Does Social Security count PTO hours as earnings for SSDI SGA limits?

Yes, PTO hours are counted toward SGA limits when you actually use them and get paid for them. The SSA counts all earnings in the month they're paid, not when you perform the work. So if you use all 30 hours at once, that additional income would count for that specific month and could push you over the SGA limit. But here's the good news - one month over SGA doesn't automatically terminate your benefits. SSA typically looks for sustained SGA, which is generally defined as earning over the SGA limit for 6+ months. A single month over the limit is often considered an Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA) or falls within a Trial Work Period month.

call the ssa and ask them!! nobody on internet forms knows for sure and u dont want to mess up ur bennefits. i did something like this last yr and had to get a letter from my job proving it was a one time payment. its all so confusing.

I'm in the same boat! Been on SSDI for 5 years and work part-time. YES they count PTO as income when you use it. I learned this the hard way when I took 2 weeks off last summer and went over the limit. Had to deal with so much paperwork afterward proving it was a one-time thing. So frustrating.

To expand on my earlier comment, you have several options: 1. Spread out your PTO usage across multiple months to stay under the SGA limit each month 2. Use it all at once understanding it will count as a Trial Work Period month (if you haven't used all 9 TWP months yet) 3. Save it for an emergency when you might need to take time off but still need income 4. If your employer allows it, see if you can cash out small amounts of PTO periodically instead of taking time off Remember that the SSA's rules on work are designed to encourage work attempts, so they do build in some flexibility. But documentation is critical - keep all your pay stubs and track your hours carefully.

The whole SGA system is designed to trap disabled people!! They make the rules so complicated on purpose. I went $50 over ONE MONTH two years ago and they've been reviewing my case ever since. They threatened to take away all my back benefits too!! The whole system is designed to keep us in poverty.

Hi there! I work as a benefits counselor, and this question comes up frequently. Yes, PTO is counted as earnings in the month it's paid. However, I want to add that if you're concerned about navigating these work rules, you might want to consider using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an SSA agent quickly to discuss your specific situation. Many of my clients have used it when they couldn't get through on the regular line. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. It's especially helpful for specific questions like yours that need an official answer from SSA.

Bunch of folks here talking about Trial Work Period but nobody mentioned Expedited Reinstatement. If you DO lose benefits from working too much, you can get them back relatively quickly within 5 years without a new application. Its one of the few decent protections SSA offers.

Quick question since this topic came up - do bonuses count toward SGA too? My job might give holiday bonuses and I never thought about whether that would count?

Update: I called SSA this morning (finally got through after trying for days!) and got confirmation that PTO definitely counts toward SGA when used. The representative suggested I spread out my PTO usage to avoid going over the limit in any single month. She also mentioned that I should keep track of any work expenses related to my disability that could be deducted as Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE). Apparently those can be subtracted from my gross earnings before comparing to the SGA limit, which gives me a bit more breathing room. Thanks everyone for your help with this!

Has anyone used the Ticket to Work program? My vocational counselor keeps suggesting it but im not sure if its a trap to get me off benefits.