SSDI and reporting commission income from prior years' work - will Social Security count it?

Yes, you DO need to report this income to Social Security, but it shouldn't affect your benefits if you can properly document when the work was actually performed. The key issue is that SSA looks at when income is received, not when it was earned - this is called "constructive receipt" in their rules. Here's what to do: 1. Report the income through the SSA mobile app or your my Social Security account 2. Include a detailed explanation that these are delayed commissions for work completed before your disability onset date 3. Provide documentation showing when the actual work was performed (contracts showing dates, emails, anything) Keep copies of EVERYTHING. If SSA mistakenly counts this as current work, you'll need these records to appeal. This situation is actually common for people in commission-based careers. The most important thing is to be proactive and transparent - never ignore reporting income.

I had something kinda similar happen with royalty payments for a book I wrote before getting SSDI for my back injury. The payments kept coming in but i didnt report them at first and then got a nasty letter from ssa saying i was working. Was a HUGE mess to fix!! defintely tell them asap dont wait

You absolutely need to report this income immediately - but with an important distinction. What matters to SSA is not just the money but whether you're engaging in Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). Since these commissions are for work completed before your disability onset date, they should not count as current SGA. However, SSA's systems automatically flag income reported through the IRS, so when these commissions show up on your tax returns, they will trigger a review if you haven't already explained them. Call your local SSA office and request an appointment specifically to discuss this situation. Bring documentation that proves when the work was performed. You'll want to submit what's called a "Work Activity Report" (Form SSA-821) that explains these are not earnings from current work activity. This is a common issue for real estate agents, insurance salespeople, and others who receive delayed commissions. The key is being proactive rather than waiting for SSA to contact you about unexplained income.

The SSA system is BROKEN when it comes to this stuff!!! I had almost the EXACT same situation with consulting fees that came in after my disability started. SSA immediately assumed I was working and SUSPENDED MY PAYMENTS with NO WARNING!!! Took me THREE MONTHS to get it straightened out while I couldn't pay rent or buy medication. They don't train their people properly and the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. One office tells you one thing, another tells you something completely different. It's INFURIATING!!!!

i had a similar thing with unemployment benefits that came through after i got on ssdi. they told me it doesnt count as work but i still had to report it. the rules are super confusing tho

To respond to your follow-up question - don't wait for your CDR. Report this income right away. If the IRS reports it to SSA before you've explained the situation, it could trigger an automated review that might temporarily affect your benefits until resolved. It's always better to be proactive with SSA rather than reactive. And remember, when you report, emphasize that this is not evidence of current work activity but delayed payment for work performed before your disability began.

Regarding the phone system issues - have you tried using Claimyr? It's a service that waits on hold with SSA for you and then calls you when a representative is available. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to resolve a similar issue with delayed payments. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. The website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

Wait I'm confused...doesn't it matter if the money puts you over the SGA amount for the month you receive it? My cousin got a back-payment for something and they reduced her check that month.

When I got on disability, my lawyer told me to report EVERYTHING no matter what!! He said even if you think it doesn't count, tell them anyway because they'll find out eventually through tax records and then you'll be in big trouble! Better safe than sorry!!!!!!

Thank you everyone for the advice! I'm going to gather all my documentation showing when the work was actually performed and report these commissions right away. I'll make it clear that I haven't done any work since becoming disabled. It sounds like as long as I'm transparent and can prove when I earned the income, it shouldn't affect my benefits. I'm still nervous about dealing with SSA given all the horror stories, but at least I feel more prepared now.