If you’re getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), it’s because your disability prevents you from going to work and earning enough to cover your expenses. However, you may want to give work a chance. It is possible that maybe if you just had a bit of time and knew that you wouldn’t lose your benefits, you could succeed at a job.

That’s why Social Security has made program rules and incentives that can help you get a job without having to worry that you’ll lose the benefits you need. For most people who get SSDI, these work incentives function as a 3-stage process that begins when you get a job that pays more than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level:

1. The Trial Work Period (TWP) lets you work and get benefits at the same time no matter how much you make.
2. When the TWP ends, the 3-year Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) starts and lets you work and get benefits for every month that you earn less than the SGA level ($1,620 in 2025, $2,700 if you're blind).
3. For 5 years after you get your last SSDI cash benefit, Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) will let you quickly get back on SSDI if your income drops below the SGA level, without you having to completely re-apply.

These 3 incentives mean that you can get a job and see how it goes. If it goes well, you’ll be in a better financial situation than before. If it doesn’t go well, you will be able to get SSDI and be in the same situation you were in before you tried working.

Here are more detailed explanations of these incentives, plus some other ways that you can keep getting your benefits even if you have a job.

Trial Work Period (TWP)

Social Security allows every person on SSDI a 9-month Trial Work Period (TWP) to try working. During your TWP, you can work and earn any level of income (even if it is more than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level — $1,620 per month in 2025) and keep your full SSDI benefit.

Your TWP is 9 Trial Work months occurring within a 5-year window. Your 9 Trial Work months may occur consecutively (one right after another) or sporadically (not one right after another) within the 5-year window. The window stays open until you have used up all 9 Trial Work months. During your TWP, you will continue to get your full SSDI benefit no matter how much you earn.

Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)

Once you’ve used up all 9 Trial Work months, your Trial Work Period is over and your 3-year Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) begins.

When your gross monthly earnings are less than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level ($1,620 per month in 2025; $2,700 if you’re blind) you will keep getting SSDI benefits.

During your EPE, the first time you earn over SGA in a month, your 3-month Grace Period begins. During the Grace Period, you will keep getting SSDI cash benefits no matter how much you earn. After your Grace Period ends, your SSDI benefit will be $0 in any month that you earn above SGA.

If you are not earning above SGA when your 3-year Extended Period of Eligibility ends, you will continue to get SSDI benefits. If you are earning more than SGA, you will still be able to get back on SSDI if your income drops below SGA. More about what happens after the EPE ends is discussed later in this article under Expedited Reinstatement.

Notes:

It is always important to report any changes in work and income to Social Security right away to avoid overpayments.

It is also important to report when your earnings are below SGA. Contact Social Security and ask that your benefits be "reinstated." If you don’t, you won't get an SSDI benefit, even if your earnings are less than SGA.

Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)

After you use up your Trial Work Period and Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), your SSDI stops if you are earning above Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) allows you to get up to 6 months of temporary SSDI cash benefits if your income drops back below the SGA level.

During those 6 months, Social Security (SSA) will conduct a medical review to see if you still meet their definition of disability. If you do, your benefits can start again without you having to submit a new application. If SSA decides that you are not disabled, your SSDI benefit will stop. If you have questions about Expedited Reinstatement, Chat with a Hub expert.

Deductions

During your Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) and period of Expedited Reinstatement (EXR), there are some ways to lower your gross monthly earnings so that Social Security won’t count everything you make. These are called “deductions.” Here we’ll talk about the most common deductions that can help you lower your gross monthly earnings below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level so that you can work and keep getting your SSDI benefits check.

Note: These deductions cannot be used during the Trial Work Period (TWP).

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) are things you pay for yourself that are related to your disability and that you need in order to work. Social Security doesn’t count earned income that you use to pay for these expenses when they calculate your income. IRWEs include things like:

• Medication co-pays
• Adaptive equipment
• Vehicle modifications
• Personal care attendant costs
• Special transportation costs

Social Security must approve the items that you want counted as IRWEs. If the IRWEs are approved, Social Security will subtract these expenses from your income when they are calculating your SSI payment or figuring out Substantial Gainful Activity. That makes it more likely that you will continue to get SSDI benefits. If you have any questions about IRWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, Chat with a Hub expert.

Subsidies and Special Conditions

Subsidies and special conditions are support you get on the job that result in you getting more pay than the actual value of the services you perform. A subsidy is support you get from your employer; special conditions are generally given by someone other than your employer, for example a vocational rehabilitation agency.

Social Security considers subsidies and special conditions when they make an SGA decision. They only use earnings that represent the real value of the work you do to decide if your work is at the SGA level. This is good for you — if Social Security decides that you have a subsidy or special conditions, you can earn more while still getting benefits.

Subsidies or special conditions may exist if:

• You get more supervision than other workers doing the same or a similar job for the same pay;
• You have fewer or simpler tasks to complete than other workers doing the same job for the same pay; or
• You have a job coach or mentor who helps you perform some of your work.

If you think you get a subsidy, talk to Social Security about it. They may ask you to get a letter from your employer so they can document that you get a subsidy. If you think special conditions may apply to you, talk about it with Social Security or your mentor/job coach to see what they need to have in order to give you credit for having special conditions.

Unincurred Business Expenses (Self-Employment)

Unincurred Business Expenses are contributions made by others to your self-employment business effort. Examples include things like:

• A friend working for free
• A government agency paying for some of your business expenses
• Someone giving you things of value — such as office space free of charge

Social Security deducts the value of any unincurred business expenses from your net income when deciding if you have reached the SGA level for any given month. SSA uses fair market value to assess the value of any unincurred business expenses.

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) save money for a work-related goal. Income that is put into a PASS does not count as earnings by SSI and the money you save is not counted as assets.

If you get SSDI, it only helps you if you also get SSI or if you would qualify for SSI if you put some of your earnings into a PASS. Click here for more information on Plans to Achieve Self-Support.

Continued Payment - Section 301

Section 301 lets you continue to get SSDI benefits, even if you no longer meet Social Security’s criteria for a disability, as long as you are participating in an approved vocational rehabilitation program that is expected to help you become self-supporting.

Programs and providers that are usually approved for Section 301 include:

• Ticket to Work providers
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Support services that use individualized written employment plans
• A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
• An individualized education program (IEP) (people ages 18 – 21)

To find out if a specific provider or program is approved under Section 301, Chat with a Hub expert or visit your local Social Security office. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or TTY at 1-800-325-0778.

If you’re getting Supplemental Security Income (SSI), it’s because your disability prevents you from going to work and earning enough to cover your expenses. However, you may want to give work a chance. It is possible that maybe if you just had a bit of time and knew that you wouldn’t lose your benefits, you could succeed at a job.

That’s why Social Security has made program rules and incentives that can help you go to work without having to worry that you’ll lose the benefits you need. You can try out getting a job, earn some money, and even save up some money in the bank without losing your SSI. Here we’ll explain how.

Earned Income Incentives

When SSI figures out how large a benefit to give you, they look at how much money you make. The Earned Income Exclusion means that SSI doesn’t count the first $65 of your earnings in a month. SSI also doesn’t count an additional $20 of general income, which could be earned income or unearned income, including some benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). After that, SSI only counts half of the rest of your earnings.

The bottom line: If you get a job, SSI counts less than half of your earnings when determining your SSI payment amount.

1619(a)

Generally, to qualify for SSI, you must have a disability that prevents you from working. However, after you have been on SSI for a while, you may find that you are able to do some work. If that happens, 1619(a) allows you to keep getting SSI cash payments even when you have earned income at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level.

To qualify, you must:

• Have been eligible for an SSI payment for at least one month before you began working at the SGA level;
• Still be disabled; and
• Meet all other eligibility rules, including the income and asset limits.

You are single. You have been getting SSI for 6 months and you just got a new part-time job. Even though you are now working and earning more than SGA, 1619(a) means that you are not disqualified from continuing to get SSI. Social Security applies the SSI formula to figure out your countable income:

Countable Earned Income Example:

Your Earned Income	$1,300
Minus the $20 General Exclusion	- $20
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion	- $65
Subtotal
Divide by two	÷ 2
Your Countable Income
SSI Benefit Calculation
SSI Maximum Benefit	$967.00
Minus Total Countable Income	-
Your SSI Benefit

Even with 1619(a), when your income goes above a certain level, your SSI check will be reduced to $0. However, you may still qualify for 1619(b), which is an incentive that lets you keep your Medical Assistance (MA) coverage, even though you no longer get an SSI check. 1619(b) is discussed in more detail here.

Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE)

The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) helps students keep more of their SSI checks while they work and are in school. If you are a student under the age of 22, SSI won’t count any of your earnings when figuring out your SSI benefit unless you make more than $2,350 per month.

There is a maximum exclusion of $9,460 per year in 2025. Click here to read more about the Student Earned Income Exclusion.

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE)

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) are things you pay for yourself that are related to your disability and that you need in order to work. Social Security doesn’t count earned income that you use to pay for these expenses when they are calculating your income. IRWEs include things like:

• Medication co-pays
• Adaptive equipment
• Vehicle modifications
• Personal care attendant costs
• Special transportation costs

Click here to see a list of deductible and non-deductible IRWEs from SSA's Red Book.

Social Security must approve the items that you want counted as IRWEs. If the IRWEs are approved, Social Security will deduct these expenses from your income when they are calculating your SSI payment or figuring out Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). If you have any questions about IRWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, Chat with a Hub expert.

Blind Work Expenses (BWEs)

Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) can only be used by individuals who get SSI benefits and who are blind. If you are blind, Social Security doesn’t count earned income that you use to pay for expenses when you work. BWEs include things like:

• Transportation costs to and from work
• Guide dog expenses
• Income taxes

Social Security must approve the items that you want counted as BWEs. If the BWEs are approved, Social Security will deduct these expenses from your income when they are calculating your SSI payment or determining SGA. If you have any questions about BWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, Chat with a Hub expert.

Property Essential to Self-Support (PESS)

Property Essential to Self-Support (PESS) are things you own that you need to support yourself. Social Security does not count these things as assets when figuring out your eligibility for SSI. Three types of property can be excluded as PESS:

• Property that you use in a trade or business (for example, your inventory) or personal property you use for work as an employee (for example, tools or equipment)
• Up to $6,000 of the value of nonbusiness property that you use to produce something that helps with your daily living, for example land that you use to produce vegetables that you eat
• Up to $6,000 of the value of property if the property gives you a return of at least a 6% per year, for example property you own and rent to someone else

You must be using the property to support yourself or expect to start using it again within a reasonable period of time, usually 12 months.

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)

A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets you save money for a work-related goal that will help you be more self-sufficient. Usually, your SSI benefit goes down when you get income from other sources like a job or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). But with a PASS, Social Security does not count income or assets set aside in the PASS when figuring out your SSI eligibility or payment. That means you can save up money and keep getting your SSI benefits at the same time.

You can use a PASS to:

• Help pay for the cost of school or training
• Start a business
• Pay for equipment, support services, and other expenses related to your goal

To set up a PASS, you must do the following:

• Be on SSI or become eligible for the SSI program as a result of an approved PASS application. (If you are not eligible for SSI because of the limit on assets, you may be able to move those assets into a PASS and become eligible.)
• Have a source of income other than SSI (for example, SSDI cash benefits or wages from a job).
• Have a work goal that will eventually will help you earn enough money to lower or get off Social Security disability benefits.
• Be able to write a plan that shows how saving a certain amount of money will let you reach your work goal. Social Security has staff called PASS Cadre who can help you write your PASS plan.
• Be under age 65. You may be able to set up a PASS if you are 65 or older, if you were getting an SSI cash benefit based on disability or blindness in the month before your 65th birthday.

The PASS plan is about your work goal, what you want to achieve, and what you need to get there. After you write your PASS, you ask Social Security to approve it. Your plan must have a realistic goal given your abilities, experience, and educational background.

Once you have an approved PASS plan, you will need to open a separate bank account just for your PASS funds. You cannot put any money you get from SSI in your PASS account. Your SSI should be used for basic expenses like food and housing. You must fund your PASS account with money from other sources such as income from a job, or from a spouse or parent. You will use the money you have put in your PASS account to pay for approved expenses to reach your goal.

For more information about the PASS program see the DB101 article on PASS.

Continued Payment - Section 301

Section 301 lets you continue to get SSI benefits, even if you no longer meet Social Security’s criteria for a disability, as long as you are participating in an approved vocational rehabilitation program that is expected to help you become self-supporting.

Programs and providers that are usually approved for Section 301 include:

• Ticket to Work providers
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Support services that use individualized written employment plans
• A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
• An individualized education program (IEP) (people ages 18 – 21)

To find out if a specific provider or program is approved under Section 301, Chat with a Hub expert or visit your local Social Security office. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or use TTY at 1-800-325-0778.

Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)

Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) allows your SSI benefits to start again, without a new application, if they stopped because of work. EXR can be used by individuals who got SSI benefits in the past, but it is not very common because of the 1619(b) rules, which allow you to keep SSI.

To be eligible for EXR, you must request it within 5 years of the last month that you were last eligible for 1619(b). If you have questions about Expedited Reinstatement, Chat with a Hub expert.

If you get health care benefits like Medicare or Medical Assistance (MA), there are also incentives that make sure you continue to have good health coverage after you get a job.

Medicare

Many people with disabilities get Medicare health coverage, usually because they also get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If your income goes up while you’re on SSDI, your benefit can go down, though the work incentives described earlier in this article help make it so that you can gradually try out working without fear of suddenly losing your cash benefit. Likewise, you can gradually try out working without fear of suddenly losing your Medicare coverage, thanks to the incentives described here.

Continuation of Medicare Coverage

Once you become eligible for Medicare, you can continue to get Medicare coverage for at least 93 months after your SSDI Trial Work Period (TWP) ends, provided you are still disabled under Social Security’s guidelines. The 93-month period starts the month after the last month of your TWP.

To learn more, read DB101's article on Medicare or Chat with a Hub expert.

Medicare for Persons with Disabilities Who Work

If you are still working after your Continuation of Medicare Coverage period ends, you may be able to buy continued Medicare coverage.

You are eligible to buy Medicare coverage if:

• You are under age 65
• You continue to be disabled
• Your Medicare stopped because of work

For more information about buying Medicare continuation coverage, visit their website or call 1-800-MEDICARE (ph: 1-800-633-4227; TTY: 877-486-2048). The line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also Chat with a Hub expert.

Medical Assistance (MA)

Many people with low income get Medical Assistance (MA) health coverage. Some worry that if they make too much money or save up too much money, they'll lose their health coverage. However, there are work incentives that mean that if you are getting MA now and get a job, you’ll still be able to get good health coverage.

Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD)

Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD) allows you to earn any level of income, build more assets, and get or keep your health care coverage through MA.

To qualify for MA-EPD you must be:

• A Minnesota resident
• At least 16 but less than 65 years old
• Certified disabled by the Social Security Administration or the State Medical Review Team (SMRT)
• Working
• Earning more than $65 per month
• Paying Medicare and Social Security taxes

You must pay a monthly premium for MA-EPD coverage. The premium is based on your income and household size.

MA-EPD pays for things like visits to the doctor, hospital stays, medical equipment, home care services, and mental health services.

To learn more, read DB101's article on MA-EPD or Chat with a Hub expert.

1619(b)

If you’re on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), 1619(b) lets you keep your health care coverage through Medical Assistance (MA), even when your earnings are too high for an SSI cash payment. You can earn up to $74,611 a year and keep your MA coverage.

To qualify, you must:

• Have been eligible for an SSI cash payment for at least 1 month
• Would be eligible for cash payment if it weren’t for your earnings
• Still have a disability
• Still meet all other SSI eligibility rules, including the resources limit
• Need MA in order to work
• Have gross annual earned income that is below $74,611

If your gross earnings are higher than $74,611 you may still be eligible if you have:

• Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)
• Blind Work Expenses (BWEs)
• A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
• Publicly funded attendant or personal care
• Medical expenses above Minnesota’s per capita amount

To learn more, Chat with a Hub expert.

MinnesotaCare

If you earn too much to keep MA coverage, you may be able to get very similar coverage through MinnesotaCare. You'll pay a small premium (up to $28/month).

To qualify, you must:

• Not be able to get Medicare, MA, or affordable employer-sponsored coverage, and
• Have income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). That's $30,120 or less for an individual, $62,400 or less for a family of four.

To learn more, read DB101's article on MinnesotaCare.

Subsidized Individual Coverage Through MNsure

If your income is too high to qualify for MA, you should be able to buy individual health coverage through MNsure. The government may help you pay for your monthly premium through tax credits. If your family's income is at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG), the government may also help you get a plan that has lower copayments and other expenses.

Note: There is no income limit for getting subsidies that help pay individual coverage premiums. (Before 2021, the limit was 400% of FPG.) To get subsidies, you still must meet other eligibility rules and the premium amount you pay depends on your income and your plan.

To learn more, read DB101's article on Buying Health Coverage on MNsure.