Advantages of the Ticket to Work Program

The Ticket to Work Program allows people with disabilities to work without losing their Social Security benefits. The point is to encourage people to work, if possible, without fear of losing their steady income from the government. The Ticket to Work Program is voluntary and allows participants to work as much or as little as they want, with the Social Security benefits only being reduced once the trial period is over. There are various advantages to this program.

History of the Ticket to Work Program

The program was established after the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 came into effect. It is meant for individuals between 18 and 64 years old who receive either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The Ticket to Work Program gives each participant a ticket to use with an Employment Network (EN), which can help with job placement, training and career counseling.

Signing Up for the Program

You can contact a local Employment Network to find out if the program would work for you. Every beneficiary of SSI and SSDI gets a ticket from the SSA so that they can participate if they choose. It is possible to talk to a few ENs before committing to one, as you have to find the provider that is right for you. Choose the one that you believe can help find you appropriate training or even a job, and then assign your ticket to that network. You can un-assign your ticket in the future if you decide that a different EN is better for you.

The Rules of the Ticket to Work Program

If you get SSDI, your benefits will not be reduced at all during the trial work period, which consists of your first nine months of earning money. The nine months do not have to be consecutive as long as they are within a 60-month period, so breaks during this time are fine. As of 2011, once you have earned over $720 per month for nine months, your benefits will be reduced. Your benefits will be discontinued during any month that you have earned over $1000, or over $1640 if you are blind. During the initial 36 months after the end of the trial period, you can start receiving full benefits again for each month that you make less than $1000. You will still receive health benefits through Medicare for four and a half years after the trial work period ends. If you receive SSI payments, your check will be reduced once you start working. However, the first $65 you earn each month is not counted by the SSA, nor is one half of your monthly earnings. You can still get Medicaid coverage while you work, though you may become ineligible once your income is considered too high to receive SSI payments.

Get Answers to Your Legal Questions

If you are curious about how the Ticket to Work Program would change your benefits, and the SSA has not answered your questions, contact a lawyer. An attorney specializing in SSI and SSDI cases can determine the effect of this program on your benefits.