The trial work period is an opportunity to continue working while receiving disability benefits. However, this period of time is temporary and is designed to see whether you would like to return to work despite having a disability. Depending on the outcomes during the trial work period, a person may retain or lose their disability benefits once this period ends. Ask a Pennsylvania disability benefits attorney for help if you have any questions.

How the Trial Work Period Can Help

The Social Security trial work period is designed to let people test out whether they would like to go back to work despite their disability. This is a temporary amount of time when people have the opportunity to figure out whether they can and want to work. Many people do this when their disability improves or when they want to test the limits of their disability.

A trial work period lasts 9 months in total. These months do not have to be right after each other and can be spread out with gaps in between. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will automatically count any months where you make over a certain amount of money toward a trial work period month. Once 9 trial work months are used, the trial work period has been completed.

These 9 months are only counted within 60-month periods. When this five-year period is up, the trial work period resets and the person must start over. This means counting the 9 trial work period months starts over. Feel free to contact a Pennsylvania disability lawyer if you have any questions about how this process works.

When the Trial Work Period Ends

Once the trial work period ends, you enter a new phase. This phase is called an extended period of eligibility and is used to monitor your work. The length of this phase is 36 consecutive months. During this phase, you may still receive disability benefits.

A grace period starts after you exceed the financial limit and after the trial work period ends. The grace period lasts about two more months. You will receive disability benefits during these months. When the grace period ends, you will only be provided disability benefits for the months when your income is below a certain amount.

This amount is determined by the substantial gainful activity cap that varies based on whether the person is blind or disabled. If the person makes an income higher than this amount, then they are considered to be performing substantial gainful activity at work. In other words, the SSA will not pay them disability benefits during that month.

Those who earn an income above the substantial gainful activity cap after the extended period of eligibility ends will lose disability benefits.

Disability Attorney in Pennsylvania

The trial work period process can be confusing at times. Feel free to ask a Pennsylvania delayed insurance benefits lawyer for help if your disability benefits are delayed or removed for unknown reasons. All you have to do is contact Edelstein Martin & Nelson at (800) 300-0909 for a consultation today about your situation. Our legal team might be able to help you secure your disability benefits.