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SSDI Trial Work Period
For a nine-month trial work period,
there is no limit on the amount that your client can earn without facing
a loss or reduction of benefits. These nine months do not need to be
consecutive. A trial work month is any month in a rolling 5 year period,
in which your client earns more than $700 (effective January 1, 2009).
For self-employed clients, however, if the client works more than 80
hours or earns more than $700, that counts as a trial work month. See
chart below.
After the end of the trial work period, SSA will re-evaluate
the client for disability. SSA considers earnings over $980 per month
(effective January 1, 2009) as "substantial gainful activity" If they do
average more than $980 per month, benefits will continue for a
three-month grace period and then stop. If earnings have not averaged
more than $980 per month, benefits will generally continue.
After the work period is over, your client enters what is
called an extended period of eligibility. For 36 months after a
successful trial work period, your client will get a monthly benefit
check for any month that earnings fall below $980. This allows a client
to continue working, knowing that any period of inability to work, SSDI
benefits will begin again. In addition, Medicare coverage
continues for 39 months beyond the trial work period without
regard to the client's earnings or whether SSA considers the client to
be disabled.
For more information, please join us at one of our Back to
Work Seminars and/or request a copy of our publication Returning To
Work: A Helpful Guide, December 2002)
AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 600 •
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone:
(215) 587-9377 • Fax: (215)
587-9902
Intake Hours: 9:30
am-1:00 pm
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