Learn How You Can Work Without Losing Your SSDI or SSI Benefits

Several SSA work incentives exist specifically for SSI recipients that can significantly improve your financial position when returning to work. Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE): If you are under 22 and regularly attending school, a significant portion of your earned income may be excluded from the SSI calculation entirely. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE): Costs you incur because of your disability in order to work — such as transportation, medications, or assistive devices — can be deducted from your countable earned income. Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS): A PASS plan allows you to set aside income or resources for a specific work goal without those funds counting against your SSI eligibility or payment amount. Your benefits counselor will assess which of these apply to your situation.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is the earnings threshold SSA uses to determine whether someone is capable of meaningful employment. In 2026, the SGA amount is $1,690 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,830 per month for statutorily blind individuals. Once your Trial Work Period is complete, SSA will monitor whether your earnings consistently exceed SGA. Not every dollar counts toward SGA — impairment-related work expenses, employer subsidies, and other adjustments can reduce your countable earnings. Your OneBridge specialist helps you understand exactly what counts and plan your return to work around these thresholds.

You are not trapped. If you lose your job, reduce your hours, or find that employment is not sustainable, your SSDI benefits can be reinstated. During the 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility following your Trial Work Period, your benefits can be turned back on in any month your earnings fall below SGA — without a new application. If your benefits have already stopped and more than 36 months have passed, Expedited Reinstatement allows you to request them back within 5 years of the date they stopped, while receiving provisional payments during the review period. OneBridge supports you through all of this — not just during the job search, but through every change that follows.

Several work incentives exist specifically for SSI recipients. Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) — if you are under 22 and attending school regularly, a significant portion of your earned income may be excluded. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) — costs related to your disability that allow you to work can be deducted from your countable income. Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) — allows you to set aside income for a specific work goal without it counting against your SSI. Your benefits counselor will assess which apply to you.

No, not immediately. SSDI recipients are protected by the Trial Work Period, which allows you to earn any amount for up to 9 months without affecting your benefits at all. After the Trial Work Period, earnings are measured against the Substantial Gainful Activity threshold ($1,690 per month in 2026). A benefits counselor maps this out for you before you start working so there are no surprises.

No . SSI benefits reduce gradually as your earnings increase rather than stopping all at once. The SSA excludes the first $65 of earned income per month and half of everything above that, which means your benefit reduces incrementally. Many SSI recipients find their total monthly income increases when they return to work, even after the benefit adjustment.

The Trial Work Period is a protected window of up to 9 months during which SSDI recipients can work and earn any amount without any effect on their benefits. A month counts as a Trial Work Period month in 2026 when earnings exceed $1,210. The 9 months do not need to be consecutive and accumulate over a rolling 60-month window.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is the monthly earnings threshold used by SSA to determine whether someone is capable of meaningful employment. In 2026, SGA is $1,690 per month for non-blind SSDI recipients and $2,830 per month for statutorily blind recipients. Earnings above this level — after applicable exclusions — may eventually result in SSDI benefits stopping.

During the Trial Work Period, there is no earnings limit — you keep your full SSDI benefit regardless of how much you earn. After the Trial Work Period, earnings above $1,690 per month (the 2026 SGA threshold) may eventually affect your benefits, but the Extended Period of Eligibility and Expedited Reinstatement provisions provide ongoing protection. A benefits counselor can calculate your exact position before you commit to any work.

SSI does not cut off at a single earnings threshold. SSA excludes the first $65 of earned income per month and half of everything above that amount. Your SSI payment reduces gradually as your income increases. Additional exclusions — such as Impairment-Related Work Expenses or the Student Earned Income Exclusion — may apply to your situation and further reduce the impact on your payment.

Work Incentives Planning is a personalised review of how employment will affect your specific benefits — your SSDI or SSI payments, your Medicare or Medicaid, and any other support you receive. A certified Work Incentives specialist builds a transition plan tailored to your situation so you know exactly what to expect at every income level before you ever start working.

Benefits Counseling is the process of understanding how your disability benefits interact with earned income. It covers the full picture — SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, housing assistance, and all applicable work incentives. You need it because the rules are complex, differ between SSDI and SSI, and getting them wrong can have serious financial consequences. OneBridge provides this as the first step for every Ticket to Work client.

The key difference is duration and continuity of support. OOD provides job development services for a fixed period — typically ending after 3 months of job coaching — after which the case is closed. Ticket to Work allows OneBridge to work with you on an ongoing basis, with long-term coaching, benefits protection throughout, and no revolving door back into the system if employment does not work out immediately.

OneBridge provides ongoing support throughout your Ticket to Work journey — there is no fixed end date. This includes the initial benefits review, job development services, job placement support, and continued coaching through job changes, promotions, workplace challenges, and life events. The support does not end when you get a job.

You are protected. If employment does not work out, your benefits can be reinstated. During the 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility, your SSDI can be turned back on in any month your earnings fall below SGA. If more time has passed, Expedited Reinstatement allows you to request benefits back within 5 years of them stopping, with provisional payments available during the review. OneBridge supports you through this process as well.

Yes. Ticket to Work is not only for people looking for work. If you are already employed and receiving SSDI or SSI, you can assign your Ticket to access ongoing support — including benefits counseling, help with workplace accommodations, assistance with career progression, and protection from continuing disability reviews. Many employed beneficiaries use Ticket to Work to stabilise and grow their careers.

No. Medicare coverage continues during the Ticket to Work program. SSDI recipients retain Medicare for at least 93 months after the Trial Work Period begins, regardless of earnings. This extended Medicare continuation is one of the most significant protections in the program and removes one of the most common barriers to returning to work.

No. Medicaid coverage is also protected. SSI recipients who work and whose SSI payment reaches zero due to earnings may still retain Medicaid eligibility under Section 1619(b) of the Social Security Act, provided their income stays below their state’s threshold and they continue to need Medicaid to work. A benefits counselor confirms your specific Medicaid position as part of the initial review.

Ticket to Work is entirely voluntary. You choose to assign your Ticket, and you can unassign it at any time. There is no obligation to remain in the program, and leaving does not affect your underlying benefits eligibility. If you unassign your Ticket, it becomes available to assign to a different Employment Network if you choose to re-engage in the future.

An Employment Network (EN) is an organisation authorised by SSA to provide employment services to Ticket to Work participants. Employment Networks can be private companies, nonprofits, or other organisations that have met SSA’s requirements. OneBridge Center operates as an Employment Network through its membership in the American Dream Employment Network (ADEN). SSA pays the Employment Network based on the employment milestones participants achieve — which is why the service is free to participants.

The American Dream Employment Network (ADEN) is a national administrative Employment Network and a division of the National Disability Institute (NDI). ADEN handles the SSA contracting and compliance infrastructure that allows member providers like OneBridge to focus entirely on serving participants. ADEN membership also means access to certified Work Incentive specialists, national outcome data, and a quality standard that SSA requires all ADEN members to maintain. OneBridge is the only ADEN member in Ohio with an active web presence.

Expedited Reinstatement is a protection that allows former SSDI or SSI recipients to request their benefits back within 5 years of the date they stopped, without filing a completely new application. During the reinstatement review period, SSA can provide provisional benefits for up to 6 months. This provision exists specifically for people who tried working, found it was not sustainable, and need to return to benefits without starting the full application process again.

Getting started is straightforward. Contact OneBridge Center using the form below or by calling (330) 267-7556. There is no cost and no obligation — just a conversation about your situation and your options. Our specialist will review your benefits, answer your questions, and help you decide whether Ticket to Work is the right path for you. You can also reach the ADEN team directly at 844-687-2336 or the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (TTY: 1-866-833-2967).