The trial work period applies to persons who are already receiving Title II Social Security disability benefits. Trial work allows persons to try to return to work without giving up their disability benefits right away. There are some traps concerning trial work that you need to be aware of.
Definition of a "trial work month." If you work and earn at least $780 in a month (2015), you have completed one trial month period. You are allowed 9 months of trial work without danger of losing your benefits. These months are not necessarily consecutive. So a few months of part-time of work here and there can count up and 9 months can sneak up on you. If you reach SGA level earnings ($1,090 a month in 2015), and have completed your 9th month of trial work (even if the months were not consecutive) your benefits can be stopped because you have returned to work.
Rolling Period. Social Security looks at a rolling five-year period for trial work, so you may complete your 9th month of "trial work" before you realize it.
If you are receiving Title II disability benefits and want to use the "ticket to work" program to see if you can return to work, be aware of the rules. Know what the trial work issues are. Keep track of all your earnings and save your paystubs. Let your Social Security office know that you are working and provide them with copies of your paystubs.
Overpayments. If you work enough to become ineligible for continued disability payments, Social Security may not find out about it until they have overpaid you. If this happens, they may seek to get any overpayment back. Avoid this type of unpleasant surprise by keeping good records of your work and letting Social Security know about each month you work and exactly how much you earn.
Ticket to work is a good thing but the rules are complicated and you should discuss them with the Social Security office before you attempt to start working again if you plan to keep your benefits during the nine month trial work period.
(See my post on the 36-Month Reentitlement Period on this site).
Definition of a "trial work month." If you work and earn at least $780 in a month (2015), you have completed one trial month period. You are allowed 9 months of trial work without danger of losing your benefits. These months are not necessarily consecutive. So a few months of part-time of work here and there can count up and 9 months can sneak up on you. If you reach SGA level earnings ($1,090 a month in 2015), and have completed your 9th month of trial work (even if the months were not consecutive) your benefits can be stopped because you have returned to work.
Rolling Period. Social Security looks at a rolling five-year period for trial work, so you may complete your 9th month of "trial work" before you realize it.
If you are receiving Title II disability benefits and want to use the "ticket to work" program to see if you can return to work, be aware of the rules. Know what the trial work issues are. Keep track of all your earnings and save your paystubs. Let your Social Security office know that you are working and provide them with copies of your paystubs.
Overpayments. If you work enough to become ineligible for continued disability payments, Social Security may not find out about it until they have overpaid you. If this happens, they may seek to get any overpayment back. Avoid this type of unpleasant surprise by keeping good records of your work and letting Social Security know about each month you work and exactly how much you earn.
Ticket to work is a good thing but the rules are complicated and you should discuss them with the Social Security office before you attempt to start working again if you plan to keep your benefits during the nine month trial work period.
(See my post on the 36-Month Reentitlement Period on this site).
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