group disability lawyers in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and throughout the United States ensure that you comply with the rules by providing this detailed explanation of each of them.
Part-Time Work While Receiving SSDI
As long as you notify the Social Security Administration that you want to attempt a return to work and report your earnings, you can work without it affecting your SSDI benefits. This trial work period is for nine months, but the months need not be consecutive. You have five years to use them.
Monthly earnings before taxes determine whether a month counts as one of the nine trial work months. The monthly earnings limit in 2025 is $1,160, so earning more than that amount makes it a trial work month. If you are self-employed, a trial work month is any month when you have more than $1,160 in earnings after business expenses or work in your own business for more than 80 hours.
During a trial work period, you can earn as much as you want during a month without it affecting your eligibility for SSDI benefits. Yes, you get to keep the money you earn while also receiving your monthly SSDI payment.
Working Part-Time During An Extended Period Of Eligibility
When your trial work period ends, either by using the nine trial work months or upon reaching the end of the five-year period, another work incentive, the extended period of eligibility (EPE), becomes available. The EPE option gives you another 36 months to work while continuing to receive SSDI benefits, but SSDI income limits apply during the extended period.
The EPE monthly earnings limits change each year. The 2025 monthly earnings limits are $2,700 for blindness and $1,620 for a non-blindness disability. If you earn more than the EPE income limit during a month, you become ineligible to receive an SSDI benefit payment.
If your SSDI benefits stop because your income from part-time employment exceeds the EPE limit, you can be reinstated and continue receiving benefits provided your income remains below the income limit. A new application or disability evaluation is not required during the extended period of eligibility to restart the benefit payments.
When earnings from working continue in excess of the EPE limits for an extended period, SSDI benefits may be terminated. You have five years to request expedited reinstatement of the benefits without submitting a new application, and you could start receiving benefits right away for up to six months while Social Security reviews your medical condition.
Working While Receiving SSI Disability Benefits
Earnings from part-time work could reduce your monthly SSI benefits because it is a needs-based program that takes into account income and resources to determine eligibility. If you work while receiving SSI benefits, not all of the income counts toward reducing your benefits.
Social Security lets you exclude from your monthly earnings the first $85 and 50% of the balance. The remaining work income reduces your SSI benefits for the month. For example, if you earn $327 from working during the month, the exclusion of the first $85 leaves a balance of $242. Only half of the $242, or $121, reduces your monthly SSI benefit payment.
Disability-Related Work Expenses
Working part-time while on SSDI or SSI may cause you to incur expenses for services or items you need to be able to work because of your physical or mental health impairments. These expenses may be deducted from your gross earnings. Examples of deductible work-related items and services include:
- Special tools or equipment designed to accommodate an impairment.
- Disability-related modifications to your motor vehicle for you to use it to travel to work.
- Attendant services at work or for travel to and from work.
- Expenses related to the ownership of a service animal or guide dog to assist you at work.
- Medical devices you need for the workplace, such as wheelchairs or braces.
The cost of work-related items and services can reduce your monthly income to stay below SSDI income limits or to limit its effect on SSI benefits.
Learn More About Working And Social Security Disability
Working part-time provides a source of additional income while allowing you to test whether a physical or mental health impairment has improved enough for you to return to work on a full-time basis. Don’t let Social Security and employment rules get in the way when the disability lawyers at American Disability Action Group are here and ready to help. Learn more by contacting us for a free consultation.