Can I work part-time while receiving SSDI? Confused about income limits for Social Security Disability at 52
I started receiving SSDI benefits about 6 months ago after my rheumatoid arthritis made it impossible to continue my nursing career. I'm 52 and honestly going a little stir-crazy sitting at home all day. My neighbor mentioned I might be able to work a few hours weekly without losing my benefits, but I've heard horror stories about people getting cut off completely. Does anyone know what the current rules are for 2025? How many hours can I work? Is there a specific dollar amount I can't exceed? And does it matter what kind of work I do? I used to be an RN but obviously can't do that anymore, but maybe I could do something very part-time with minimal physical demands. I'm terrified of messing up my benefits since I absolutely depend on them, but I miss having some purpose and a little extra money wouldn't hurt either. Any advice from people who've navigated this successfully?
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Elijah Jackson
The key thing you need to know about is the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit. For 2025, that amount is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals. As long as you earn less than that, your SSDI benefits shouldn't be affected. There's also something called the Trial Work Period (TWP) that lets you test your ability to work for 9 months while still receiving full SSDI benefits regardless of how much you earn. A TWP month is any month you earn more than $1,110 (for 2025). The type of work doesn't matter - just the amount you earn. So yes, you can definitely do something different from nursing!
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Isabella Martin
•Thank you SO much for explaining this! So if I understand right, I could work part-time making under $1,550 a month and still keep my full benefits? And the 9-month trial period is only if I earn over $1,110? Do they count gross earnings or after taxes? And do I need to report this income somewhere special besides just my normal tax return?
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Sophia Miller
My sister tried working while on disability and they cutt her off completly! She had to fight for almost 2 years to get her benefits back and almost lost her house. Be VERY careful about this, the SSA will use ANY excuse to deny benefits!!!!!
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Mason Davis
•This happened to my uncle too! He only worked like 12 hours a week at a grocery store and suddenly got a letter saying he wasn't disabled anymore. The whole system is designed to trick people.
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Mia Rodriguez
I've been on SSDI for 5 years and successfully work part-time. Here's what you need to know: 1. YES, you can work part-time while receiving SSDI. 2. Track your earnings carefully - the SSA looks at GROSS earnings before taxes. 3. You MUST report any work activity to Social Security - don't just rely on tax returns. Call your local office or report through your my Social Security account online. 4. Keep copies of all pay stubs and documentation. 5. The Trial Work Period (TWP) is actually beneficial - it lets you test working without risk for 9 months (they don't have to be consecutive). After your TWP, you'll enter the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) for 36 months where benefits can stop in months you earn over SGA but restart in months you don't. Don't be scared off by horror stories. Most problems happen when people don't report properly or don't understand the rules.
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Isabella Martin
•This is incredibly helpful! I had no idea about the Extended Period of Eligibility. So even after the 9-month trial period, there's still some flexibility? That makes me feel much better about trying to work. I'll definitely report everything properly. Is there a specific form I need to fill out when I start working?
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Jacob Lewis
Listen I had the WORST time trying to reach somebody at Social Security to ask about this exact same issue. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting for an hour. Finally I found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual SSA agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with was super helpful and explained all the SSDI work rules to me. They even noted in my file that I was planning to start part-time work so there wouldn't be any surprises later. Totally worth it instead of stressing for weeks trying to get answers.
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Amelia Martinez
•does this claimyr thing actually work? i tried calling SSA like 50 times last month and couldnt get thru
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Jacob Lewis
•Yes, it definitely worked for me. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for weeks to get through. The SSA agent I spoke with told me exactly what documentation I'd need to provide when I start working and how to report my earnings properly.
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Amelia Martinez
i work about 18 hrs a week while on ssdi. as long as you dont make too much $$ your fine. just dont deposit alot of cash or they might think your working under the table
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Elijah Jackson
•This isn't completely accurate. The SSA doesn't monitor your bank accounts for cash deposits. They're concerned with earned income, not where you keep your money. What matters is accurately reporting your work activity and earnings to Social Security, regardless of whether you're paid by check, direct deposit, or cash.
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Ethan Clark
Thanks for asking this question! I'm in almost the exact same situation (except I'm 54 with MS). I've been too afraid to try working because I thought any income would immediately terminate my benefits. Following this thread for more info...
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Mia Rodriguez
•You absolutely can work within limits. The best thing to do is schedule an appointment with an SSA claims representative who can explain your specific situation, or talk to a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) counselor. They provide free benefits counseling to disability beneficiaries.
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Elijah Jackson
One more important thing to mention - Social Security actually has a program called Ticket to Work that provides free employment support services to disability beneficiaries. They can help with vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals, and other support services. They also offer work incentives that make it easier to transition back to work. Check out choosework.ssa.gov for more information. This program also provides certain protections during reviews of your medical condition.
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Isabella Martin
•I had no idea this program existed! I just looked it up and it seems really helpful. I'm going to see if they can help me find something suitable with my physical limitations. Thank you so much for mentioning this!
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Mason Davis
My cousin works at walmart while getting disabilty. he said as long as you make under the limit its fine but sometimes SS is slow updating their records so he got a overpayment notice once but they fixed it when he sent in his paystubs.
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Amelia Martinez
•overpayments are THE WORST! i got hit with one for $7,400 cause they said i didnt report some work from 2023. still fighting it
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Isabella Martin
Thank you everyone for all the great advice! I feel much better about trying to work now. I'm going to: 1. Look into the Ticket to Work program 2. Start with very part-time hours keeping well under the SGA limit 3. Report everything properly to SSA from the start 4. Keep good records of all my earnings and communications This has been so helpful. I was feeling really isolated and uncertain about my future, but knowing I can at least try working without immediately losing everything gives me hope. I appreciate all of you sharing your experiences and knowledge!
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Elijah Jackson
•You're very welcome! That's a great plan. One final tip: consider asking for a Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) from Social Security. It's a free report that shows your earnings history, benefit details, and work status. It's helpful to have as a baseline before you start working.
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