Can SSDI recipients returning to work increase future SS retirement benefits at 62 or FRA?

Thank you! I didn't know about the Trial Work Period - that makes me feel safer about trying. But I'm confused about one thing - if I work for 2 years and then have to go back on SSDI, will those 2 working years replace 2 of my lower-earning years for my eventual retirement calculation?

Oh no, that's exactly what I'm afraid of! Did you report your work activity through the online portal or did you call/visit an office? I'm wondering if there's a better way to keep records of everything.

That's really helpful to hear from someone who's gone through it. Part-time is probably smarter to start with. Were you able to keep your Medicare during this process?

That's really helpful, thank you! I have about 30 years of work history already, but some early years were pretty low earnings. So it sounds like even a couple years of good earnings now could replace those low years and bump up my retirement amount. I'll definitely check my statement online.

what's this ticket to work thing? never heard of it

That's really good to know! I've tried calling SSA a few times and either wait forever or get disconnected. I'll check this out because I definitely want to talk to someone directly before making any decisions.

the app doesnt work for SSDI only for SSI, i tried using it an they told me i had to call in or do it online

Sounds like a solid plan! Taking it slow with part-time is smart. When I started back, I negotiated flexible hours with my employer to accommodate fatigue - working from home some days and scheduling around my energy levels. Many employers are more flexible now than they used to be. Good luck!

That's really helpful information about the automatic recalculation at FRA! I hadn't realized it happens automatically - that takes some worry off my mind. Remote work is definitely something I'm considering since the commute and office environment can be exhausting with my condition. Do you know if there are specific remote job resources for people with disabilities? I'm thinking something part-time in customer service or data entry might be manageable for me to start with.

@Amelia Martinez - Yes, there are several great resources for remote work for people with disabilities! Check out AbilityJobs.com and DisabilityIN.org - they both have remote job boards specifically for people with disabilities. FlexJobs also has a disability category and you can filter for remote work. For customer service roles, companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and ModSquad often hire remote workers and are disability-friendly. The National Telecommuting Institute Nति.org (also) provides free job training and placement specifically for people with disabilities in remote positions. Many of these programs understand the need for flexible schedules around health conditions. Start with part-time like you mentioned - it s'a smart approach to test your stamina while staying within the Trial Work Period protections.

@Amelia Martinez - Yes, there are several good resources for remote work specifically for people with disabilities! Check out AbilityJobs.com and DisabilityJobExchange.com - they both specialize in remote-friendly positions. Also, many state vocational rehabilitation agencies now have remote work specialists who can help with job placement. For customer service roles, companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and The Williams Group often hire remote customer service reps and are disability-friendly. They re'used to providing accommodations like flexible schedules. One tip: when you do find opportunities, don t'forget you can request reasonable accommodations during the application process if needed. Things like extra time for assessments or modified interview formats are totally legitimate requests. The key is starting small like you mentioned - even 15-20 hours a week can help you test your limits while staying within the Trial Work Period protections.

@Amelia Martinez - Yes, there are several great resources for remote work opportunities for people with disabilities! Check out AbilityJobs.com, DisabilityJobs.net, and the Job Accommodation Network JAN (website) which has a searchable database of remote-friendly employers. Also look into FlexJobs.com - they specialize in flexible and remote positions and often have customer service and data entry roles that might work well with your condition. Many companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and Arise specifically hire for remote customer service with flexible scheduling. The key is finding employers who already understand accommodation needs rather than having to educate them from scratch. Start with part-time like you mentioned - that s'exactly what I did and it made the transition much more manageable.

@Amelia Martinez - Yes! There are several great resources for remote work opportunities specifically for people with disabilities. Check out AbilityJobs.com and Getting Hired - they both specialize in connecting people with disabilities to remote-friendly employers. The Job Accommodation Network JAN (also) has a searchable database of employers known to provide accommodations and remote work options. Many companies now actively recruit people with disabilities for remote customer service, data entry, and virtual assistant roles. Also consider reaching out to your state s'Vocational Rehabilitation services - they often have partnerships with employers specifically for remote positions and can provide job coaching support as you transition back to work. Starting part-time with customer service or data entry sounds like a smart approach given your fatigue concerns. Many of these positions allow flexible scheduling which could be perfect for managing your energy levels.

@profile18 - Yes, there are several great resources for remote work specifically for people with disabilities! Check out these: 1. AbilityJobs.com - focuses specifically on disability-friendly employers 2. DisabilityIN's job portal - many remote opportunities 3. FlexJobs.com - filters for remote/flexible work and has disability resources 4. The Viscardi Center's employment services - they help with remote job placement For customer service or data entry specifically, companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and Arise often hire remote workers and are known to be accommodating. Many call centers now operate fully remote too. Also, your state's Vocational Rehabilitation office might have connections to remote work opportunities and could even help with training or equipment if needed. Some VR offices have partnerships with employers specifically for remote positions. The key is being upfront about your accommodation needs during the interview process - most legitimate remote employers are already set up to be flexible since that's the nature of remote work anyway.

For remote work opportunities specifically for people with disabilities, I'd recommend checking out these resources: 1. **AbilityJobs.com** - specializes in connecting employers with disabled job seekers, many remote positions 2. **FlexJobs.com** - has a disability-friendly filter and tons of remote/flexible opportunities 3. **Enable Me** - another job board focused on disability employment 4. **Your state's Vocational Rehabilitation office** - they often have partnerships with employers who specifically recruit people with disabilities For customer service and data entry specifically, companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and ModSquad frequently hire remote workers and are generally accommodating. Also, don't overlook federal employment - Schedule A hiring authority allows people with disabilities to be hired non-competitively for many government positions, including remote ones. USAJobs.gov has a good disability employment section. The key is being upfront about needing accommodations during the interview process - legitimate employers will work with you on flexible schedules and work-from-home arrangements.

@Amelia Martinez Yes, there are several great resources for remote work specifically for people with disabilities! Check out AbilityJobs.com and DisabilityJobExchange.com - they both specialize in disability-friendly employers and many listings are remote. Also, the Job Accommodation Network JAN (at) askjan.org has tons of resources about workplace accommodations. For customer service roles, companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and Arise often hire remote customer service reps with flexible schedules. FlexJobs.com also has a disability-friendly filter for their remote job listings. Since you re'dealing with fatigue issues like the original poster, starting with something like 20-25 hours per week might be perfect during your Trial Work Period. You can always increase hours later if your stamina improves. The key is finding employers who understand that productivity matters more than rigid schedules. Good luck with your search! Remote work was a game-changer for managing my own health condition while building back up my earnings record.

@Amelia Martinez There are several great resources for remote work for people with disabilities! Check out AbilityJobs.com, DisabilityIN s'job board, and JAN Job (Accommodation Network -) they have a searchable database of remote-friendly employers. FlexJobs also has a disability filter for remote positions. For customer service specifically, companies like LiveWorld, Working Solutions, and ModSquad often hire remote workers and are disability-friendly. The key is being upfront about accommodation needs during the interview process - most companies are more willing to work with you than you might expect, especially for remote roles where physical office accommodations aren t'needed.

@Amelia Martinez - There are several good resources for remote work specifically for people with disabilities! Check out AbilityJobs.com and DisabilityIN.org - they both have remote job listings. Also, many state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies now help with remote job placement and can provide accommodations like ergonomic equipment. The Job Accommodation Network JAN (at) askjan.org has great resources too. Customer service and data entry are definitely good starting points - many companies are very open to remote arrangements for these roles now. Just make sure to track your hours carefully for SSA reporting!

There are several great resources for remote work opportunities for people with disabilities! Check out disabilityjobexchange.org and abilityjobs.com - they specifically focus on disability-friendly employers. Also, many state vocational rehabilitation agencies have partnerships with remote-work employers. FlexJobs is another good platform that screens for legitimate remote positions, though it has a small subscription fee. Customer service and data entry are perfect starting points since they often offer flexible scheduling. The key is finding employers who understand accommodation needs from the start rather than trying to retrofit a traditional job.

This is such valuable information! I've bookmarked all those resources you mentioned. The idea of framing flexibility as productivity optimization is brilliant - I never thought of it that way. I'm particularly interested in the freelance platforms since I could truly control my workload based on how I'm feeling each day. Starting with something like data entry or simple customer service tasks seems much less overwhelming than jumping into full-time employment right away. Thank you for taking the time to share all these specific resources - it gives me a real roadmap to start with!

This is such great information about JAN! I had no idea there was a free service that could help with accommodation requests. The specific examples you mentioned really resonate with me - especially the flexible start/end times since my energy levels are definitely higher at certain times of day. Having sample request letters would be huge too since I've never had to navigate this before. It's reassuring to know there are ways to proactively address the fatigue challenges rather than just hoping for the best. I'm going to check out askjan.org right away. Thank you for sharing this resource!