Can I work while collecting SSDI in 2025? What's the monthly earnings limit?

Thanks for the detailed info! I didn't know about the Trial Work Period. Does using those 9 months mean I lose my Medicare coverage too? And do the 9 months have to be used within a certain timeframe?

That's not how it's supposed to work at all! If you only went over by $50 for one month, they shouldn't have terminated your benefits. Did you report your earnings properly? Sometimes these issues happen because of reporting errors. Did you appeal the decision?

Wait so if I understand right, during the trial work period I could technically earn $5000 a month and still keep my full SSDI check? That seems too good to be true. Is there a catch I'm missing?

I had the same problem last month and finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 15 minutes! It basically calls SSA for you and holds your place in line, then calls you back when an agent picks up. Check out their site at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Totally worth it for me because I needed to sort out my work limits situation fast. The agent I got was actually really helpful once I finally talked to someone.

Your cousin is probably referring to either Ticket to Work (which provides free employment services) or work incentives like Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Subsidies/Special Conditions that can reduce countable income. These don't change the SGA amount but can help if your earnings are close to the limit. For example, if you earn $1,650 but have $150 in IRWEs, your countable income would be $1,500 - below the 2025 SGA limit.

That's correct! One important thing to remember: those 9 Trial Work Period months don't have to be consecutive, but they do expire eventually. They count any month you earn over $1,110 (for 2025), and once you use all 9 months within a rolling 60-month period, your TWP is over. Good luck with your work opportunity!

This is really helpful advice! I'm new to this whole process and didn't realize how strict the reporting requirements were. Quick question - when you say "report monthly earnings by the 6th of the following month," does that mean I need to call SSA every single month, or is there an online portal where I can submit this information? Also, do work expenses like transportation to/from work count as deductible expenses that could reduce my countable income?

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you can actually do it online through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov - it's much easier than calling every month. Just log in and look for the "Report Wages" section. You can also report by phone or mail if you prefer. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can potentially qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, or if you use rideshare/taxi because your disability prevents you from using public transit. However, regular commuting costs that any worker would have typically don't count. Other common IRWEs include: assistive technology, service animal costs, attendant care services during work hours, and modifications to your work environment. You'll need to document these expenses and show they're specifically related to your disability and necessary for you to work. I'd definitely recommend discussing your specific situation with SSA when you call through that Claimyr service - they can give you personalized guidance on what expenses might qualify in your case.

Great questions! For reporting, you can actually do it several ways - there's the my Social Security online portal (myssa.gov) where you can report work and wages, or you can call the main SSA number. The online portal is usually faster than calling. You can also report by mail or in person at your local SSA office. Regarding work expenses - yes, certain work-related expenses can be deducted! These are called Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs). Transportation to/from work typically only counts if you need special transportation due to your disability (like medical transport or modified vehicle costs). Regular commuting costs usually don't qualify. However, other disability-related work expenses might qualify as IRWEs - things like special equipment, medications you need to work, attendant care services, prosthetics, etc. The key is that the expense must be directly related to your impairment AND necessary for you to work. I'd definitely recommend asking about IRWEs when you talk to SSA, as they can make a real difference if your earnings are close to the SGA limit!

Great questions! For reporting monthly earnings, you can actually do this online through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov - it's much easier than calling every month. Look for the "Report Wages" option in your account dashboard. You can also report by phone or mail, but online is fastest. Regarding work expenses - yes, transportation costs can sometimes qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability and necessary for you to work. For example, if you need special transportation due to your disability, or if you have to use rideshare services because your condition prevents you from driving. Regular commuting costs usually don't count, but disability-related transportation often does. Other common IRWEs include: assistive technology, service animals, attendant care services during work hours, and medications needed specifically for work. You'll need to document these expenses and get SSA approval for them to count toward reducing your earnings for SGA purposes. Definitely discuss your specific situation with SSA when you call - they can tell you exactly which of your work-related expenses might qualify as deductible.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can report online through your my Social Security account (easiest), call the SSA phone number, or visit a local office. The online portal is usually the most convenient and gives you a record of your submission. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability and necessary for you to work. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, or if you can't use public transit because of your disability. Regular commuting costs for someone who could use standard transportation typically don't count, but disability-related transportation modifications or special services do. Other common IRWEs include assistive technology, job coaching, attendant care services during work hours, and medical devices needed for work. Keep all receipts - SSA will want documentation that these expenses are both disability-related AND work-related. The key is that the expense wouldn't be necessary if not for your impairment.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can call SSA, use their online my Social Security portal (if you have an account set up), or even report by mail. The online portal is usually the fastest and gives you a record of when you reported. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can potentially qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation because you can't use regular public transit due to your condition, or if you need to pay for parking closer to your workplace because of mobility issues. Regular commuting costs that anyone would have usually don't count, but disability-related transportation expenses often do. Other common IRWEs include assistive technology, attendant care services, prosthetics, and medications needed to work. Keep all receipts and document how each expense relates to your disability - SSA will want that documentation when determining what qualifies.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can report online through your my Social Security account (which is usually the fastest), call the SSA toll-free number, or visit your local field office. The online portal is definitely the most convenient if you're comfortable using it. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can potentially qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're specifically related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, or if you have to take more expensive routes/methods because of your disability, those costs might be deductible from your earnings. However, regular commuting expenses that any worker would have typically don't count. Other common IRWEs include attendant care services, medications needed for work, special equipment, and modifications to your workspace. The key is that the expense must be directly related to your impairment AND necessary for you to work. I'd recommend discussing your specific situation with an SSA representative to see what expenses might qualify in your case.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you can actually do it online through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov - it's much easier than calling every month. Just log in and look for "Report Wages" under the "Benefits & Payment Details" section. You can report up to 3 months of wages at once. Regarding work expenses, yes - transportation costs CAN count as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're specifically related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition that costs more than regular public transit, that difference could be deductible. However, normal commuting costs that anyone would have typically don't qualify. Other common IRWE examples include: assistive technology, job coaching, modified work equipment, or medications needed specifically for work. The key is that the expense must be directly related to enabling you to work despite your disability. Keep all receipts and document how each expense relates to your impairment!

Great questions! For reporting, you have several options - you can report online through your my Social Security account (easiest), call the 1-800-772-1213 number, or visit your local SSA office. The online portal is definitely the most convenient since you can do it 24/7 and get confirmation that it was received. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) if they're necessary because of your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, those costs can be deducted from your countable earnings. Regular commuting expenses usually don't qualify unless there's a disability-related need. Other common IRWEs include assistive technology, job coaching, and certain medical equipment needed for work. I'd definitely recommend discussing your specific situation with an SSA representative since IRWEs can get pretty technical depending on your circumstances.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can report online through your my Social Security account (easiest), call the SSA, or visit a local office. The online portal is usually the most convenient and gives you a confirmation receipt. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, or if you have mobility issues that require rideshare instead of public transit. You'll need to keep receipts and be able to show the expense is necessary because of your disability, not just regular commuting costs. Other common IRWEs include assistive technology, prescription medications needed for work, attendant care services, and modifications to your workspace. These deductions can really help if your earnings are close to the SGA limit!

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can call SSA, report online through your my Social Security account (if you have one set up), or visit your local SSA office. The online portal is usually the fastest and gives you a confirmation receipt. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can potentially qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your impairment, those costs could be deductible. However, regular commuting costs typically don't qualify unless they're specifically related to your disability needs. Other common IRWEs include: assistive technology, service animals, medications needed for work, attendant care services during work hours, and modifications to your workspace. Keep all receipts and documentation - SSA will want proof that these expenses are both impairment-related AND necessary for you to work. I'd definitely recommend discussing your specific situation with an SSA representative when you call, as they can help determine what expenses might qualify in your case.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can report online through your my Social Security account (which is usually the fastest), call the SSA phone line, or visit your local field office. The online portal is definitely the most convenient if you're comfortable using it. Regarding work expenses, yes - transportation costs CAN sometimes be deducted as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, or if you can't use public transit because of your disability. Regular commuting costs usually don't qualify, but disability-related transportation often does. Other common IRWEs include assistive devices, job coaching, prescription medications needed for work, and prosthetics. You'll need to keep receipts and documentation showing how these expenses relate to your disability and work. I'd definitely ask about this when you talk to SSA - they can give you the specific criteria for what qualifies in your situation.

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you have several options - you can call SSA (though as others mentioned, getting through can be tough), report online through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov, or visit your local SSA office. The online reporting is usually the easiest once you get your account set up. Regarding work expenses, yes - transportation costs can potentially qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, or if you need to take more expensive routes because of mobility issues. However, regular commuting costs that any worker would have typically don't qualify. Other IRWEs might include assistive devices, medications needed to work, or attendant care services. You'll need documentation and receipts for everything, and SSA has to approve each expense. Definitely worth discussing your specific situation with an SSA representative!

Great questions! For reporting earnings, you can actually do it online through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov - it's much easier than calling every month. Just log in and look for "Report Wages" under the "Benefits & Payment Details" section. You can also report by phone or mail, but online is fastest. Regarding work expenses, yes! Transportation costs can qualify as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) if they're directly related to your disability. For example, if you need special transportation due to your condition, those costs can be deducted from your countable earnings. Regular commuting costs typically don't qualify, but disability-specific transportation expenses do. Other IRWEs might include assistive technology, job coaching, or medication you need specifically to work. I'd recommend documenting all your work-related expenses and discussing them with SSA when you report your earnings. They can help determine what qualifies as deductible in your specific situation.