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SSI and Work
How much you get in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits each month depends on your countable income. The more countable income you have, the less you get in SSI.
However, SSI has many programs and rules that can help you if you work, so that when your earned income goes up, your overall situation improves:
- Some mean your SSI benefits don’t go down as much when your earned income goes up.
- Some mean you can go over SSI’s resource limit, but keep getting SSI benefits.
- The Ticket to Work program can help you with job-training and finding work.
- Some mean that if you stop getting SSI benefits due to work, you’ll have a safety net that can help you get back on SSI more easily if you need it and can also get affordable health coverage.
Note: These programs and rules are sometimes called work incentives or work supports.
Rules That Mean Your SSI Benefits Won’t Go Down as Much as Your Earned Income Goes Up
In general, your SSI benefits go down 50 cents for every dollar your earned income goes up. That means you almost always end up with more total income when you work. However, some rules mean that your SSI benefits go down even less or not at all.
Some Work Expenses Are Not Countable Income
When you go to work, you have extra expenses. Social Security calls some of these Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and doesn’t count them when looking at your income. If you are blind, Social Security calls them Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) and won’t count them.
Because Social Security doesn’t count the money you spend on IRWEs and BWEs, your total countable income for SSI ends up lower and your SSI benefits stay higher than they otherwise would.
You need to report your IRWEs or BWEs to Social Security when you report your income, including receipts or cancelled checks for your expenses.
Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)
For Social Security to count something as an IRWE, all of the following have to be true:
- You bought an item or service that you need to work.
- You need it because of a disability.
- You paid for it yourself and nobody reimbursed you for the cost.
- You paid a reasonable price for it.
- You were working during the month you paid the expense.
- You can fully document the expense with receipts or cancelled checks.
IRWEs are approved at the local Social Security office on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions about IRWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, talk with a benefits expert.
Musetta uses a wheelchair and has a tough time getting ready for work by herself, so she has a personal care attendant who comes to her house each weekday morning and helps her get up, get dressed, have breakfast, and get out the door and on her way to work. This help makes it possible for Musetta to get to work and can be counted as an IRWE. That means the money she pays her attendant is not considered countable income and she gets a higher SSI benefits amount each month than she otherwise would.
Earned Income |
Minus the unused portion of the $20 General Exclusion |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion |
Minus Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) |
= Subtotal |
Divide by two |
= Countable Earned Income |
Blind Work Expenses (BWEs)
Blind Work Expenses can be any expense you have that lets you work. Unlike an IRWE, a BWE does not have to be related to your blindness or other medical condition or disability. Examples include:
- Federal, state, and local income taxes
- Social Security taxes
- Visual and sensory aids
- Translation of materials into Braille
- Professional association fees
- Union fees
If you have any questions BWEs or about how to tell Social Security about them, talk with a benefits expert.
Earned Income |
Minus the unused portion of the $20 General Exclusion |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion |
= Subtotal |
Divide by two |
= Subtotal |
Minus Blind Work Expenses (BWEs) |
= Countable Earned Income |
Unlike IRWEs, BWEs are subtracted after dividing by two, rather than before.
The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) for Students Under 22
The Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) lets students on SSI earn up to $2,290 per month without having those wages be part of their countable income. That means they can work and keep getting their SSI benefits. The SEIE has a $9,230 annual cap, so if you earn more than that in a year, your earnings start getting counted by SSI and your benefits go down.
The SEIE can help you if you get SSI and are both:
- Under 22 years old, and
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Regularly attending school.
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This usually means you have to go to school more than:
- 8 hours per week for college students
- 12 hours per week for grades 7 – 12
- 12 – 15 hours per week for job training
- If there are reasons beyond your control that prevent you from going to school this much, Social Security may make an exception to these rules.
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This usually means you have to go to school more than:
Nick is 20, goes to a local college, gets $943 per month in SSI benefits, and earns $2,375 per month from a summer job. He has no other unearned income and no IRWEs.
The SEIE lets him keep $2,290 per month of his earnings. The general exclusion ($20) and earned income exclusion ($65) lower his remaining countable earned income to zero. So Nick will keep all of his earnings and keep getting $943 per month in SSI benefits too!
However, if Nick’s job lasts more than a few months, he’ll hit the $9,230 annual cap. At that point, his full earnings will be counted — and his SSI benefits will drop to zero.
Your Monthly Earned Income | $ |
Minus the Student Earned Income Exclusion | - $2,290.00 |
Minus the unused portion of Your $20 General Exclusion | - $20.00 |
Minus the $65 Earned Income Exclusion | - $65.00 |
Minus Your Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) | - $ |
Subtotal | |
Divide by two | ÷ 2 |
Countable Earned Income |
Tip: The SEIE’s monthly and annual caps let you get a higher paying job during the summer and then a part-time job during the school year without going over the annual cap.
Programs That Let You Earn More, Save More, and Keep Getting SSI
There are several ways to save more than SSI’s $2,000 resource limit ($3,000 for couples) and keep getting SSI.
ABLE Accounts
If your disability began before you turned 26, you can open an ABLE account and, over time, save up to $100,000 in resources and not have them counted by SSI. ABLE accounts mean that if you get a job, you can start saving up some money without losing your benefits. Additionally, the money in an ABLE account gets tax advantages similar to the way retirement accounts work.
However, ABLE accounts have restrictions:
- They can only be opened through specific programs or institutions.
- You can only open one ABLE account.
- You and the other people making contributions on your behalf have a limit on how much you can deposit each year. Combined, you cannot deposit more than $18,000 in 2024.
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You can only use money in an ABLE account for specific things, such as:
- Education
- Housing
- Transportation
- Help getting and keeping work
- Health care
- Assistive technology, and
- Other approved expenses.
Learn more about ABLE accounts.
You can open an account in a different state from the one you live in. That's because some state ABLE programs let people who live in other states open accounts. Compare the ABLE account options in different states and see which one is right for you.
Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program lets people who get SSI benefits earn more money and save up that money in a special account. It can also help people who do not qualify for SSI become eligible.
The money that you save up must be used for a work-related goal. It can help pay for:
- School or training
- Starting a business, or
- Equipment, support services, and other expenses related to your goal.
The PASS program has two basic benefits:
- You can save up resources without losing your SSI benefits.
- If you have income, you can put it into the PASS and it won’t be counted as income by SSI, which means your benefits amount won’t go down as much.
To set up a PASS, you must:
- Get SSI benefits or become eligible for SSI benefits due to an approved PASS application.
- Have income other than SSI (for example, SSDI benefits or wages from a job) or have resources over $2,000 that you can use to fund your PASS.
- Have a work goal that will help you earn enough money to lower your SSI benefits or get off SSDI benefits altogether.
- Be able to write a plan that shows how saving a certain amount of money will let you reach your work goal. You can get help writing your plan from a PASS specialist.
- Be under age 65. If you are 65 or older, you may be able to set up a PASS if you were getting SSI benefits based on disability or blindness in the month before your 65th birthday.
Learn more in DB101’s Building Your Assets and Wealth article.
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
If you get SSI benefits, Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) can help you earn more and save your earnings in a special account that will be matched with money from the program’s sponsor or financial institution. The match may be anywhere from one to four times the amount of the deposit you make. For example, if you’re enrolled in an IDA program with a 2:1 match and you deposit $50 into your account, the program will add an additional $100 towards your savings goal, so that your total savings for that month will be $150.
Note: There aren't as many IDA programs as there used to be. Some are still active, but it can take a bit of effort to find one that is accepting applications.
The Ticket to Work Program: Job Training and Help Finding Work
The Ticket to Work program helps adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep work. To qualify, you must:
- Be 18 – 64 years old
- Get SSI or SSDI benefits
When you are ready to think about work, you can get started with the Ticket program by contacting an Employment Network (EN). ENs are organizations that can give you the various free employment services that Ticket to Work provides, including:
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Training
- Referrals
- Job coaching
- Job counseling, and
- Placement services.
While you are in the Ticket program, Social Security will not make you do medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) as long as you make timely progress in meeting your employment goals. That means you won’t lose your eligibility for SSI or SSDI for medical reasons.
Learn more about the Ticket to Work program.
Rules That Help if You Stop Getting SSI Benefits Due to Work
While there are many rules that can help you keep getting monthly SSI benefits, if you earn enough, you will eventually stop getting those benefits. Even so, there are SSI rules and other programs that will keep helping you.
If You Need SSI Again
If you stop getting SSI because your income goes up, but then your income goes down again, you may not have to reapply for SSI benefits.
If it has been less than 12 months since your last SSI payment or if you qualify for SSI 1619(b), you can get your SSI benefits started up again by reporting to your local Social Security office that you are no longer working.
If it has been more than 12 months, you can ask for Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) if:
- Your SSI benefits amount went to zero because of your income
- You can’t work at the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level because of your disability
- Your current impairment is the same as the one that originally made you eligible for SSI, and
- You stopped getting SSI benefits less than five years ago.
If you qualify for EXR, you can get up to six months of temporary SSI benefits while Social Security makes sure you still qualify.
Health Coverage Rules
Many people who get SSI worry that if they work, they’ll lose their health coverage. Fortunately, if you get Medicaid you can usually keep your coverage, even if your SSI benefits amount goes down to zero because of earnings. And, if you can't keep your Medicaid, there will be other coverage options.
Medicaid through SSI’s 1619(b) Rule
If you’re on SSI and Medicaid and your SSI benefits amount goes down to zero because you go back to work, SSI’s 1619(b) rule means you can keep your Medicaid coverage.
To keep your Medicaid coverage under 1619(b), you must:
- Have been eligible for SSI benefits for at least one month
- Have been eligible for Medicaid in the month before your SSI benefits went to zero
- Need Medicaid coverage to keep working
- Still have resources below the SSI limit of $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple)
- Have less than $38,906 in gross earnings, and
- Still meet all other SSI rules.
Learn more about 1619(b) in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD)
If your income goes over the 1619(b) limit or your resources go over SSI’s limit, you should look into Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD), which has much higher limits and lets you pay a monthly premium to get the same coverage as regular Medicaid.
To qualify for HBWD, you must:
- Be 16 – 64 years old
- Live in Illinois
- Be a U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant
- Be working and paying FICA taxes
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Have a disability that meets Social Security’s medical standards.
- For HBWD, SSA’s disability rules related to income do not apply.
- If you don't have a disability determination from Social Security, a disability determination will be done when you apply for HBWD.
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Have countable income at or below $4,393 per month for individuals.
- To calculate your countable income, money you spend on some things, like work expenses, day care costs, transportation, and more may be deducted.
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Have less than $25,000 in resources.
- HBWD does not count money that you have in retirement accounts or ABLE Accounts.
With HBWD coverage, you pay a premium of up to $500 each month (the higher your income, the higher your premium).
Learn more about HBWD in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
Other Health Coverage Options
If you lose Medicaid coverage, there should be another health coverage you can get, such as employer-sponsored coverage or private individual coverage. And, if you can’t afford the individual coverage, the government may help you pay for it through tax credits.
Learn more about individual coverage in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
Learn more
What Benefits Do I Get?
How to see which Social Security and state benefits you get.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI helps people with disabilities who worked and paid Social Security taxes.
AABD Medicaid
Medicaid for people with disabilities who have low income and low resources.
Get Expert Help
SSI and SSDI
How Work Affects SSI and SSDI
- Contact a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program
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Call the DHS Benefits Planning Program
1-217-588-6326 -
Call the Ticket to Work Help Line
1-866-968-7842
Medicaid
- Contact your DHS Family Community Resource Center
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Call the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Help Line
1-800-843-6154 -
Call a Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities (HBWD) expert
1-800-226-0768
Medicare
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Call Medicare
1-800-633-4227 -
Call the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
1-800-252-8966
Work Preparation
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Contact your local Rehabilitation Services office
1-877-581-3690 -
Contact the Bureau of Blind Services (BBS)
1-217-785-3887 - Contact your local Illinois workNet Center
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