Does SSDI count retirement contributions toward $1550 SGA limit? Worried about son's new school job

SSA looks at gross earnings BEFORE any deductions when calculating SGA. So unfortunately they would count the full $835 amount, not the $762. That would put her at $1670 monthly which is above the $1550 SGA limit. I'd recommend she reduce her hours slightly to stay under the threshold, or look into whether she qualifies for any income exclusions like Impairment Related Work Expenses that could bring her countable income down. Hope this helps!

i think the other commenter is wrong. my nephew is on ssdi and works part time. from what i understand they look at what u actually TAKE HOME not what goes into retirement. at least thats what his caseworker told us last yr. maybe call and ask to be sure tho

While the previous responses contain some helpful information, I'd like to clarify a few important points about SSDI and the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit: 1. SSA absolutely counts GROSS earnings before ANY deductions (taxes, retirement, health insurance, etc.). This means they would count the full $835 amount, not the $762. 2. However, your daughter may be eligible for certain deductions that could help keep her below the SGA limit: • Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) - expenses related to her disability that allow her to work • Subsidy - if she receives extra support or supervision at work • Special Conditions - if her work is worth less than what she's being paid 3. There is a Trial Work Period (TWP) that allows her to test her ability to work for 9 months while keeping full benefits, regardless of earnings. 4. After the TWP, there's a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility where benefits can be reinstated in any month earnings fall below SGA. I strongly recommend scheduling an appointment with an SSA claims representative to discuss her specific situation and work incentives that might apply to her case.

Everyone's right that SSA counts the gross amount before deductions for retirement. But what nobody's mentioned is that most school districts are exempt from Social Security taxes and instead pay into their own pension systems. This is important because if your daughter isn't paying into Social Security at this job, the rules might be different. Check her paystub - if there's no FICA tax being taken out, you should definitely speak with an SSA representative about how they treat non-covered employment for SSDI recipients. The rules get complicated in these situations.

My son went through exactly this last year!!!! His SSDI got terminated when he went over by like $50 for THREE months and it was a NIGHTMARE getting it back. Even though he eventually reduced his hours, we had to appeal and it took FOREVER. Plus his Medicare got messed up and he couldn't get his meds. NOT WORTH IT!!!

have you tried calling SSA directly? good luck with that lol. i spent 4 hours on hold last week and got disconnected twice. their phone system is the WORST!

To answer your question about IRWEs - for therapy and medication to count as IRWEs, you need to document: 1. That these expenses are necessary because of her disability 2. That they enable her to work 3. That she pays for them herself (not covered by insurance) 4. The actual costs Keep all receipts, get a letter from her doctor explaining how these treatments enable her to work, and submit them to SSA. They can deduct these costs from her gross income when calculating SGA. Regarding the non-covered employment (no FICA tax), this is very important. Since she's working in a school district with its own pension system, different rules may apply. This actually needs specialized attention from SSA.

One thing nobody's mentioned is she should immediately report this job to SSA if she hasn't already. Not reporting work activity can lead to overpayments that she'll have to pay back later. Better to address this proactively than wait for them to find out during a review.

maybe she could ask the school if she can opt out of the retirement thing? some places let you do that especially for part time workers