SSI payment reduction timing after starting work - November or December?

SSI payments are reduced based on a two-month lag. The wages you earn in September will affect your November SSI payment. October earnings will reduce your December payment. This is because SSI operates on a retrospective monthly accounting system.For example:- September earnings → reported in October → affects November SSI payment- October earnings → reported in November → affects December SSI paymentSince you started working in late September, your November check will likely be the first one affected, but the reduction might be small if you only worked a few days in September. The December check will reflect a full month of October work.The Ticket to Work program doesn't change this timeline, but it might provide work incentives that reduce how much your check is decreased. Make sure you're talking with your Employment Network about this.

Thank you so much! This makes it much clearer. So I'll see my first reduction in November based on those few September days I worked. That gives me a little time to prepare before the bigger reduction hits in December. I'll definitely talk to my Employment Network about any work incentives that might help. Really appreciate the clear explanation!

IF YOU DON'T REPORT ON TIME THEY WILL HIT YOU WITH AN OVERPAYMENT LATER!!! I made this mistake and ended up owing $1,780 because I thought reporting by the 10th was just a suggestion. They paid me full benefits for 3 months then sent me a scary letter saying I had to pay it ALL back. Be super careful with the reporting dates and KEEP EVERY PAYSTUB!!! The SSA website says you need to report by the 10th of the month after you receive income.

thx for the warning! do u kno if direct deposit paystubs count or do we need the paper ones? my work only does electronic

my situation was kinda like urs. started work in july, got first reduced check in september. the way they explained it 2 me was theres a 2 month gap between when u earn $ and when it affects ur check. they call it the retrospective monthly accounting period or something. but make sure u report right away cuz if u don't it gets messy fast

Thanks for sharing your experience! That two-month gap makes sense with what the other commenter explained. I'll definitely make sure to report everything on time - sounds like that's super important from what everyone's saying.

To add to what others have said, here's a breakdown of how SSI income reporting works:1. You must report wages by the 10th of the month following when you received the income2. SSA uses a two-month lag system (retrospective monthly accounting)3. Wages received in Month 1 affect benefits in Month 3For your specific situation:- Late September work → October reporting → November SSI reduction- October work → November reporting → December SSI reductionAlso, since you're on Ticket to Work, look into these work incentives that might help reduce the impact on your check:- General Income Exclusion ($20/month)- Earned Income Exclusion (first $65 plus half of remaining earnings)- Student Earned Income Exclusion (if applicable)- Impairment-Related Work ExpensesYour Employment Network should help you understand these.

I went through this whole process last year, and those work incentives REALLY help, especially if you can document Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE). Make sure you understand which exclusions apply to you. My EN wasn't very helpful, so I had to figure it out myself by calling SSA directly - which was a nightmare until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me through to an actual person at SSA in less than 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it when you need to get specific answers about your situation.

wait dont you have to report within 10 days of getting paid not the beginning of the next month? i thought it was 10 days after you get any income change? now im worried ive been doing it wrong

You're actually supposed to report within 10 days after the month ends. So for October income, you need to report by November 10th. Some local offices might tell people

hey im on ssi and ttw too! just started my first job 2 months ago. the confusing part is they don't explain this stuff clearly. my first check didn't change but my second one did get smaller, like everybody else said there's a 2 month delay. also make sure u tell ur job about impairment related work expenses if u have any cuz they can help ur check not go down as much

It's nice to hear from someone else on TTW! You're so right about them not explaining it clearly. I'm going to look into those impairment related work expenses - hadn't really thought about that. Were there any other surprises I should be prepared for after you started working?

One more important thing: make sure you understand the difference between the SSI income reporting process and the annual SSI redetermination process. They're separate things:- Monthly wage reporting: For your ongoing monthly wages (what we've been discussing)- Annual redetermination: A complete review of your income, resources, and living situationDuring your annual redetermination, they'll verify all the wage reports you've submitted throughout the year, so keeping good records is essential. If you've been reporting consistently each month, the redetermination should go smoothly.

AND THEY CAN DO UNSCHEDULED REDETERMINATIONS TOO!!! They did one on me after I started working even though my regular one wasn't due for months. Make sure your bank accounts NEVER go over the resource limit ($2000 for individuals) even for ONE DAY or they'll count it against you. They check everything!

btw the mobile wage reporting app makes this way easier if u have a smartphone. that's what i use every month

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful information! I'm going to: 1) Make sure I report my October wages by November 10th, 2) Prepare for my November SSI payment to be slightly reduced based on my few September workdays, 3) Expect a larger reduction in December, 4) Talk to my EN about work incentives like IRWE, and 5) Keep ALL my paystubs and documentation. I feel so much better understanding the timeline now! This community is amazing.

Sounds like you have a solid plan! One final tip: set calendar reminders for your monthly reporting deadlines. It's easy to forget, especially as you adjust to your new work schedule. Congratulations on the new job, and good luck with your Ticket to Work journey!