Can my husband receive Social Security disability while working after his strokes? VA disability complicates things

First, I'm sorry about your husband's health struggles. To answer your question directly: Working during the SSDI application process can potentially jeopardize his claim if his earnings exceed what Social Security calls "Substantial Gainful Activity" (SGA). For 2025, that amount is $1,550/month for disabled applicants (non-blind). If he earns more than this while applying, SSA will likely determine he's not disabled regardless of his medical condition. His VA disability rating is helpful evidence but doesn't automatically qualify him for SSDI. The SSA has its own evaluation criteria. They'll consider his VA rating, but ultimately make their own determination. My advice: If financially possible, he should focus on recovery and not work during the application process. If he absolutely must work, keep earnings well below the SGA limit and document how his limitations affect his ability to perform job duties.

VA disability payments do NOT count toward the SGA limit. Only earned income from work counts. So his VA compensation won't affect his SSDI eligibility in terms of the earnings limit. However, if he's receiving VA compensation at the 100% rate, he should be very careful about working, as this could potentially affect his VA disability rating depending on the specific circumstances of his award.

Yes the VA rating will help!! My husband is also 100% VA disabled and when he applied for SSDI they fast-tracked his case because of it. But he definitely couldn't work during the application process or they would have denied him immediately. The person who reviews the case will see him working and won't even look at the medical records!!!

This is actually a bit more nuanced. SSA has what's called the Compassionate Allowances program that fast-tracks certain severe medical conditions. Stroke can qualify depending on severity. For your husband's situation, there's a 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits regardless, so even if approved quickly, payments wouldn't start immediately. Regarding work: It's not just about the SGA limit. If your husband attempts to return to work too soon, even part-time, SSA could interpret this as evidence that his condition isn't as severe as claimed. However, SSA also has work incentives like Trial Work Period (TWP) that allow testing work ability without losing benefits - but these apply AFTER approval, not during application. With his VA rating and recent strokes, he likely has a strong case, but working during application could definitely complicate things. Document ALL limitations in detail when applying.

I've been dealing with the Social Security phone system for WEEKS trying to get answers about my husband's disability application. Constant busy signals, disconnections after waiting an hour, and when I finally reach someone, they transfer me and I get disconnected again! I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual SSA representative in 20 minutes. They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU With your husband's complicated situation (VA disability + potential work activity), you really need to speak with SSA directly to understand exactly how it affects his case.

I've been a disability advocate for 15 years, and I STRONGLY recommend your husband NOT work during the SSDI application process. SSA evaluates whether a person can perform "substantial gainful activity" - which means not just the earnings amount, but whether he can reliably perform work. Even attempting part-time work gives them reason to deny the claim. The problem isn't just the SGA limit ($1,550/mo in 2025). It's that working AT ALL suggests he can work despite his medical conditions. This creates a major hurdle in proving disability, even with the 100% VA rating. My professional advice: Focus on medical treatment, document all limitations, get statements from doctors about specific work limitations, and apply ASAP. The SSDI backlog is still significant, so starting sooner is better. Use the 100% VA rating as supporting evidence, but don't assume it guarantees approval. They're separate systems with different criteria.

THE SSA SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!!! My husband was 100% VA disabled too and SSA STILL denied him the first time even with all his medical records!!! They WANT to deny people!!! We had to get a lawyer and fight for TWO YEARS before he was approved. And they deny EVERYONE the first time no matter what!!! Tell your husband DO NOT WORK AT ALL during application!!!! They will use ANYTHING to deny the claim!!!!

I just remembered something important - ask the doctor to write a note specifically stating your husband cannot work! My husband's neurologist wrote a detailed letter about his limitations and I think that made a big difference in his approval.

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice. After showing my husband these responses, he finally agreed not to work during the application process. We're gathering all his medical records, VA disability documentation, and will be asking his doctors for detailed statements about his limitations. I'm nervous about our finances, but his health and securing these benefits is more important right now. I'll update once we get further in the process.