July is here, and with it comes a new round of payments (finally!). So, if you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) from the Social Security Administration, you should know that a new monthly income limit has been set, meaning you can work, but you cannot earn more than $1,620 per month if you want to continue receiving your benefits.
Many people don’t know they can work and still receive SSDI, but the reality is that as long as you don’t exceed that amount, you can have your own job and independence! Once you go over it… the SSA may cut off your benefits, considering that you no longer need the assistance. So be careful!
This income cap is known as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), and it’s the threshold the SSA uses to determine whether or not you still qualify for monthly payments. If you consistently earn above it, they could decide that you no longer have a disability that prevents you from doing “substantial work.”
Who can receive the full SSDI check?
The maximum to qualify is $1,620, and it applies to most adult disability beneficiaries who apply, but there are exceptions.
For example, if you are legally blind, you can earn up to $2,590 per month. In addition, if you’re in a trial phase like the Trial Work Period, you can exceed the threshold temporarily without losing the benefit.
How the Trial Work Period works
The Trial Work Period allows SSDI recipients to gradually return to the workforce. It lasts 9 months, and during that time you can go over the monthly income limit without losing your benefits, so you can get through those first months with help from the government. But you must report all income and job changes to the SSA to avoid penalties.
What happens if you don’t report your income
Be careful, the SSA doesn’t play around with this. They can suspend your payments, start a (very thorough) review, and even demand that you pay money back if they believe you haven’t followed the legal limits of your disability payment. So, since we don’t want any surprises, it’s best to keep a monthly record of your earnings, save payment documents, and stay on top of any notice the SSA might send you.
It’s possible to work and keep your SSDI
Many people think that working automatically means losing SSDI, but that’s not true. You can work part-time or have irregular income, as long as your monthly average doesn’t go over $1,620 (or $2,590 if you’re blind). As long as you stay below the limit, everything is fine!
And believe it or not, just one month above the threshold could be enough for the authorities to launch an automatic review of your case… and you could lose your benefit. So the best thing to do is stay under the limit and report any increase in salary, job changes, changes in work hours… anything that affects your financial and employment situation. That way, we make sure you never lose anything!
How to report your income to the SSA
You can do it online, by phone, or directly at a local SSA office, whichever is most convenient for you. You can even request an individualized review to find out exactly how much you’re allowed to earn based on your medical and work situation!
Avoid surprises in your SSDI check
The SSDI check is vital for thousands of Americans who depend on it because they cannot work, so we don’t want to lose it once we’ve been approved!
July comes with your monthly payment, but also with new reviews, remember to stay under the threshold and act quickly if anything changes! And enjoy the summer.
