Ticket to Work Program for Social Security Disability Recipients

Ticket to Work Program

Summary: SSA’s Ticket to Work Program helps transition you back into the workforce by allowing you to train and work while continuing to receive Social Security Disability benefits for a period of time.

If you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, but would like to try to work again, the Ticket to Work program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) is your ticket to getting there.

How to Ease Back to Work and Still Get Disability Benefits

More Job Resources for Disability Beneficiaries

The Ticket to Work program is a free program. It is not mandatory to participate in it. Its purpose is to provide a resource of employment services and training opportunities to help ease you back into the workforce and test your ability to continue working during a trial work period (TWP).

The Ticket to Work program is available in every state and the services it provides are from state vocational rehabilitation agencies or, what SSA calls “Employment Networks.” These networks include private organizations or government agencies that provide employment services to persons with disabilities.

The Way it Works

SSA will give you a “ticket” that you give to an SSA-approved provider of vocational services. The provider will give you free training, job referrals and other support services to help you get back to work. When you participate in the Ticket to Work program you gain access to more employment opportunities, and you retain your SSDI disability benefits and your Medicare benefits during your trial work period.

Trial Work Period

If you earn $720 (2010 earnings amount), or more, in one month, that month is considered a TWP month. The trial work period (TWP) continues until you accumulate nine months of work within a 60-month rolling period. These months do not have to be consecutive. Also, while participating in the Ticket to Work program, you will not have to undergo a medical review of your disability.

About Your Benefits When You are Back at Work

When the trial work period has ended, and you are working, you will no longer receive disability benefits for any month in which you earned more than substantial gainful allowance (SGA). For 2010 that amount is $1,000. Your benefits will kick in again, however, if your income drops below SGA or if your disability causes you to stop working within five years after your benefits stopped.

After five years, you will have to reapply for disability benefits, but you may get temporary disability and Medicare benefits, up to six months, while your case is being reviewed. You also get to keep your Medicare benefits for at least eight and one-half years after returning to work.

The Ticket to Work Program is part of the “Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999.” It is a work incentive program that removes barriers for people who want to try to get back to work but are resistant because of concerns that they may lose their monthly disability benefit and Medicare coverage.

The Ticket to Work Program provides all the support you need to help you get back into gainful employment.

Social Security Disability benefits summary: For those who are unable to work because of a physical or mental disability, cash and health insurance benefits are available through the government’s Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. If you have previously worked full time and paid Social Security taxes (FICA), you may qualify for these disability benefits. You must furthermore be between the age of 18 and 65 and unable to work full-time in any job available in the U.S to meet Social Security Disability requirements. The average monthly award is $1,100 dollars and you will be eligible to receive Medicare health insurance benefits after 24 months. A wide range of disabilities will qualify you for these benefits as long as they prevent you from working full-time including the following: depression, bi-polar, back pain, arthritis, diabetes, etc. You are able to apply for Social Security Disability directly with the Social Security Administration or your can improve your chances of success through the use of professional Disability Advocates, such as Freedom Disability or Social Security Attorneys. Freedom disability is only paid if you win.