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.

As someone who's been on SSDI for about 2 years now, I can tell you that being proactive with SSA is absolutely the right call. I learned this the hard way when I failed to report some freelance income from before my disability started - even though it was clearly from prior work, SSA flagged it and I had to spend months proving it wasn't current work activity. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given: when you contact SSA, ask them to make notes in your file about the conversation. This creates a paper trail that shows you were transparent about the situation from the beginning. Also, if possible, try to get any important information in writing - either through your online account or by asking them to mail you a summary of what was discussed. The fact that you're asking these questions and being careful about reporting shows you're handling this the right way. MS is tough enough without having to worry about benefit complications. Hang in there!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I've been on SSDI for about 8 months after a traumatic brain injury, and I keep getting residual payments from my previous consulting work. The anxiety about potentially losing benefits over income I earned before becoming disabled is real. What's helped me is creating a detailed timeline document that shows exactly when each piece of work was completed versus when payments were received. I include contract dates, project completion dates, and invoice dates. When I reported these payments to SSA, having this documentation ready made the conversation much smoother. One tip: if you have any email correspondence or project files that show the work was done in 2022/early 2023, save those too. I had to provide additional documentation months later when SSA did a routine review, and having everything organized from the start saved me a lot of stress. The system is definitely confusing, but everyone here is right - transparency and good documentation are your best protection. Wishing you the best with getting this sorted out!

I'm going through something very similar right now! I've been on SSDI for about 6 months due to a spinal cord injury, and I keep getting payments from a business I sold right before my accident. The payments are structured over 3 years, so even though I haven't worked at all since my injury, money keeps coming in. What I learned is that SSA distinguishes between "earned income" (from current work) and what they call "unearned income" or passive income. Since your commission checks are from sales you completed before your disability began, they should fall into a gray area that won't affect your SSDI as long as you can prove when the actual work was done. I'd recommend keeping a spreadsheet of every payment with the corresponding sale date/contract date. Also, get a letter from your former real estate broker confirming these are delayed commissions from pre-disability work if possible. When I reported my situation, having that third-party verification really helped clarify things for the SSA rep. The most important thing is don't let fear stop you from reporting - they WILL find out eventually through tax records, and it's much better to be upfront from the beginning. You've got this!

I'm a newcomer to SSDI and just found this community - thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences! I'm dealing with a somewhat similar situation where I'm receiving delayed payments from work completed before my disability, and the anxiety about potentially affecting my benefits is overwhelming. Reading through everyone's responses, a few key points really stand out: 1. Report the income immediately but with clear documentation that it's from pre-disability work 2. Create detailed timelines/spreadsheets showing when work was actually performed vs. when payments are received 3. Get third-party verification (like from former employer/broker) if possible 4. Keep copies of ALL documentation and communication with SSA 5. Being proactive is always better than waiting for SSA to discover unreported income The fact that multiple people here have successfully navigated similar situations gives me hope. It sounds like as long as you can prove the work was done before becoming disabled, these delayed payments shouldn't count as current Substantial Gainful Activity. One question for those who've been through this: How long did it typically take for SSA to process your explanations and confirm that the delayed payments wouldn't affect your benefits? I'm wondering if there's usually a period of uncertainty while they review the documentation. Thanks again to everyone for creating such a supportive and informative discussion!

As someone who's been on SSDI for about 18 months due to chronic fatigue syndrome, I want to echo what others have said about being proactive with reporting. I had a similar situation with book royalties that kept trickling in from a book I published before becoming disabled. What really helped me was creating what I called a "disability timeline" - a clear document showing my last day of work, my disability onset date, when I applied for SSDI, and when I was approved. Then I mapped all the incoming payments against this timeline to show they were all from work completed before I became unable to work. When I called SSA, I started the conversation by saying "I want to report some income, but I need to explain that this is not from current work activity." Having that clear framing seemed to help the representative understand the situation immediately. One practical tip: if you use the online reporting system, there's usually a comments section where you can add your explanation. Don't just report the dollar amount - use that space to clearly state "Commission payment received [date] for real estate sale completed [date] - prior to disability onset." The anxiety about this stuff is real, but the community here is right that transparency and good documentation will protect you. SSA deals with delayed payment situations more often than you might think, especially in commission-based fields.

I'm new to this community and just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm in a very similar situation - I've been on SSDI for about 4 months due to severe rheumatoid arthritis, and I'm still receiving commission payments from insurance policies I sold in 2022 before my condition worsened to the point where I couldn't work anymore. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice has given me a much clearer roadmap for handling this. The key takeaways I'm getting are: 1. Report immediately with detailed explanation that it's from pre-disability work 2. Create comprehensive documentation (timeline, contracts, email records) 3. Use clear language like "payment received for work completed before disability onset" 4. Get third-party verification from former employer if possible 5. Keep detailed records of all SSA communications What strikes me most is how consistent everyone's advice is, even though you've all dealt with slightly different situations (real estate, consulting, book royalties, business sales, insurance). It seems like the core principle is the same - SSA can distinguish between current work activity and delayed payments from previous work, but you need to make that distinction crystal clear for them. The anxiety about potentially losing benefits over income you rightfully earned before becoming disabled is so relatable. But this community has shown that with proper documentation and transparency, these situations can be resolved successfully. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly - it's made a scary situation feel much more manageable!

As someone who just joined this community and is navigating SSDI for the first time, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough and helpful discussion! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - I've been approved for SSDI due to lupus and am still receiving delayed payments from freelance graphic design work I completed before my condition became disabling. Reading through all these experiences has been both reassuring and educational. What really stands out to me is how the core advice remains consistent across different types of delayed payments - whether real estate commissions, insurance renewals, book royalties, or consulting fees. The key seems to be immediate reporting with crystal clear documentation that separates when the work was actually performed from when payment is received. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips like creating a disability timeline, using specific language in SSA communications ("payment for work completed before disability onset"), and getting third-party verification when possible. The suggestion to keep detailed logs of all SSA interactions is something I wouldn't have thought of but makes perfect sense given how inconsistent their representatives can be. For Anna (the original poster) and anyone else in similar situations - this community has shown that with proper documentation and transparency, these delayed payment issues can be resolved successfully. The anxiety is understandable, but being proactive is clearly the right approach. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space for navigating these complex SSDI challenges!

As a newcomer to this community and someone who just started navigating SSDI, I want to express how incredibly valuable this entire discussion has been! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation where I'm receiving delayed payments from work I completed before becoming disabled, and the level of detailed, practical advice shared here is remarkable. What strikes me most is how this thread demonstrates that while SSA's communication can be inconsistent and confusing, there are clear best practices that work across different types of delayed payment situations. Whether it's real estate commissions, insurance renewals, consulting fees, or freelance work, the core strategy remains the same: immediate reporting with comprehensive documentation that clearly establishes when the actual work was performed versus when payment is received. The practical tips shared here - creating disability timelines, using specific language like "payment for work completed before disability onset," keeping detailed logs of SSA communications, and seeking third-party verification when possible - provide a concrete roadmap for handling these anxiety-provoking situations. For Anna and anyone else dealing with delayed commissions or similar payments, this community has shown that transparency and thorough documentation are your best protection. The fear of accidentally jeopardizing benefits is completely understandable, but being proactive rather than reactive is clearly the safest approach. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative environment. This is exactly the kind of peer support that makes navigating complex SSDI challenges much more manageable!

As someone new to both SSDI and this community, I'm amazed by how comprehensive and helpful this discussion has been! I'm currently facing a very similar situation - I've been on SSDI for about 3 months due to fibromyalgia, and I'm still receiving payments from a consulting contract I completed in late 2022, well before my condition became disabling. Reading through everyone's experiences has transformed what felt like an overwhelming and scary situation into something much more manageable. The consistency in advice across so many different types of delayed payments (real estate, insurance, freelance work, book royalties) really reinforces that there's a proven approach that works. I'm particularly grateful for the specific language suggestions like "payment received for work completed before disability onset" - having that clear phrasing takes the guesswork out of how to communicate with SSA. The idea of creating a disability timeline to visually map when work was done versus when payments are received is brilliant and something I'm implementing immediately. What gives me the most confidence is seeing how many community members have successfully navigated these situations by being proactive and transparent. Anna, your original question has sparked such a valuable resource for anyone dealing with delayed payments while on SSDI. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this community support makes all the difference when dealing with these complex benefit issues!