Myth 4: If I Work, I'll Lose Disability Status

You may have heard that if you are working Social Security will assume you do not have a disability anymore and then you will not be eligible for any of their programs. This is not true. Although they may review your case, they will not automatically stop your benefits just because you are working.

Social Security will periodically review your case to decide if you still meet their definition for a disability and if you will be allowed to keep getting benefits. This is called a Continuing Disability Review (CDR). Social Security does not conduct these reviews just because you started working. CDRs are routinely scheduled for everyone who receives Social Security disability benefits. Social Security will probably do a CDR about once every three years unless they expect your condition to change sooner than that. If they expect changes sooner, they may do a CDR more often. If they do not expect your condition to improve, Social Security can wait longer to do a CDR.

However, if you are using the Ticket to Work program, and you are meeting Timely Progress Requirements, Social Security will not do a medical Continuing Disability Review while your ticket is still valid. Read DB101's article on Ticket to Work for more information.