|
DISCLAIMER - THIS WEBSITE IS NOT ENDORSED BY OR AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION , OR ANY GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.
 Carol Thomas has recently retired from the Social Security Administration after 28 years service. If you have any questions about Social Security, please ask. We will use the questions you send for future posts. I will never post anyone's name, or other identifiable information.
Due to overwhelming demand there is now a fee of $10 per email.
You will receive a reply within 72 hours of payment being received.
You will also receive Carols phone number, allowing you to speak with her directly.
|
Click to Ask Your Question
|
| FAQ(s) found under Social Security Questions From Visitors |
Showing 393 Of 394 |
Prev | Next |
| SSDI and Part-Time Earnings |
Date Add : 10-02-2009
| Views : 136
| |
|
I've been on SSDI for almost 2 years but desperately need to get additional income to survive, especially with the lack of COLA increase for 2010! The 18 to 20 hrs/week light job that I can handle would provide me $950 monthly. ($40 under the $980 limit). Can it trigger questions and reviews? or staying $40 under the max. earnings cap a safe bet for not triggering any hassles, down the road? Curious: What would actually happen if one earns up to $975 ??? thus remaining under the monthly cap limit? Is the under $980 limit for 2009, in general, a given, if never exceeded?
Thank you kindly!
Paul
Burlington, Vermont
Support Replied ~ 09-07-2009 16:54:16
Dear Paul:
It is important to stay under the allowable amount because if you have worked more than 3 years, you could be terminated for that one month you go over. Remember, it is when you earn the money. So use the calendar to mark down what you earned each day. (for example, worked 41/2 hours at $10 an hour, you earned $45 that day. You should notify SS that you are working after about 4 months of successful work. They will tell you, you can work for 9 months and earn any amount you want,
which is true, but after that 9 month period, must stay under the $980 to be elilgible for checks after the 9 mointh trial work period. I don't know what exactly triggers the alerts. You might get a questionnaire after the 9 month period asking you if you can work full time. As long as you stay under the amount allowed, you will be alright.....Take care, Carol
Your Comment ~ 09-07-2009 22:42:22
Thank you kindly Carol for your VERY prompt response & for allowing me a follow-up questions to your professional answer.
1- All clear from your comments -- Am I therefore right to deduce that, since I'm allowed any amount I can earn for 9 "trial period" months, I should not limit myself during those 9 first months, of "back to part-time work", by the $980 ceiling? I should go and try to earn the max for 9 months (and not a day more). Then manage NOT to exceed that $980, from the 10th month on. Even if that means quit and go find a new (lower paying) job.
Why I'm saying that? Because I can physically only work afternoons, part-time for 4 to 5 hrs/day (I'm 63, BTW). Some of the 20 hr/week jobs I found, with my experience, pay much more per hour then the $10 example. Meaning I would probably gross between $1,200 to 1,450 monthly and, originally, I thought I'd better stay away from those, BUT I now realize - from your answer - that I should try and make the best of it for maximum income, for the next 9 months, then scale back at the end of the period. Does that make sense to you?
2- When I inform them, after the 4th month, that I'm attempting to work (part-time only), do I need to give them monthly salary level and say it's only part-time (under 20 hrs) or immaterial at that point?
Once again thank you very much indeed.
Rgds ~ Paul
Support Replied ~ 09-08-2009 22:37:12
Dear Paul:
You have the right idea. You can go to work and make as much as you can for the 9 months . If you did decide to work over the limit after that, you will have to pay back the checks for those months. BUT, you have a 3 year period that you can go off and on benefits depending on the amount you earn. It is called a 36 month extended period of eligibility. So, if you really liked your job and wanted to give it a try for a year or so, you could, and then when you got tired or couldn't do it anymore, contact SS and tell them you are going back to the $980 and they would start paying you checks again.
When you contact them after the 4 months, they will send you a work notice. That tells them where you work and how many hours you work. You would be responsible for sending in the pay stubs every 3-4 months. You remember to keep copies of every report you send to SS. If you don't understand what I have said here, let me kow. It is a lot to take in........Carol
Your Comment ~ 09-10-2009 18:08:52
Thank you again Carol - Nothing ambiguous. Your succinct responses are very clear. You have clarified several things for me.
Kindly let me know if I need to send an additional $10 payment as I do have a follow-up question. To make sure I make no mistakes, once I'm able to find the right part-time position and accept it, to start some needed influx of some money. The rules are not complicated, but it's a "buyers beware set-up" situation that can set-one up (no pun intended!) for hassles, down-the-road, if all the i's are not dotted! Please let me know, as I do not wish to abuse of your kind responses. You've been great.
Regards,
Paul
Support Replied ~ 09-10-2009 19:53:25
Dear Paul;
You are fine with one payment. Working while disabled is complicated. You can write to me anytime you want. If the situation gets confused, I will call you and we can talk it over the phone. Good luck with your search for the right job.....Carol
Your Comment ~ 09-13-2009 18:44:54
Thank you very much Carol as you have very soundly clarified my earlier concerns.
My follow-ups are:
And, just so that you know some personal facts: I’m 63, I’ve been on SSDI since April 2008 @ $1,852 p/month (minus my Medicare Advantage) = $1,753 net. I moved out of Los Angeles, a few months ago for Burlington, VT to reduce my living expenses and to also be closer to relatives in Montreal, Canada. Due to severe morning IBS & other issues, I can only work afternoons or evenings, which makes available positions hard to find. I have not worked since 2005. I worked in the airline industry for over 25 years.
It’s clear, from your answers, that after the 9-month period - where I can earn up to whatever - without losing my present $1,852/monthly SSDI, but I’ll need to scale any part-time salary back to under <$980 and not a penny more, for the next 3 years.
1- IF I’m able to find work & earn say $1,200 as a part-time, what will I be receiving then from SSD, after those 9 months trial work period? Would it be the difference between my present $1,852 SSDI and my $1,200 salary? Or nothing at all? Or some other magic formula? If no SSDI payment “at all”, then I might as well not bother UNLESS it’s a job paying me under <$980; as I’ll be short-changed income wise; right? Not certain, but seems, from all I read & hear, that if I one makes even $1 over that $980 amount after the 9-month, one gets nothing. Therefore, in my situation I must find a part-time that pays WELL-OVER my present $1,852 SSDI to make it even worthwhile, after taxes, etc… and that would be very hard to find in Vermont, especially as part-time! Does that make sense or what? And, I assume that with a salary under the <$980 or under the <$700 I’ll continue to receive my $1,852 in addition to any part-time salary” with no issuesn from SSD, other then regularly submitting my pay stubs to them. Correct?
2- BTW, is there a cap on number or hours worked per week? Is there a max? Is it a per month max perhaps? I intend (can only) work under <20 hrs/per week, but what if I end-up with 22 to 24 hrs p/week for some reason (small overtime, etc…)? Is there a cap on hrs worked too? If there is a cap, is that also for same 9-month trial period?
3- Now, there is this other threshold of a max of the under <$700 earnings, which supposedly is a safe level. Question: if I earn say $695/monthly do I also need to advise them of such work activity, after 4 months? Or not required at that level? And, what happens after a 9-month stint of under <$700 part-time income?
4- I’m slightly confused here: What exactly takes place between the $700> and the <$980?
5- If I earn, so-to-speak, “as much as I’m able to” and, after that 9-month trial work period, (continuous or not) decide to drop to an under <$700 income, am I technically still in the 36-months of extended eligibility or are those months under <$700 not really counting?
6- If payments are stopped, within the extended eligibility period, and then I can’t continue working and request to receive SSDI assistance back again, would you know how long does that process take? Weeks? Months? If it’s a lengthy process, do they pay retroactively to when I stopped working? Do I need to go to my local SS office and re-apply in person or is that simply done by phone with the SS call center?
Carol, I realize you can’t possibly know all the answers, but I greatly appreciate your efforts in assisting with my concerns with anything you know. I take your responses as a general guideline, as all actions and decisions are mine and mine alone. You’re a very kind person with great friendly & professional advice. So, feel free to answer me to the best of your abilities with what you know and of your vast Social Security past experience. You obviously know much more then I can even think of knowing. I’m very thankful for your personal opinion. I like to educate myself ahead of time, not to have to face an unpleasant situation, down-the-line and then slap myself silly for not having asked. I hope I have not repeated myself too much, and not confused you either.
I don’t want you to spend much of your precious time typing away responses, Carol, so please, do call me if more convenient for you OR I’ll be glad to call you so you don’t gave to place long-distance calls (let me know by e-mail). Anyway, my home phone is 802-497-0376 Best times to reach me is anytime after 12 PM noon (ET), and I also stay up very late into the nights. Your choice, you let me know.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !
Kindest personal regards,
Paul
Support Replied ~ 09-15-2009 17:07:13
Dear Paul:
I called you, the matter should be dealt with person to person. It is complicated....
Carol
|
|
|
| Submit Questions / Post Inquiries |  If your question has not been answered, or if you would like to send us an inquiry, please click here |
|
DISCLAIMER -
You should consult with your local Social Security Office before acting upon any information received as a response to your question on "Social Security Advisor".
"Social Security Advisor" is intended to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is offered with the understanding that neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering legal, accounting, investment or other professional advice or services.
Information obtained from RetirementCommunity.com, including e-mail responses from "Social Security Advisor" should be considered as general educational information. You must never rely upon the advice given here. Your individual situation may not fit the generalizations discussed. Only your local Social Security office can evaluate your individual situation and give you advice.
|
|
|
Donation Center
|
Due to overwhelming demand there is now a fee of $10 per email.
You will receive a reply within 72 hours of payment being received.
You will also receive Carols phone number, allowing you to speak with her directly.
User Feedback:
|
|
