Social Security: Your Ticket To Work: What You Need To Know To Keep It Working For You
This guide presents selected U.S. government consumer education from Social Security Administration. References to “we” or “us” in the source material refer to the issuing agency. Source dates and links appear below.
Page references and publication numbers refer to the linked government publication. Figures identified by year apply to that edition, and illustrative examples are not estimates of your own benefit or costs.
Congratulations on your participation in the Ticket to Work program. This publication contains information that can help you succeed in the program.
Will you review my disability while I am in the program?
We won’t conduct a medical review of your disability as long as you make progress in the Ticket to Work program. However, if we started a disability review before you began participating, we’ll finish the review. If you have any questions about the Ticket to Work program, call the Ticket to Work Help Line toll free at 1-866-968-7842, or TTY 1-866-833-2967.
How does Social Security determine my progress?
While you’re in the program, we’ll review your progress in achieving the goals of your employment plan approximately every 12 months. We consider participation in the program to begin when you sign an agreement.
The following table explains how we determine whether you’re making timely progress towards your goal.
For reviews 1-5, we accept a combination of required education and earnings.
What happens if I am not making progress?
If we determine that you’re not making progress in the Ticket to Work program, we won’t postpone future medical reviews. You can continue in the Ticket program even if we find that you’re not making progress.
What if I start making progress again?
Whenever you think you’re making progress again, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line. We’ll make a decision about your progress. As long as you meet the disability rules, qualify to take part in the program, and start making progress as expected, we won’t begin a medical review.
| Review period | Work requirements | Education requirement | Technical, trade, or vocational program |
| First review | 3 months at or above the trial work period level* | High School diploma, GED or undergrad (2 or 4-year college) | Completed 60% of full-time course load for 1 year |
| Second review | 6 months at or above the trial work period level* | Undergrad (2 or 4- year college) | Completed 75% of full-time course load for 1 year |
| Third review | 9 months at or above the substantial gainful activity level** | Completion of a 2- year college degree, or, for a 4-year degree, completion of another academic year of full-time study | Completed the program |
| Fourth review | 9 months at or above the substantial gainful activity level** | Completion of another academic year of full-time study toward a 4-year degree or higher | |
| Fifth review | 6 months of work and have earnings in each of those months that prevent payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments | Completion of another academic year of full-time study toward a 4-year degree | |
| Sixth review | Work criteria are same as 5th review for this and subsequent reviews | Completion of the program (4-year degree or higher) |
*In 2026 we consider you to be working for the trial work period if your earnings are over $1,210 per month. **In 2026 we consider earnings over $1,690 (over $2,830 if you are blind) to be substantial.
What if I disagree with the decision?
Once we make our decision, we’ll send you a letter explaining it. If you disagree with the decision, you have 30 days to ask Social Security to review it.
Working and your benefits
How do my earnings affect my benefits?
If you’ve completed your trial work period, are working, and have substantial earnings, we may stop your Social Security disability benefits. We can quickly start your benefits again if your income drops, or you stop work and still have a disability.
As your earnings increase, we reduce your SSI payments until your earnings reach a level where you are no longer eligible to receive payments. We count less than half of your earnings when figuring your SSI payment.
For an explanation of how earnings affect your benefits, read Working While Disabled — How We Can Help (Publication No. 05-10095). You can print it from our website, www.ssa.gov. Or, you can call our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Need Assistance Reporting Wages?
In April 2025, Social Security started using a Payroll Information Exchange (PIE). We can use PIE to get your monthly wage information directly from Payroll Data Providers (PDPs), but only if we have your permission.
You might not have to report your wages every month if we receive them through PIE. If you want us to get your wage information this way, you can fill out the SSA-8240 form to give your permission. This form is available on the Forms page on SSA.gov.
To learn more, visit: www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/ spot-pie.htm and www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/ spot-reporting-earnings.htm.
What happens to my health benefits?
Your Medicare may continue for at least 8½ years after you start to work, if you still have a disability. Your Medicaid may also continue, depending on the state where you live and your earnings amount.
Where can I get more information?
For more information about the Ticket to Work program, call the Ticket to Work Help Line, toll-free at 1-866-968-7842, or TTY 1-866-833-2967 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Or, you can visit our website, www.ssa.gov/work.
Sources and publication details
- Your Ticket To Work: What You Need To Know To Keep It Working For You — Social Security Administration; source date: August 2026.
The federal agency source text is U.S. government work in the public domain. Fynoptic selected, adapted, and formatted it for this guide. No agency endorsement is implied. Follow the linked sources for current program details and the rules applicable to your circumstances.