All the numbers given here are for 2025. The numbers change every year due to cost of living adjustments.
SSDI is an all or nothing benefit. You get your whole check, or you don’t get a check at all. Whether or not you get your check depends on how much you earn and what work phase you are in.
In 2025, if you start working and earn less than $1,160, your SSDI will not be impacted at all. You’ll keep your income and your SSDI.
Trial Work Period Phase: If you earn more than $1,160, you will trigger what’s called a “Trial Work Period” month. You get 9 Trial Work Period months; they don’t have to be consecutive, and you have 5 years to use them all once you trigger your first one.
During a Trial Work Period month, you keep your income and your SSDI check.
Extended Period of Eligibility Phase: Once you’ve used all 9 of your Trial Work Period months, you’ll be in a new work phase called the Extended Period of Eligibility. It lasts for 3 years. During this period, any month that you earn more than $1,620, you don’t get your SSDI check. Any month that you earn less than $1,620, you do get your SSDI check. $1,620 is known as the “Substantial Gainful Activity Level”.
Expedited Reinstatement Phase: After the Extended Period of Eligibility, you’ll be in the in a new work phase called Expedited Reinstatement. It lasts for 5 years. In this phase, once you earn more than $1,620, your benefits stop. After that, it doesn’t matter how much money you earn (or don’t earn). Your SSDI check has stopped.
During this phase, If you are unable to work again because of your disability, you can request for your benefits to be reinstated and you won’t have to go through the whole application process again. You can get 6 months of provisional benefits while Social Security determines if you are eligible for benefits to start again.
To learn more details about the impact of work on SSDI, including ways to reduce your countable earned income and keep your benefit for longer, check out the Working While on SSDI Toolkit.
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To Do: Do you know what work phase you are in? Try to figure it out! Schedule a free session with a benefits planner if you need help.
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