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.

As someone who's been navigating SSDI work rules for a while, I wanted to add that it's also worth keeping track of your "substantial work" months versus your Trial Work Period months. TWP months are any month you earn over $1,040 (for 2025), while substantial work is earning over the SGA limit of $1,550. You can have up to 9 TWP months total, but going over SGA repeatedly is what actually triggers benefit termination. So even if your PTO pushes you over $1,040 in a month, it might count as a TWP month but not necessarily threaten your benefits if you stay under $1,550. The distinction is important for long-term planning!

Great question! As a fellow SSDI recipient who works part-time, I can confirm that PTO absolutely counts toward SGA when you actually use it and receive payment. The key thing to remember is that SSA looks at when you're PAID, not when you earned the time off. Here's what I've learned from my own experience: spreading out your PTO usage across multiple months is definitely the safest approach. Since you're already at $1,200/month with regular hours, using all 30 PTO hours at once would likely push you over the $1,550 SGA limit for that month. A few practical tips: - Keep detailed records of ALL income including PTO payments - Consider using just a few PTO hours each month to stay comfortably under the limit - Remember that going over SGA for one month isn't an automatic benefit termination, but it's still risky - If you haven't used all 9 Trial Work Period months yet, you have some flexibility The most important thing is to stay in communication with SSA about your work activity. I report my earnings every month through their online portal to avoid any surprises. Better to be overly cautious than risk your benefits!

I've been dealing with similar PTO questions for years! One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my monthly earnings including any PTO usage. I calculate my projected monthly total BEFORE taking any PTO to make sure I won't go over the SGA limit. Also wanted to mention that some employers are flexible about PTO policies for employees with disabilities. I was able to work with HR to cash out small amounts of PTO periodically (like 4-5 hours per month) rather than taking large chunks of time off. This keeps me safely under the SGA limit while still allowing me to use my earned benefits. If your employer offers this option, it might be worth exploring. Just make sure any PTO cash-outs are properly documented on your pay stubs since SSA will want to see exactly when and how much you received.