SSDI offers a safety net to disabled workers. It aims at replacing lost income for individuals who cannot engage in substantial gainful activity. That said, applicants should provide relevant documents to prove their inability to work. You will start receiving monthly benefits based on your past earnings as soon as the SSA confirms your case. Let’s talk about how employment affects disability claims.
How Employment Affects Your SSDI Claim
While the claim process can be lengthy, you should understand what is expected of you. The first thing SSA will look at is verifying that you cannot engage in SGA. If you exceed the threshold, your claim may be denied. With that in mind, you should prove that you can’t perform at the SGA level.
The most important factor that surrounds SSDI is your earning capacity. If you earn above the SGA limit, SSA can terminate your benefits. How does this work? SSA will test your ability to work during the trial period. If you exceed the limit, you lose the coverage.
Navigating the Work-While-Disabled Program
The Ticket to Work program allows disabled individuals to work without losing benefits. Participants receive a “ticket” to improve their skills. However, you should partner with institutions recommended by SSA.
The next question is; can you collect long-term disability and social security disability at the same time? YES. The Social Security Disability program requires individuals to have a sufficient work history, while LTD insurance provides income replacement. While many LTD payments have a clause, they can coordinate with SSDI.
Part of the claim process is declaring SSDI benefits if you’re receiving LTD. If you fail to report your SSDI income, you may be required to repay your LTD provider.
You need to know how LTD and SSDI impact your financial situation too. An offset can lead to receiving less than the amount expected. Therefore, you should review your policies to understand how the offsets work. The best approach is keeping records of income from both sources.
Reporting Income and Its Implications
You should accurately report your income and ensure compliance with SGA thresholds. If you receive more than you’re entitled to, you may be required to pay the excess amount. Overpayments can also attract severe penalties or interest.
If you have a history of inaccurate reporting, the SSA will review your application and deny the claims. Remember, SSA will periodically review your applications to ensure the adjustments align with your financial circumstances. You don’t have to worry about future investigations if you comply with the regulations.
This brings us to the next question: What happens if you don’t report work activity? If you’re earning above the allowed limits, penalties may apply- this will put you in further financial strain. Similarly, if the SSA concludes that you’re failing to report work activity, the benefits are terminated. The last thing you want is to go through the lengthy application process again.
Summary of the points
SSA requires individuals who cannot engage in SGA to report their earnings. Part of the eligibility criteria is meeting the substantial gainful activity threshold. If you exceed the limit, you’re deemed capable of engaging in substantial work. Failing to report work activity can also attract penalties. The overpayments can attract interest or lead to termination of benefits.
Resources and Support
If you want to understand SSDI and employment issues, you should visit the SSA official website. Other resources can include visiting disability rights organizations and WIPA. You can also follow forums and social media groups that share valuable advice on disability issues. Other organizations that offer assistance include NOD, NADR, LSC, NDRN, and the ARC.
Conclusion
Navigating the complexities of SSDI benefits can be challenging. You should understand how your earning capacity affects your benefits and how to maneuver the system more effectively. The best approach to pursuing financial stability is to seek assistance from disability advocacy organizations and reputable disability lawyers.