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Many people who qualify for Social Security Disability benefits continue to work for a variety of reasons. You might enjoy your work, wish to supplement your disability income as much as allowable, or wish to gradually return to work to keep your skills up to date for an eventual return to full-time employment. Whatever your reason for working, you might be concerned about how much you can make while on disability without putting your disability benefits at risk. The Social Security Administration (SSA) allows trial work periods and imposes income limits that define how much you can earn while still receiving the benefits you are entitled to collect. The SSA uses more than your income to determine your employment earnings limitations. They also calculate and deduct job-related expenses that come with your employment. You can hire a lawyer to represent you throughout the benefits application or appeals process. They may help you determine your earning capacity and its effect on your monthly benefits. How Much Can You Earn While on Disability?The SSA provides recipients and potential recipients with an online benefits calculator. With the SSDI eligibility calculator, you can estimate the amount of current and future monthly benefits you might be able to receive. SSA guidelines may also allow you to work on a trial basis to determine your ability to return to gainful employment. If you earn more than $1,350 per month in 2022, the SSA considers this substantial income. This is the amount you can earn before jeopardizing your disability benefits. If you receive disability due to blindness, your earnings cap is $2,260 in 2022. Called substantial gainful activity (SGA), these amounts also take your work expenses into account. It also increases most years and allows you to take deductions prior to making calculations that determine your income. For example, you may be able to take the following deductions:
These and other allowable deductions can mean the income you earn from gainful employment lets you enjoy the benefits of working while also receiving the disability benefits. You can review your benefits, employment income, and allowable deductions with your lawyer, who can help ensure your willingness to work does not put your benefits at risk. For a legal consultation, call 828.286.3866 Types of Earnings That Impact Your SSD BenefitsIt’s important to consider the types of income that qualifies as substantial gainful activity for the SSA. Generally, the agency only looks at “earned” income. Earned income includes the money you make while working as a:
All the funds earned in these positions apply towards your monthly limit for SSD benefits. However, you may earn income outside of these more traditional methods. For example, you may earn money by:
How many assets you can have and still claim Disability depends on whether you are filing for SSI or SSDI. Counting Income and the SSI ProgramThe SSA also administers the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This program provides funding for individuals who are over the age of retirement, blind, or disabled if they have limited resources and income. The SSI program provides compensation even if you never worked or paid into the Social Security system. While it aligns with SSD in many ways, the SSA uses different regulations on allowable earnings for this program. Under the SSI program, you may earn up to $1,600 a month and still receive some benefits. However, if you earn anything over $65 a month, the SSA starts to reduce the monthly compensation they offer through the SSI program. The SSA reduces your SSI payment by half of your earned income minus $65 every month. For example, let’s say you earned $1,065 a month while on SSI. The SSA subtracts $65 and then divides $1,000 by half, leaving you with $500. The SSA then subtracts the $500 from your SSI monthly payment, which would be $794 in 2021. Therefore, you would receive $294 for your SSI payment at that level of compensation from your job. Qualify and Apply for Disability BenefitsAccording to the SSA, you should qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits if:
In addition to these two criteria, you must have a disability that prevents you from participating in your previous form of employment. Your disability must prevent you from adjusting to or accepting other forms of employment. Finally, your disability must be expected to have a duration of at least one year or be expected to result in death. If you meet these criteria, SSA administrators may then use a step-by-step process to determine your eligibility. You may be asked the following five questions:
SSA administrators also consider your disability, age, education, previous work experience, and other factors. Special conditions may apply if you are blind, have low vision, or are the surviving spouse of a qualified worker, a disabled child, or a veteran. Speak to your lawyer about how these conditions might affect your eligibility for benefits. Complete a Case Evaluation form now Include These Documents with Your ApplicationAccording to the SSA, your disability application must include:
You should also include information needed to contact your doctors, caseworkers, and all hospitals and clinics where you received care. Include the dates of your visits and any other relevant information. Our legal team can collect these documents from you to complete your application. Returning to Work While on SSDIf you decide to return to work while on SSD, you may apply for the Ticket to Work program. This program allows you to try a new job or return to your old position. You begin the program by notifying your Social Security office that you plan to return to work. The SSA provides you with a Ticket to Work. After this, you can look for and secure a job. Ensure that you report all your earnings properly to the SSA. If you do not report your intention to return to work, the SSA may cancel your disability benefits when you receive your first paycheck. Get Legal Assistance When You Need It MostOur team is committed to helping Social Security Disability applicants navigate the complex claims process. We also work hard to ensure a return to employment does not jeopardize your benefits. Your lawyer can help you determine how much you can make while on disability without having to risk losing your benefits. Get legal assistance when you need it most by contacting Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC. Call or text 828.286.3866 or complete a Case Evaluation form
If you're eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, the amount you receive each month will be based on your average lifetime earnings before your disability began. Unlike veterans compensation, workers' comp, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, SSDI isn't based on how severe your disability is or how much income you have—everything depends on those lifetime earnings. Most SSDI recipients receive between $700 and $1,400 per month. But if you're receiving disability payments from other sources, your payment may be reduced. (More on reduced payments below.) Estimating Your Social Security Disability AmountIn 2022, the average SSDI payment for an individual is $1,358, but almost two-thirds of SSDI recipients receive less than that. And only 10% of SSDI recipients receive $2,000 per month or more. The 2022 average monthly benefit for an SSDI recipient who has a spouse and children is $2,383. (Minor children and spouses who are taking care of children or are at retirement age can also get benefits.) Because benefit amounts depend on lifetime earnings, there's a large range in how much Social Security pays. For instance, let's look at age 55, the most common age disabilities start. For 55-year-olds who have worked their entire lives, Social Security typically pays $1,000 to $2,700. The benefits pay chart here shows you the ranges based on income. Within those ranges, the amount you'll receive will depend on the following:
Calculating Your Monthly SSDI PaymentThe exact amount of money people get for SSDI each month is unique for every individual. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a complex weighted formula to calculate benefits for each person, up to 2022's maximum benefit of $3,345. Doing the math yourself is difficult, but here's how the formula works. (Fortunately, there are easier ways to find out how much in Social Security disability you'll get, which we cover in the next section.) AIME. Social Security bases your retirement and disability benefits on the amount of income on which you've paid Social Security taxes—called "covered earnings." Your average covered earnings over the past 35 years are known as your "average indexed monthly earnings" (AIME). Bend points. The SSDI formula uses fixed percentages of different amounts of income. These percentages, called "bend points," are adjusted each year. In 2022, here are the bend points and how they come together:
PIA. Adding those three figures together gives the SSA your primary insurance amount (PIA). Your PIA is the base figure the SSA uses in setting your benefit amount. How Do I Find Out My Social Security Benefit Amount?Your Social Security Statement, which the SSA recently redesigned, is the best place to find your SSDI benefit amount. You can find your statement online at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. (Note that Social Security only sends out printed statements to people over 60 who aren't receiving benefits and don't have an online account at Social Security's website.) If you don't receive benefits yet, your Social Security Statement will show you what your SSDI payment will be if you get approved for disability benefits this year. It also shows what your retirement benefit would be at age 62, 67, and 70. You can also check your entire covered earnings history on your Social Security Statement. The SSA still has an online benefits calculator that you can use to get an estimate of your monthly benefits, but if you sign up for an account to see your new Social Security Statement, you won't need it. You can also call your local Social Security office, and a field representative will be able to help you estimate what your benefits would be. Monthly Social Security disability benefits range from $100 to $3,345 in 2022. Other Income That Could Reduce Your SSDI PaymentAny disability benefits you receive from a private long-term disability insurance policy won't affect your SSDI benefits. Nor will SSI or VA benefits impact your SSDI amount. But government-regulated disability benefits, such as workers' comp or temporary state disability benefits, can affect your SSDI benefits. Here's how that works: If the amount in SSDI plus the amount from government-regulated disability benefits is more than 80% of the amount you earned before you became disabled, the SSDI or other benefits will be reduced. Before Inez became disabled, her average earnings were $5,000 per month. Inez, her spouse, and her two children would be eligible to receive a total of $3,000 a month in Social Security disability benefits. But Inez also receives $2,000 a month from workers' compensation. The total amount of benefits Inez and her family would receive—$5,000—is more than 80% of her average earnings. (It's 100% of her average earnings.) So, her family's Social Security benefits will be reduced by $1,000, from $3,000 to $2,000. That way, the $2,000 a month from workers' comp and the $2,000 in disability benefits means they will receive a total of $4,000 per month, which is 80% of the earnings figure of $5,000. The following types of government benefits could lower your SSDI payment:
Changes to Your SSDI AmountMost years, your monthly SSDI payment will go up, thanks to Social Security's annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). You can find the annual COLA here. Once you're eligible for Medicare benefits (two years after you become entitled to SSDI benefits), the cost of Medicare Part B will be taken directly out of your Social Security check. Most people will pay a premium of $158.50 for Part B in 2022, but the amount can be quite a bit higher for those with high income. If you have low income, on the other hand, a Medicare Savings Program can pay your Part B premium. Social Security BackpayHow much you'll receive in Social Security disability backpay depends on your SSDI monthly amount. And how many months of back payments you get is determined by your application date and your established date of onset (when your disability started). If you previously applied for disability benefits but didn't get them that time, your backpay might go back even further—to the original application date. Learn more about how SSDI backpay is calculated. Updated November 8, 2021 |
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