What happens to my SSD benefits if I want to try working?

A person in Charlotte who lives with a disability may find that eventually they want to try re-entering the workforce. After all, having a job can provide a person with financial security as well as provide a sense of personal satisfaction. However, they may fear that if they start working they will lose their Social Security disability benefits.

Fortunately, the Social Security Administration has a program aimed at helping people who want to try working without immediately losing their benefits. This is known as the “Ticket to Work” program. This program is available to those between the ages of 18 to 64 who receive SSD benefits and wish to attempt to return to work or who wish to enter the workforce for the first time. If a person enters the work force and is making good progress, the SSA will not immediately review the person’s case to determine if the person is still disabled.

If, after a review, it is determined that a person no longer needs SSD benefits, that person may still be eligible for expedited reinstatement if they find that they must stop working again due to their disability. In such a situation, a person has up to five years to request that they continue receiving SSD benefits without having to file a new application. These benefits will last up to six months while the SSA reviews the person’s case, and generally do not have to be repaid if it is determined that the person is ineligible for benefits.

The Ticket to Work program and expedited reinstatement can be essential to those who receive SSD benefits but want to try working. Sometimes it can take a while to determine if working is a possibility. SSD recipients should not have to fear immediately losing their benefits just because they take the chance of being able to work again. Fortunately, the SSA recognizes this and provides a financial safety net to help disabled individuals return to the workforce.