Benefits of Working

Deciding to start working is exciting. Working gives people the chance to become more active in the community, learn new things, and share their talents with others. Working also gives people the chance to earn money to pay for things they need and want. 

As exciting as it can be to start working, it can be a difficult choice for some people. Many people may worry they will lose the money they get from Social Security or other programs to pay for things they need, like rent and food. Many people may also worry they will lose their medical insurance. These worries are normal. 

The Social Security benefits people get can change depending how much money they make at work and whether they get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, people often make more money by working even if their benefits are decreased. In some situations, people also get to keep their medical insurance. 

Working does not automatically result in people losing their Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers work incentives to people to help them keep their benefits as they work. 

Work Incentives 

Work incentives are programs that protect people’s benefits while they work. 

Work incentives are different depending on the Social Security program people get benefits from. People may get SSDI, SSI, or both.

SSDI benefits provide payments to people with disabilities. People can get this benefit no matter what their income is. To get this benefit, people must have worked in the past and paid taxes. The amount of money people get depends on how much money they made by working. Some people get SSDI based on their parent’s work history.

SSI benefits provide payments to people with disabilities and older adults. People can get this benefit if they have little or no income or resources. It is not based on work history. People can get SSI even if they never worked.

There are five SSDI work incentives.

  1. Trial Work Period (TWP) is for people who have not worked before but want to try working. People can keep all their Social Security benefit checks no matter how much money they make at their job. TWP lasts 9 months. TWP can be stopped once it starts, meaning people do not have to participate for 9 months in a row.
  2. Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) is after TWP. People can continue working and keep their Social Security benefit check. They must earn below a certain amount of money each month to keep their benefit check. EPE lasts 36 months. It cannot stop once it starts. 
  3. Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) lets people restart their Social Security benefits if the benefits stopped because they were making too much money at work. People have 5 years to ask for their benefits back. People will not have to reapply for benefits if they ask for them back within 5 years. 
  4. Extended Period of Medicare Coverage (EPMC) lets people keep their Medicare health insurance if they are working and their Social Security benefit checks stop. People can keep their Medicare plan for 93 months (just over 7.5 years) after they finish TWP. 
  5. Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) helps people cover the cost for items or services related to their disability that they use for work. The money they spend will be taken away from their total monthly earnings. This lets people earn more money at work without risking their benefits. 

There are seven SSI work incentives.

  1. The Continuation of SSI lets people keep their SSI check and work. People must make less than a certain amount of money. Their Medicaid health insurance will continue.
  2. Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) lets people restart their Social Security benefits if they stop because they were making too much money at work. People have 5 years to ask for their benefits back. People will not have to reapply for benefits if they ask for them back within 5 years. 
  3. Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) helps people cover the cost for items or services related to their disability that they use for work. The money they spend will be taken away from their total monthly earnings. This lets people earn more money at work without risking their benefits. 
  4. Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) lets people save money for school or training programs without their SSI benefits stopping. People must be under age 22 and go to school or a training program to participate in SEIE. 
  5. Blind Work Expense (BWE) will not count money people spend on work items, like transportation, meals at work, uniforms, and taxes.
  6. The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets people save money to pay for things that will help them reach their job goals. This includes things like training programs, uniforms, transportation, and supplies to start their own business. 
  7. The Sherlock Plan lets people keep Medicaid health insurance if their SSI checks stop because they make too much money at work.

Benefits Counseling 

It is important for people to learn how working will impact their Social Security benefits. Learning about this will help people make decisions about working. Benefits counseling can help people learn about their options when it comes to work. 

Benefits counseling is a type of service. Benefits counseling focuses on the impact of work on Social Security benefits. The service is provided for free by Benefits Counselors. 

Benefits Counselors help people explore their work options. They help people: 

  • Learn more about work incentives.
  • Pick out the work incentives that are best for them. 
  • Find out how their SSDI or SSI benefits will change if they start working.
  • Complete paperwork to sign up for work incentives.
  • Figure out how to manage their SSDI or SSI benefits while working.

People can work with a benefits counselor at any time, including:

  • If they are still deciding if working is a good idea for them.
  • Before they get a job and start working.
  • If they are already working but their job role or earnings change.

People can connect with a Benefits Counselor in a few ways. Some places to start when looking for a Benefits Counselor include: 

  1. BHDDH Office: ask your social casework or email Jay MacKay at Gerard.MacKay@bhddh.ri.gov
  2. Rhode Island Sherlock Center: call 401-456-4733 or visit the Sherlock Center Work Incentives Benefits Counseling website
  3. Social Security Administration (SSA): call the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 or visit the SSA website
  4. Social Security Ticket to Work Help Line: call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) or visit the Social Security Ticket to Work website

For more information about work incentives and benefits counseling, explore the Social Security Administration (SSA) brochure. 

Reference:

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance National Training and Data Center. Introduction to Social Security Disability Benefits, Work Incentives, and Employment Support Programs Web Course (Introductory Web Course). Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), https://vcu-ntdc.org/training/introductory/introindex.cfm.