Can You Work While Receiving SSDI in Kansas?

Can You Work While Receiving SSDI in Kansas?

Many Kansas residents on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) wonder whether they can earn any income without losing their benefits. The answer is yes — but within strict limits set by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Understanding these rules is critical before you take any job or freelance work, because even a small misstep can trigger a review that puts your benefits at risk.

Substantial Gainful Activity: The Core Threshold

The SSA uses a concept called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) to determine whether your work disqualifies you from SSDI. In 2024, the SGA limit for non-blind individuals is $1,550 per month. For blind individuals, the limit is $2,590 per month. If your gross earnings consistently exceed these amounts, the SSA may determine you are no longer disabled and terminate your benefits.

SGA applies to net earnings from self-employment as well, not just wages from an employer. Kansas residents who do contract work, farming, or run a small business are subject to the same thresholds. The SSA looks at what you actually earn, not just what hours you work — so even part-time work that pays well can cross the SGA line.

It is also important to understand that the SSA considers impairment-related work expenses (IRWEs) when calculating your countable earnings. If you pay out of pocket for items or services that allow you to work despite your disability — such as prescription medications, special transportation, or adaptive equipment — those costs can be deducted from your gross income before the SGA comparison is made.

The Trial Work Period: A Built-In Testing Window

The SSA provides a Trial Work Period (TWP) that allows SSDI recipients to test their ability to work without immediately losing benefits. During the TWP, you can receive full SSDI payments regardless of how much you earn, as long as you continue to report your work activity and meet other eligibility requirements.

A trial work month is any month in which you earn more than $1,110 (in 2024). You are entitled to nine trial work months within any rolling 60-month window. They do not need to be consecutive. Once you have used all nine months, the SSA will review your work to determine whether you have been performing SGA.

After the TWP ends, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During this window, the SSA will pay benefits for any month your earnings fall below the SGA threshold and suspend them in months they exceed it. This gives Kansas SSDI recipients a safety net if they try to return to work and are unable to sustain it.

Reporting Requirements in Kansas

Failing to properly report work activity is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes SSDI recipients make. The SSA requires you to report any work activity promptly, including:

• Starting a new job or returning to a former employer
• Changes in your pay rate or hours worked
• Self-employment income or freelance earnings
• Any work you perform even if you are not being paid (in-kind compensation counts)

Kansas SSDI recipients should report changes to their local Social Security field office, through the SSA's online portal, or by calling 1-800-772-1213. Keep copies of all correspondence and get written confirmation when possible. If the SSA later claims you were overpaid because you failed to report earnings, you will be responsible for repaying those funds — and the agency can recover overpayments by garnishing future benefits.

Kansas has no state-level supplemental SSDI program that modifies these federal reporting rules, so all SSA federal guidelines apply directly to Kansas recipients.

Ticket to Work and Vocational Rehabilitation in Kansas

The SSA's Ticket to Work program offers another avenue for Kansas SSDI recipients who want to return to the workforce. Through the program, you can assign your Ticket to an approved Employment Network (EN) or state vocational rehabilitation agency — in Kansas, that is Kansas Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) — and receive employment support services without risking your benefits during the process.

While you are actively participating in the Ticket to Work program and making timely progress toward employment goals, the SSA will generally not conduct a Continuing Disability Review (CDR). This protection can be significant, because CDRs are the primary mechanism by which the SSA decides whether you remain disabled.

Kansas VR offers job training, resume assistance, supported employment, and placement services tailored to individuals with disabilities. Engaging with these resources does not count as SGA and does not affect your monthly SSDI payment while you remain under the SGA threshold.

What Happens If You Earn Too Much

If your earnings exceed the SGA limit after your Trial Work Period ends, the SSA will send a cessation notice indicating your benefits will stop. You have the right to appeal this decision within 60 days of receiving the notice. During the appeal, you may be able to continue receiving benefits under Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) provisions if your condition worsens or your employment fails within five years of your benefits stopping.

Expedited Reinstatement allows you to request that your SSDI benefits restart without filing a completely new application, as long as you apply within five years of your termination date and your medical condition remains the same or has worsened. Kansas residents who lose benefits due to work should be aware of this option, because reinstating benefits through EXR is typically far faster than starting over.

If the SSA determines you were overpaid during a period when you were earning above SGA, you can request a waiver of overpayment if repayment would cause financial hardship and you were not at fault. An attorney can help you document both factors and navigate the waiver process.

Working while on SSDI is possible, but the rules are detailed and unforgiving if misunderstood. Keeping precise records of your earnings, reporting changes immediately, and understanding how the Trial Work Period and SGA interact are the foundations of protecting your benefits while moving toward financial independence.

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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