This article describes several SSA work incentives for those who are receiving SSDI and a some work incentives for those receiving SSI.

Trial Work Period, applies to SSDI only:

      One of the first work-incentives available to SSDI recipients is the "9 Month Trial Work Period" (TWP).  The TWP allows a person to work for up to nine total months and still receive their full monthly SSDI check regardless of monthly earnings.  Any month you earn over $570 gross you use up one TWP month.  If you earn less than $570 gross in a month your monthly check will not be affected and you won't even use up one of your 9 TWP months.  If you earn more than $570 gross you would use up one TWP month.

Extended Period of Eligibility, applies to SSDI only:

      The next work incentive is called the 36 month Extended Period of Eligibility.  After using up all 9 TWP months you then begin a 36 month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE).  During this 3-year period, any month you earn less than $800 you would continue to receive your full check.  If you earn more than $800 gross in a month you would not be eligible for your check that month.  SSDI is an all or nothing benefit, you get your full check or nothing.  The amounts you can earn during the TWP and EPE are increased by a cost of living factor determined by SSA annually.  The figures above are for the year 2003.

How income from work is counted against your check, applies to SSI only:

      The formula used by SSA to determine how much your SSI check should be for any given month is relatively straight forward.  This is how it works.  SSA ignores the first $85 of gross monthly earnings in a month and counts ½ of the rest of your gross earnings as "countable income."  Countable Income is the amount that your monthly SSI check would be reduced by.  For example: If you earned a gross of $485 in a month, SSA would ignore the first $85 which would leave $400.  They would count ½ of that amount to determine your "countable income" ($400 / 2 = $200 countable income).  That $200 would cause your future SSI check to be $200 less than it normally would be. 

     There are other work incentives for SSI, such as the Plan for Achieving Self Support and Impairment Related Work Expenses.  These are discussed at the monthly workshops.

--Submitted by Gary Peterson, Independent  Living
Specialist at FREED in Grass Valley

SSDI and SSI have a very different set of work
incentives rules that apply to each.  Call Gary Peterson 272-1732, for more details or come to the monthly Social
Security workshop on the 3^rd Thursday of each month from 1:30 to 3 pm