Social Security Disability Work Limits
The Social Security Administration has programs in place that encourage people who are receiving disability benefits to also work. The Ticket to Work program provides disabled individuals who meet a certain criteria with jobs through an employment network. A recipient of Social Security Disability may also find work on his own. However, there are certain guidelines a recipient must abide by to continue to receive their benefits.
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History
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The Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 prompted changes to the Social Security Administration's laws and guidelines to help remove concerns for individuals receiving Social Security Disability who may have also wanted to return to work. The Ticket to Work program was also created to provide disabled individuals who meet a criteria with employment opportunities. Disabled individuals returning to work on their own were also no longer in danger of immediately losing their benefits.
Limitations
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The Ticket to Work program is designed to provide disabled employees with a wage that does not exceed a certain amount of money. The earning limit can change from year to year as the estimated cost of living fluctuates. In 2010, the earning limit for disability recipients was $940 a month. Likewise, if a disability benefits recipient finds work on his own, he will have to ensure that his wages do not exceed the earning limit in place for that year.
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Considerations
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In finding work aside from the Ticket to Work program, a beneficiary will need to report any work she starts immediately to her local Social Security Administration office. Although the Social Security Administration will have a record of any wages a beneficiary earned month to month through tracing her Social Security number, she may still be required to provide pay stubs to her local Social Security Administration for backup proof of her earnings and her date of hire.
Consequences
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Should a person receiving Social Security Disability begin work that will exceed the earning limitation he will not lose his benefits right away. He may still be eligible to receive his benefits for up to 5 months. After this period, if the recipient continues to work and receive disability benefits, he will have an overpayment on his record and will be liable to pay back the amount of money he continued to receive for every month his earnings exceeded the limit. The recipient will be given options to appeal as well as options to repay the overpayment. The Social Security Administration will automatically cease benefit payments unless other arrangements are made by the recipient and approved by the administration.
Misconceptions
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The limitations to the type of work a person receiving Social Security Disability can do relies solely on the individual disabled person and her abilities. A disabled person can work in any field she is skilled to work in as long as her wages do not exceed the earning limit for the month. It is not necessary for a disabled individual to reveal that she is receiving Social Security Disability to potential employers outside of the Ticket to Work Program.
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References
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