Can my adult daughter work part-time on SSDI without losing benefits? Confused about earning limits

Your daughter can absolutely work while on SSDI, but there are specific earnings limits she needs to be aware of. In 2025, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals. As long as she earns less than this amount, her SSDI benefits can continue indefinitely after her Trial Work Period ends.The Trial Work Period (TWP) allows her to test her ability to work for 9 months while receiving full SSDI benefits regardless of how much she earns. These months don't have to be consecutive. In 2025, any month where she earns more than $1,110 counts as a TWP month.After the TWP ends, she enters a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility where benefits continue if earnings are below SGA, but stop for months when earnings exceed SGA.

Thank you so much for explaining! So if I understand correctly, she could work part-time at minimum wage and still keep her full SSDI check as long as she stays under $1,550/month? That's a relief. Do we need to notify SSA when she starts working or just report the income on taxes?

You absolutely MUST report any changes in work activity to SSA when she starts working!!! Don't just wait for tax time or you could end up with a massive overpayment later that they'll want back. Call them or report it through her my Social Security account online.I learned this the hard way and ended up owing SSA $8,700 because I thought I was under the limits but misunderstood how they count income. ALWAYS report any work changes right away!!

Ugh this happened to my cousin too. Social Security said he was under the limit during his reviews then 2 years later sent him a letter saying he owed them $12,000! He had to get a lawyer to fight it. The whole system is designed to trap people.

my son tried working while on SSDI and it was a nightmare dealing with SS. they kept losing his paystubs and then cutting off his benefits randomly saying he didnt report. good luck even getting someone on the phone when that happens

I had the same issue with Social Security not answering the phone when I needed to report my work hours. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual SSA agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Honestly worth it when you're dealing with something important like your daughter's benefits or reporting work activity. You never want to be in a situation where they claim you didn't report something.

Your daughter should also look into the Ticket to Work program through Social Security. It provides free employment support services and some additional protections for her benefits while she tries working. Another really important thing to understand is that she won't automatically lose Medicare when she starts working. Even if she eventually earns too much for SSDI payments, she can keep Medicare for at least 8.5 years after her TWP ends.I'm a benefits counselor who works with SSDI recipients, and I always tell people to consider working if they can. The rules are designed to encourage work attempts while providing a safety net.

I had no idea about keeping Medicare that long! That's a huge relief since her medical coverage is actually more important than the cash benefit in some ways. I'll definitely look into the Ticket to Work program. Does using that program change any of the earnings limits or is it just extra support?

i was on ssdi for 5 years and worked part time at walmart. as long as she stays under the SGA limit shes fine. but tell her to keep EVERY paystub and make copies of everything she sends to SSA. take pictures with her phone too. and get receipts when she reports anything!!!! dont trust them to keep track

yes!!! document EVERYTHING. my friend had her benefits cut off because she worked 2 hours overtime one week and went $47 over the limit for that month. took 4 months to get benefits back

To answer your follow-up question: The Ticket to Work program doesn't change the earnings limits, but it does provide additional protections. While using a Ticket, Social Security won't conduct medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) that might otherwise terminate benefits if they determine her condition has improved.Also, some people confuse SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) with SSI (Supplemental Security Income). They have very different rules for working. SSDI has the Trial Work Period and SGA limits we've discussed, while SSI reduces benefits gradually as income increases using a different formula. Based on your original post, I'm assuming your daughter is on SSDI, not SSI.

Yes, she's definitely on SSDI. She worked enough before her accident to qualify. That's really helpful to know about the medical reviews being paused with Ticket to Work. I was worried that getting a job might make them think she's

One thing nobody mentioned - if your daughter gets any job-specific accommodations for her disability, those might affect how SSA counts earnings for the SGA limit. They call this \

That's a really excellent point about subsidies and special conditions! If her employer makes significant accommodations or if she's less productive than other workers but receives the same pay, SSA can adjust the countable earnings accordingly. Your daughter should document any accommodations she receives.

Thank you all SO MUCH for this helpful information. I feel much better about her trying to work now. I'm going to help her look into Ticket to Work and make sure we document everything carefully. It sounds like a part-time minimum wage job should be safe as long as we stay under that SGA amount and report everything promptly. It would mean so much for her self-esteem to have even a small real job after everything she's been through.