Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Trial Work Periods are as follows:
Trial Work Period: This is a period of nine months, which are not necessarily consecutive, during which an SSDI client earns more than $720 a month. The SSDI client’s benefits are not affected by the earnings during this nine month period.
Cessation Month: This is the month in which SSA determines that the SSDI client’s earnings are “substantial”, i.e., over the $1,010 Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level and benefits are to cease. This is the tenth month following the nine-month Trial Work Period.
Grace Months: These are the two months (months 11 and 12) following the cessation month for which SSDI benefits may be paid even though the client has earnings in excess of the SGA level.
Extended Period of Eligibility: If an SSDI client is medically disabled and continues to work, his/her benefits can be reinstated anytime during the 36 months following the nine-month Trial Work Period. Clients will receive their full SSDI benefit any month that their earnings fall below $1,010. SSDI benefits will continue any of these 36 months that the client does not earn $1,010. These 36 months are consecutive.
All of the above are considered Trial Work Periods for Test A, i.e., disregarding earned income and unearned income contingent upon a Trial Work Period, we consider SSDI’s Trial Work Period (nine months), Cessation Month (one month), Grace Months (two months) and Extended Period of Eligibility (36 months) all Trial Work Period months and disregard SSDI unearned income in Test A. In determining which month of the Trial Work Period the client is in or if s/he is in a Trial Work Period, the worker should contact the Social Security Administration.
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