Can I Work Another Job While Collecting Disability?
If you develop a disability that makes it harder for you to work, you might decide to apply for state and federal programs that pay benefits to people who are disabled. Some of these programs allow you to have a job while you receive benefits, while other benefits are paid only if you have very low income or no income at all. The Social Security Administration as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs are two institutions that pay these benefits.
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VA Disability Compensation
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The VA Disability Compensation program pays benefits to disabled veterans. To qualify to receive these benefits, you must be a veteran who received an honorable discharge and who was disabled due to service. You are allowed to work as much as you want or need while receiving benefits. However, the amount of money you receive in benefits varies according to your disability rating. A higher disability rating means that your disability is more severe. If you receive a disability rating between 70 and 100 percent, your benefits are higher. Although you are allowed to work while receiving VA benefits, if you have a high disability rating it is unlikely that you will be physically able to work.
Social Security Disability
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The Social Security Disability (SSD) program also pays benefits to disabled individuals. One of the conditions of eligibility to receive SSD benefits is that you must not be able able to perform the work you used to do before becoming disabled or any other work. If you do, the Social Security office may consider you to not be disabled, and your application could rejected. You can work while you are receiving SDD benefits only if you earn less than the allowable amount for the given year, which is $1,000 per month at the time of publication. If you earn more than this limit, you will lose your benefits.
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Supplemental Security Income
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another Social Security program that pays monthly benefits to disabled individuals. You must prove that you have low income to qualify to receive these benefits. Unlike the SSD program, the condition to receive SSI benefits is not based on whether or not you are able to work, but on the amount of income you can earn. You can work all you want or need as long as you maintain a low level income. The limit for low income varies from state to state, but in general anything that exceeds $1,000 is considered substantial.
Ticket to Work Program
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Although you cannot work and earn substantially while receiving Social Security benefits as a disabled individual, you can participate in the Ticket to Work program. This program helps you to receive job training that allows you to find jobs you can perform regardless of your physical or mental condition. While in this program you can work for a trial period in which you can earn a higher level of income without losing your benefits. After this period is over, if you keep your job your benefits will end.
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