Can I work while drawing disability?

Sometimes, a person who receives disability benefits may want to earn additional income. They may need the income to help make ends meet, or they may want to work to help fill their day. Regardless of the reason, the question remains of whether or not working will impact their disability benefit.

There is a lot to know about disability benefits and how to keep them. It can be hard to remember everything you need to know about your benefits, so let us look at what you need to know about working and earning disability benefits.

How much income is too much?

People who receive disability benefits can collect regular income through working, but there is a limit to how much they can earn. A recipient cannot make what the government deems as “substantial gainful activity,” or SGA. While this amount changes periodically, in 2020, SGA is earning $1,260 or more each month. If this limit seems restricting, there is a temporary exception to the rule.

Disability recipients can take advantage of a non-month trial period for work. The government grants the option to test a recipient’s capacity to work while still receiving full benefits. During this trial period, a person earning benefits can freely earn above the SGA limit without risking their disability benefit. After the trial period, a recipient cannot use this testing period for 36 months.

Watch your income

As long as a recipient earns less than $1,260 in outside revenue per month, they can continue to collect their disability benefits. A person can also use a nine-month trial period once every 36 months to exceed the SGA limitations. If you are not sure if you may jeopardize your benefits, consult with an experienced disability benefits attorney.