Disability āŗ Working
Can I work and still get disability benefits?
For anyone on SSDI or SSI, or waiting for a decision, who wants to earn some money. By the end you’ll know the monthly limits, how the trial months work, what happens to Medicare, and how SSI counts your pay.
Yes, within limits. For SSDI, the key number is the monthly earnings limit: $1,690 a month in 2026; $1,770 starting January 2027. SSDI also gives you 9 trial work months to test working. SSI has no trial months. Instead, it counts about half of what you earn above the first $85 a month and lowers your check by that amount.
What is the monthly earnings limit?
Social Security calls it substantial gainful activity, or SGA. It is the amount of monthly earnings that SSA treats as real, ongoing work. If you earn above it when you apply, SSA can decide you are not disabled under its rules.
| Monthly SGA limit | 2026 | Starting January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Not blind (SSDI and SSI) | $1,690 | $1,770 |
| Blind (SSDI only) | $2,830 | $2,950 |
The higher limit for people who are blind does not apply to SSI.
How does the trial work period work?
The trial work period is SSDI’s way of letting you test your ability to work while you still get benefits. During it, SSA pays your full SSDI no matter how much you earn, as long as you report your work and still have a disabling condition. It is for SSDI only, not SSI.
- A month counts as a trial work month when you earn more than $1,210 in 2026; $1,270 starting January 2027.
- You get 9 trial work months. They don’t have to be in a row.
- The 9 months are counted within a rolling 60-month (5-year) window.
Example: in March 2027 you earn $1,300 at a part-time job. That is above $1,270, so March uses one of your 9 trial months. In April you earn $1,200. That is below the line, so April does not count.
What happens after the 9 trial months?
Once your trial months are used up, the extended period of eligibility begins the next month. Its first 36 months are a safety net that SSA calls the re-entitlement period. During those 36 months:
- You get SSDI for any month your earnings are below the SGA limit, as long as you still have a disabling condition.
- The first time you earn above the limit, SSA decides your disability has ended because of work. It still pays that month and the next 2 months. SSA calls this the grace period.
- After that, checks stop for months you earn above the limit and restart for months you earn below it. You don’t need a new application.
After the 36 months, your benefits end if you work above the SGA limit. SSA’s guide to work rules, the Red Book, explains the details.
Example: Sam’s 9 trial months end in June 2027. His 36 months run from July 2027 through June 2030. If he first earns above $1,770 in October 2027, he is paid for October, November and December. In 2028, he gets SSDI only for months he earns below that year’s limit.
If your checks stop because of work and your condition later keeps you from working again, you don’t always have to start over. You can ask for expedited reinstatement, a faster way to restart benefits:
- Ask within 5 years of the month your benefits stopped.
- Your condition must be the same as, or related to, the one you were approved for.
- SSA can pay up to 6 months of temporary benefits while it reviews your request.
Expedited reinstatement works for both SSDI and SSI.
Does Medicare continue if I go back to work?
Yes, for a long time. If your SSDI stops because of work but you still have your disabling condition, premium-free Medicare Part A continues for at least 93 months (7 years and 9 months) after your 9-month trial work period ends. Part B stays available if you keep paying its premium.
When that period ends, you can buy Medicare if you are still disabled. A program called QDWI (Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals) can pay the Part A premium for people with limited income. See help paying Medicare costs.
How does SSI count my wages?
SSI starts from the federal monthly amount ($994 in 2026; $1,029 starting January 2027) and subtracts your countable income, the part of your income SSA uses. For wages, the math has four steps:
- Start with your monthly wages.
- Subtract $20. (If you have other income, such as a small Social Security check, the $20 is used there first.)
- Subtract $65.
- Divide what is left by 2. That is your countable earned income.
Here is how it works for someone whose only income is $1,000 a month in wages:
| Step | 2026 | Starting January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly wages | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Minus $20, minus $65 | $915 | $915 |
| Divide by 2 (countable) | $457.50 | $457.50 |
| Federal SSI amount | $994 | $1,029 |
| SSI check | $536.50 | $571.50 |
| Total each month (wages + SSI) | $1,536.50 | $1,571.50 |
Working lowered the SSI check, but total monthly income went up by more than $500. Some states add their own payment on top of federal SSI, which changes the final number.
Tell Social Security when you start a job, stop a job or your pay changes. Keep every pay stub. Call 1-800-772-1213 and ask how to report your wages.
Free tool: Check the basic SSDI and SSI rules for your situation, including an SSI estimate.
Start āRelated
Sources. SSA, 2027 cost-of-living fact sheet, and Federal Register, “Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2027” (Oct 26, 2026) Ā· SSA Office of the Chief Actuary, SGA, trial work period and SSI payment amount pages (2027 update) Ā· SSA, Red Book 2026 edition, “SSDI only employment supports” (trial work period, extended period of eligibility, grace period) and “SSDI and SSI employment supports” Ā· 20 CFR 404.1592 and 404.1592a (eCFR, current Nov 9, 2026) Ā· SSA POMS DI 28055.001 (Apr 3, 2026) Ā· Medicare.gov, “Medicare Savings Programs” Ā· 20 CFR 416.1112 and 416.1124 (eCFR, current Nov 2026).
Last verified: November 12, 2026. We re-check these figures every January and whenever the rules change.
Benefits Insider is an independent publisher, not a government agency. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice for your situation. For a decision on your case, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or your state Medicaid office.