Cavey Barrett Blog

Can I Work and Still Collect My Social Security Benefits?

The Social Security Administration provides work incentives that allow people to work and collect Social Security Disability benefits at the same time. This is called a trial work period and during that period you can keep what you earn and still collect benefits. However, you have to report your work activity to the Social Security Administration and continue to have a disabling impairment.

The Social Security Administration lets you accumulate nine months of earnings in a sixteen month time period, it does not have to be consecutive. The Social Security Administration will consider your work if you earn more than $700 a month in 2009. After your trial work period ends, your Social Security Disability benefits will stop for months in which the Social Security Administration will determine if your earnings are substantial. In other words, if you earn more than $980 a month in 2009 or $1640 if you are blind, your work will be considered to be substantial and you will lose your Social Security benefits.

You can get Social Security benefits for an additional 36 months after you completed a trial work period if your earnings once again fall below the monthly rate and you continue to have a disabling impairment.

This can be rather confusing and if you have any questions about working while receiving Social Security benefits you can look at a Social Security publication, "Working While Disabled- How We Can Help," http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pvs/10095.html.

If you have any questions about your ability to collect Social Security Disability benefits while working call Social Security Disability attorney, Sharon Barrett, who practices in Port Richey, New Port Richey, and Clearwater, Florida at 727-894-3188.

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