Returning to work while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can feel risky for many beneficiaries in Towson, Maryland. But it is normal to want to test your ability to earn income without losing your benefits. Fortunately, federal work incentives offer a structured way for SSDI recipients to explore employment.
How does the Trial Work Period (TWP) work?
The TWP allows you to work for up to nine nonconsecutive months while keeping full SSDI benefits. Any month where you earn over $1,210, or work more than 80 hours if self-employed, counts as a trial month. The Social Security Administration (SSA) tracks these months within a rolling 60-month window.
After the TWP ends, you enter a 36‑month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During those months, the SSA pays benefits for any month your earnings stay below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit currently set at $1,690. If your earnings exceed that amount, disability payments will stop. If you later cannot work again, Expedited Reinstatement lets you restart benefits without a new application for up to five years.
How the Ticket to Work program supports your plan to work again
Many people worry that returning to work will cost them Medicare or Medicaid. But rest assured that even if your disability benefits stop because you are earning more than the SGA limit, Medicare Part A usually stays in place for at least 93 months after the trial period ends. To reduce these risks while you test work, consider the Ticket to Work program.
The Ticket to Work program connects you with local Employment Networks (ENs) for free job coaching and placement. If you make timely progress, the SSA will delay routine medical reviews while you are in the program.
Return to work without worries
You can protect your safety net while you try to go back to work. Know that you do not have to choose between your long‑term security and your SSDI benefits because you can keep both under the right conditions. If you want reassurance, a short consultation with an SSDI attorney can answer your specific questions and point out risks you might miss.