Working While on SSDI in Maine: Know the Rules

Working While on SSDI in Maine: Know the Rules

Many Social Security Disability Insurance recipients in Maine wonder whether earning any income will cost them their benefits. The short answer is: it depends on how much you earn and how the Social Security Administration evaluates your work activity. Understanding these rules is essential before you accept any job offer or freelance work.

What Is Substantial Gainful Activity?

The SSA uses a standard called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) to determine whether your work disqualifies you from SSDI benefits. In 2025, the SGA threshold is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 per month for those who are blind. If your gross earnings exceed these limits, SSA may determine that you are no longer disabled and terminate your benefits.

It is critical to understand that SGA is based on gross wages, not take-home pay. Deductions for taxes, health insurance, or work-related expenses do not automatically reduce your gross earnings below SGA — though you may be able to deduct certain impairment-related work expenses (more on that below).

The Trial Work Period: A Protected Window to Test Employment

The SSA does not expect all SSDI recipients to remain permanently out of the workforce. To encourage recipients to attempt a return to work, the agency provides a Trial Work Period (TWP). During the TWP, you can earn any amount without losing your SSDI benefits, regardless of whether your earnings exceed SGA.

The TWP consists of nine months (not necessarily consecutive) within a rolling 60-month period. In 2025, any month in which you earn more than $1,110 counts as a trial work month. Once you use up all nine trial work months, SSA will evaluate your earnings going forward under the SGA standard.

For Maine residents exploring part-time work, seasonal employment, or remote jobs, the TWP is a valuable safety net. You can test your ability to work without immediately jeopardizing the SSDI income you depend on.

The Extended Period of Eligibility

After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During the EPE, your SSDI benefits are not automatically terminated. Instead, SSA pays you for any month in which your earnings fall below SGA and withholds benefits for any month in which your earnings exceed SGA.

This creates an important protection for Maine workers whose employment is seasonal or inconsistent — common in industries like fishing, construction, tourism, and forestry. If your income drops below SGA during a slow month, your SSDI check can resume without filing a new application.

After the EPE ends, if you continue working above SGA, SSA will formally terminate your SSDI entitlement. At that point, reinstating benefits requires either a new application or an expedited reinstatement request filed within five years of termination.

Deductions That Can Help You Stay Below SGA

Even if your gross earnings appear to exceed SGA, you may be able to reduce your countable income through specific SSA deductions:

• Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs): Costs you pay out-of-pocket for items or services that allow you to work despite your disability. Examples include specialized transportation, medications taken specifically to work, adaptive equipment, or a job coach. SSA deducts these costs from your gross earnings before comparing them to SGA.
• Subsidies: If your employer provides you with more support than a non-disabled worker would receive — such as additional supervision, modified duties, or fewer hours for the same pay — SSA may count only the market value of your actual productivity rather than your full wage.
• Unsuccessful Work Attempts: If you start a job but are forced to stop or reduce hours below SGA within six months due to your disability, SSA may disregard that period entirely.

Maine workers should document all disability-related work expenses carefully. Receipts, prescription records, and letters from employers or healthcare providers can support your IRWE deductions and protect your benefits.

Reporting Requirements and Common Mistakes to Avoid

One of the most important obligations for working SSDI recipients is timely and accurate reporting. SSA requires you to report any work activity, including self-employment, gig work, or informal paid work. Failure to report can result in overpayments that SSA will demand you repay — sometimes with interest and penalties.

Common reporting mistakes among Maine SSDI recipients include:

• Failing to report seasonal or part-time income from industries like lobstering, agriculture, or tourism
• Assuming that cash payments or gig economy earnings (such as through delivery apps) do not count as SGA
• Not reporting self-employment income, which SSA evaluates under a slightly different set of rules than wages
• Waiting until tax season to inform SSA of work activity from the prior year

You can report work activity online through your my Social Security account, by phone, or in person at your local SSA field office. Maine residents can visit SSA offices in Portland, Bangor, Augusta, Lewiston, and other locations. Report early and keep copies of everything you submit.

Self-employment deserves special mention. The SSA evaluates self-employment income not just by net profit but also by the number of hours worked and the nature of the work performed. Even if your business shows little or no profit, SSA may still find that your activity constitutes SGA if you work more than 45 hours per month in the business or perform significant services.

If you are concerned about how working might affect your specific benefits situation, consider contacting Maine's Department of Labor's Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, which offers vocational support and can coordinate with SSA's Ticket to Work program. The Ticket to Work program assigns you to an approved Employment Network that provides free employment support services without risk to your benefits during participation.

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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