SSDI Trial Work Period: South Dakota Guide

SSDI Trial Work Period: South Dakota Guide

Returning to work while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the program. The Trial Work Period (TWP) is a federal provision that allows SSDI recipients to test their ability to work without immediately losing benefits. For South Dakota residents navigating this process, understanding how the TWP works — and what comes after — can mean the difference between a smooth transition and an unexpected overpayment demand from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

What Is the SSDI Trial Work Period?

The Trial Work Period is a 9-month window during which an SSDI beneficiary can work and earn any amount without it affecting their monthly disability payment. These 9 months do not need to be consecutive — they are counted within a rolling 60-month (5-year) period. Once you accumulate 9 trial work months within that window, your TWP ends.

For 2024, a month counts as a trial work month if your gross earnings exceed $1,110. If you are self-employed, the SSA looks at both your earnings and the hours you work — more than 80 hours of self-employment activity in a month can also trigger a trial work month, regardless of income.

South Dakota SSDI recipients should note that the SSA's Sioux Falls Field Office and Rapid City Field Office handle these cases locally. While the TWP rules are federal and uniform across all states, the timeliness and accuracy of reporting your work activity to your local SSA office is critical to avoiding complications.

What Happens After the Trial Work Period Ends

After you exhaust your 9 trial work months, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During the EPE, your benefits are evaluated month by month based on whether your earnings constitute Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). In 2024, SGA is defined as earning more than $1,550 per month (or $2,590 for blind individuals).

During the EPE, the rules work as follows:

• In any month your earnings fall below the SGA threshold, you receive your full SSDI benefit.
• In any month your earnings exceed SGA, your benefit is suspended for that month.
• If your earnings drop below SGA again during the 36-month EPE window, benefits can be reinstated without filing a new application.
• Once the EPE ends, earning above SGA in any month triggers a formal benefit termination.

South Dakota workers in industries like agriculture, healthcare, and skilled trades should be particularly careful about seasonal income spikes, which can cause isolated months of SGA-level earnings even when annual income is modest.

Reporting Requirements in South Dakota

One of the most common — and costly — mistakes SSDI recipients make is failing to report work activity promptly. The SSA requires you to report any work activity as soon as you begin working, regardless of how much you earn. Failure to report can result in overpayments that the SSA will seek to recover, sometimes years after the fact.

South Dakota SSDI recipients have several ways to report work:

• Online: Through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov
• By phone: Calling the national SSA line at 1-800-772-1213
• In person: At the Sioux Falls Field Office (316 N. Cliff Ave.) or Rapid City Field Office (2525 W. Main St., Suite 100)
• By mail: Sending pay stubs and a written notice to your local SSA office

Keep copies of every communication and document you send to the SSA. In disputed overpayment cases, having a paper trail is often the only way to demonstrate timely reporting.

Work Incentive Programs That Complement the TWP

The Trial Work Period does not exist in isolation. The SSA has built several additional work incentives that South Dakota beneficiaries should know about:

• Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs): Costs you pay out of pocket for items or services that allow you to work — such as medications, medical devices, or transportation related to your disability — can be deducted from gross earnings when the SSA calculates whether you are earning at SGA level.
• Ticket to Work Program: A voluntary federal program that provides free employment support services. Participating South Dakota recipients can work with an Employment Network (EN) or State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency while maintaining protections against Continuing Disability Reviews.
• Expedited Reinstatement (EXR): If your benefits are terminated after the EPE because of SGA-level work, and you later become unable to work due to the same disability within 5 years, you can request EXR rather than filing an entirely new SSDI application.
• Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS): Allows SSI recipients — and in some cases SSDI recipients who also receive SSI — to set aside income or resources to pursue a work goal without those assets counting against benefit eligibility.

Common Mistakes South Dakota SSDI Recipients Make

Several errors consistently lead to overpayments, benefit suspensions, and appeals for South Dakota SSDI recipients attempting to return to work:

• Assuming the TWP automatically stops benefits: Many recipients stop working because they fear losing benefits, not realizing they have 9 full months to test their capacity without any reduction in payment.
• Not accounting for employer-provided fringe benefits: The SSA may count the value of certain employer benefits — like subsidized meals, housing, or transportation — as part of your earnings when calculating SGA.
• Missing the overpayment waiver deadline: If the SSA determines you were overpaid, you have 60 days to request a waiver or appeal. Missing this deadline severely limits your options.
• Failing to document unsuccessful work attempts: If you try to return to work but stop within 6 months due to your disability, that period may be treated as an Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA) and excluded from SGA calculations — but only if properly documented and reported.

South Dakota has a relatively small population, which can mean longer processing times at local field offices during busy periods. Starting the reporting and documentation process early is always advisable.

When to Consult a Disability Attorney

The intersection of returning to work and maintaining SSDI benefits involves overlapping timelines, dollar thresholds that change annually, and SSA administrative processes that are easy to mismanage. An overpayment of even a few months' benefits can amount to thousands of dollars — money the SSA will pursue aggressively.

Consulting a disability attorney is especially important if you have received an overpayment notice, if your benefits have been suspended during the EPE, if you believe an Unsuccessful Work Attempt was miscategorized, or if you are approaching the end of your 36-month EPE and need to plan your next steps. An experienced SSDI attorney can review your earnings records, identify available work incentives you may have missed, and represent you in any appeals before the SSA or an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

South Dakota residents have access to federal disability law protections that are uniform nationwide, but navigating the administrative process locally requires knowing which offices handle your case and how to communicate with them effectively. Getting professional guidance early prevents the kind of procedural mistakes that are difficult and expensive to fix later.

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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