Try going the better part of two years without the ability to earn a living and having no income to speak of. Many times this is exactly what someone who is going through the Social Security process is faced with.
Because it can take a long time before an applicant is approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) most of those who apply experience financial distress. If you can’t work because of your disabilities how someone with no income would pay their rent and keep their utilities on is anyone’s guess.
Fortunately, for those who are able to, Social Security will allow applicants to work on a part-time basis while they are going through the disability process and even after they are approved for disability benefits. It is important to know specific rules if you are working and applying for Social Security disability.
It may seem like a contradiction for someone who is claiming to be disabled to go back to work or to continue working, but many people have no other choice. Working, especially on a part-time basis, does not necessarily mean you are not disabled. Many people have physical or mental health disabilities that prevent them from working at a full-time level, or what Social Security considers to be a Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
In 2012 Social Security has set SGA at $1,010 gross income (before taxes) per month. Anyone who earns more than this through work-related activity runs the risk of disqualifying themselves from being eligible for SSDI. That means that Social Security will not even consider whether you are disabled because you do not meet the technical requirements of the program set forth by Social Security. Applicants who are applying for SSI face even stricter income limitations as all household income and most assets can disqualify someone from being eligible for SSI.
It’s also important to know that even if you go back to work full-time, when going through the disability process, your case will probably not be dismissed unless you earn more than $1,010 (gross) per month for a continuous sixth-month period. Be sure to keep your legal representatives informed of your work activity, specifically your case manager, if you are a client of Greeman Toomey.
If you show that you are attempting to work, but are unable to sustain that work because of your disabilities, it’s generally not a negative when it comes to the Social Security process.
