Can I work part-time while collecting SSDI at age 62? Need income without losing Social Security benefits

Yes, you can work while receiving SSDI, but you need to understand the rules carefully. The key thing to watch for is what Social Security calls Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which is $1,470/month in 2025 for non-blind individuals. Here's how it works: - You get a 9-month Trial Work Period (TWP) where you can earn ANY amount and still receive full SSDI benefits - A TWP month only counts when you earn more than $1,110/month (2025 figure) - After your TWP, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility - During this time, any month you earn over the SGA amount ($1,470), you won't receive benefits for that month Make sure you report ALL work activity to SSA, even part-time or remote work. The $1,470 limit is specific to SSDI, not regular retirement benefits (which have different rules).

i was on ssdi for 5 years and worked part time at walmart. they took my benefits away when i went over the limit for 3 months in a row. be SUPER careful about your hours!!! they dont tell u when ur trial period is used up untill its too late

The previous answers are mostly correct, but I want to clarify a few things about working while on SSDI: 1. The Trial Work Period (TWP) is any 9 months within a rolling 60-month period where you earn above the threshold ($1,110 in 2025). These months DON'T have to be consecutive. 2. After your TWP, you enter the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) for 36 months. During this time, you'll receive benefits in any month you earn BELOW the SGA limit. 3. Even after the EPE, if your disability prevents you from working within 5 years, you can get expedited reinstatement without a new application. I strongly recommend creating a my Social Security account online and reporting your earnings monthly. This helps avoid overpayments that you'd have to pay back later.

I'm in a similar situation and tried calling SS about working part time. Spent 3 hours on hold only to get disconnected!! Then tried again next day and same thing happened. Does anyone know if remote work is counted differently than regular jobs with SSDI? My neighbor said something about a special rule for working from home but I can't find info on SSA website.

Just wanted to mention that SSDI and early retirement benefits at 62 have COMPLETELY different rules about working! If you were getting early retirement instead of SSDI, you'd be subject to the retirement earnings test ($22,320/year for 2025), with $1 deducted for every $2 you earn above that. With SSDI, it's all about the monthly SGA limit of $1,470. You can work and earn under that amount indefinitely after your TWP/EPE periods and still keep full SSDI benefits. For someone who's 62 and on SSDI, you might want to calculate if switching to early retirement would be better financially if you plan to work regularly. Though usually SSDI pays more and has Medicare regardless of age.

To answer your Medicare question - if you switch from SSDI to early retirement, you would lose Medicare until age 65 unless you qualify under different criteria. This is a major consideration when thinking about working. Regarding payment amounts: Early retirement at 62 would reduce your benefit by about 30% from your full retirement age amount. Your SSDI benefit is equal to what your full retirement benefit would be, so switching to early retirement would likely mean a significant reduction in monthly benefits. I recommend booking an appointment with a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) counselor. They provide free benefits counseling to help you understand exactly how work would affect your specific situation. You can find them through Social Security's Ticket to Work website.

Here's what I recommend for your situation: 1. Start by testing the waters with very part-time work (keeping under $1,110/month) so you don't trigger a Trial Work Period month 2. Keep meticulous records of all earnings and report them to SSA monthly 3. Consider asking for a Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) from SSA - this document will tell you if you've used any TWP months already 4. Look into the Ticket to Work program which provides work incentives and protections 5. If you find a good work-from-home opportunity that might push you over SGA, calculate carefully whether the combined income (work + potential reduced SSDI) is worth it Many people successfully work part-time while maintaining SSDI benefits. The key is staying informed and keeping your earnings documented and reported.

My sister lost EVERYTHING after working part time with SSDI!!! They made her pay back TWO YEARS of benefits because she didn't report properly. They don't care about your situation, they just want to cut people off! Be VERY careful!!

Thanks everyone for the advice! I think I'll start with just a few hours weekly to stay well under that $1,110 threshold while I figure everything out. I'll definitely report everything properly and maybe try that Claimyr service to actually talk to someone at SSA first. I don't want to risk my Medicare or get hit with an overpayment. I appreciate all your help!