Working While on SSDI: What Nevada Recipients Must Know

Working While on SSDI: What Nevada Recipients Must Know

Many Social Security Disability Insurance recipients assume that earning any income will immediately end their benefits. That assumption is wrong — and it costs people real money. The Social Security Administration has built specific rules that allow SSDI recipients to test their ability to work without automatically losing their benefits. Understanding those rules is essential if you receive SSDI in Nevada and want to explore employment.

The Substantial Gainful Activity Threshold

The foundation of SSDI's work rules is a concept called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). The SSA sets a monthly earnings limit each year. For 2025, that limit is $1,620 per month for non-blind SSDI recipients and $2,700 per month for recipients who are blind. These figures are adjusted annually for inflation.

If your gross earnings from work consistently exceed the SGA threshold, the SSA may determine that you are no longer disabled under their definition and move to terminate your benefits. However, earning below SGA does not trigger termination, and there are additional protections that apply even when you earn above that amount — at least temporarily.

It is important to understand that investment income, rental income, and other passive sources do not count toward SGA. Only wages and self-employment income are considered. Nevada recipients who receive income from real estate holdings or other passive sources can receive that income without it affecting their SSDI eligibility under the SGA analysis.

The Trial Work Period: Your Protected Window to Test Employment

The SSA recognizes that returning to work involves risk. You may not know whether your condition will allow sustained employment until you try. To reduce that risk, Congress created the Trial Work Period (TWP).

During a TWP, you can receive your full SSDI benefit regardless of how much you earn, as long as you continue to have a disabling impairment. The TWP consists of 9 months within a rolling 60-month period. A month counts toward your TWP whenever you earn above a set threshold — in 2025, that threshold is $1,110 per month.

Consider a practical example: a Nevada recipient who begins part-time work earning $2,000 per month in March 2025 will have that month counted as a TWP month. After accumulating 9 such months over a 5-year window, the TWP ends. Until those 9 months are used, the recipient keeps their full SSDI payment regardless of earnings.

One critical point: you must report your work activity to the SSA. The TWP does not run automatically unless the SSA is aware you are working. Failing to report wages can create an overpayment situation that the agency will demand be repaid — sometimes years later.

After the Trial Work Period: The Extended Period of Eligibility

Once your 9 Trial Work Period months are exhausted, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During the EPE, you receive your SSDI benefit in any month your earnings fall below the SGA threshold. In any month your earnings exceed SGA, your benefit is withheld — but not permanently terminated.

This creates a meaningful safety net. If you lose your job or your hours are cut below SGA during the EPE, your benefits resume without requiring a new application. You simply notify the SSA, and payments restart.

After the EPE ends, if you are still working above SGA, the SSA will issue a formal cessation of benefits. At that point, reinstating benefits requires either a new application or use of the Expedited Reinstatement provision, which allows you to request reinstatement within 5 years without filing a completely new claim if your condition has not medically improved.

Ticket to Work and Nevada Vocational Resources

The SSA's Ticket to Work program offers SSDI recipients additional protections when returning to work. By assigning your Ticket to an approved Employment Network or state vocational rehabilitation agency, you can receive employment support services and pause the Continuing Disability Review process while you work toward self-sufficiency.

In Nevada, the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) operates offices in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City, and Elko. BVR can provide job placement assistance, vocational training, adaptive equipment, and other services at no cost to eligible SSDI recipients. Using these services through the Ticket to Work program does not jeopardize your benefits while your Ticket is assigned and you are making timely progress.

Nevada also participates in the Benefits Counseling, Assistance and Referral Service (BCARS) program, which provides free benefits counseling to SSDI and SSI recipients statewide. A certified Work Incentives Planning and Assistance counselor can create a detailed benefits analysis showing exactly how a specific job offer will affect your SSDI, Medicare, and any other public benefits before you accept employment.

Reporting Requirements and Avoiding Overpayments

The most common and damaging mistake SSDI recipients make when working is failing to report wages promptly. The SSA requires you to report:

• Any return to work, including part-time or temporary employment
• Changes in your earnings, hours, or job duties
• Self-employment activity, including gig work and freelance income
• Changes in your work-related expenses if you claim Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)

Impairment-Related Work Expenses deserve particular attention. If you pay out of pocket for items or services that allow you to work — such as prescription medications, medical equipment, transportation to medical appointments, or a job coach — those costs can be deducted from your gross earnings before the SSA applies the SGA test. A Nevada recipient paying $400 per month for medication required to maintain work capacity may be able to deduct that cost, effectively raising the income they can earn before hitting SGA.

Overpayments are a serious problem. When the SSA determines you were paid benefits during a period you were not entitled to them, it will demand repayment — often in a lump sum. Overpayments can exceed tens of thousands of dollars in cases where unreported earnings went undetected for years. You have the right to appeal an overpayment determination and to request a waiver if repayment would cause financial hardship and you were not at fault. However, preventing the overpayment through timely reporting is far preferable to fighting one after the fact.

What to Do Before Returning to Work

Before accepting any employment, take these steps:

• Contact a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance counselor through Nevada's BCARS program for a personalized benefits analysis
• Notify your SSA field office in writing when you begin working and keep a copy of all correspondence
• Document all Impairment-Related Work Expenses with receipts and medical records linking the expense to your disabling condition
• Understand your Trial Work Period status — know how many TWP months you have already used
• Consult with a disability attorney before taking action if your benefits have already been terminated or if you have a pending overpayment

The SSDI work incentive rules are designed to encourage recipients to test their capacity for employment without the fear of an immediate and irreversible loss of income. Nevada recipients who understand these rules can make informed decisions about employment and protect themselves from unnecessary overpayments and benefit terminations.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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