To get or keep SSI benefits you may have to go to a hearing. A hearing is like a court proceeding. A Social Security Judge decides your case.
Here are some of the rules about work and SSI benefits:
- Work can affect your benefits. Your SSI can end right away if you have too much countable income.
- Each month that you work, you must report your earnings. The Social Security Administration reviews your earnings and calculates what is "countable." For every $1.00 of countable earnings, your SSI benefit will be reduced by $0.50.
- If the total countable earnings is more than your SSI benefit, then you can't get SSI unless your earnings decrease.
- There is no timing for Social Security to make a decision to stop benefits. If Social Security decides that you lost your eligibility in a past month, you will have to pay back the benefits you received after that (even if you reported the income).
- You can ask Social Security to waive (not enforce) the pay back requirement.
- If you lose SSI because you earned too much, you can ask for "Expedited Reinstatement" (to get back in the program) if:
- you become unable to work again
- within five years
- due to the same disability.
Click below to download a flyer on working with SSI and SSD (Social Security Disability). SSI information is on the second page.
Last Reviewed: April 11, 2023