SSDI Trial Work Period in Arkansas

Returning to work while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is one of the most consequential decisions a disabled Arkansas resident can make. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers a built-in protection called the Trial Work Period (TWP) that allows beneficiaries to test their ability to work without immediately losing their monthly disability checks. Understanding exactly how this program works—and where the traps lie—can mean the difference between a smooth transition and an unexpected overpayment demand from SSA.

What Is the SSDI Trial Work Period?

The Trial Work Period is a nine-month window during which an SSDI recipient can perform what SSA considers "services" without those earnings affecting their benefit payments. The nine months do not need to be consecutive—they are counted within a rolling 60-month (five-year) period. Once you use up nine trial work months, your TWP is exhausted, and a different set of rules takes over.

For 2024, SSA considers any month in which you earn more than $1,110 gross (before taxes) to be a trial work month. If you are self-employed, the threshold is earning over $1,110 after deducting business expenses, or working more than 80 hours in your business in that month. Every month you stay below that threshold does not count against your nine months, even if you are doing some part-time work.

It is critical to understand that during the TWP itself, SSA will generally continue paying your full SSDI benefit regardless of how much you earn. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the program. Many Arkansas beneficiaries stop working the moment their earnings feel "too high," not realizing they have months of protection built into the system.

What Happens After the Trial Work Period Ends

Once you have used all nine trial work months, SSA enters a different phase called the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), which lasts 36 months. During the EPE, your benefits hinge on whether your earnings exceed Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)—set at $1,550 per month in 2024 for non-blind individuals.

In any EPE month where your earnings exceed SGA, SSA will suspend your benefit payment. In any month where your earnings drop below SGA, your benefit can be reinstated without a new application. This flexibility is designed to give beneficiaries a safety net if their medical condition worsens and they are forced to stop working again.

After the EPE concludes, if you are still working at SGA levels, SSA will formally terminate your SSDI benefits. However, you retain a right called Expedited Reinstatement for up to five years after termination. This allows you to request reinstatement without filing a brand-new application if your disability prevents you from continuing to work.

Reporting Obligations for Arkansas SSDI Recipients

Arkansas SSDI recipients have a legal duty to report any work activity to SSA promptly. Failure to report earnings is one of the leading causes of large overpayment demands that can devastate a household budget. SSA will eventually obtain wage records from the IRS and state agencies, often years after the fact, and will demand repayment of every dollar paid during months you should not have received benefits.

The SSA field offices serving Arkansas are located in Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff, Hot Springs, and Texarkana, among others. You can report work activity by:

• Calling SSA's national number at 1-800-772-1213
• Visiting your local Arkansas SSA field office in person
• Using the "my Social Security" online portal at ssa.gov
• Reporting through SSA's Ticket to Work program if you are enrolled

Keep copies of every pay stub and every piece of correspondence with SSA. Arkansas beneficiaries who have experienced SSA data processing delays know that documentation saved years later can be the only proof that earnings were properly reported on time.

Work Incentives That Work Alongside the Trial Work Period

The TWP does not stand alone. SSA has additional work incentives that Arkansas beneficiaries should know about to maximize their return-to-work options.

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) allow you to deduct the cost of items or services you need because of your disability in order to work—such as medications, prosthetics, or specialized transportation—directly from your gross earnings when SSA calculates whether you have reached SGA. For an Arkansas resident managing a disabling condition that requires expensive medication or adaptive equipment, IRWEs can be the difference between being over or under the SGA threshold.

Subsidies and Special Conditions apply when an employer provides more support to a disabled worker than to a non-disabled worker performing the same job. SSA is supposed to deduct the value of that subsidy from your earnings before comparing them to SGA. If your employer is accommodating your condition in ways that reduce your effective productivity, document those accommodations carefully.

Ticket to Work is a federal program available to Arkansas beneficiaries aged 18 to 64 that connects them with Employment Networks and State Vocational Rehabilitation services at no cost. Assigning your Ticket to an approved provider can also pause SSA's Continuing Disability Reviews while you are making timely progress toward self-sufficiency.

Common Mistakes Arkansas Beneficiaries Make During the Trial Work Period

Several recurring errors can turn a well-intentioned return to work into a financial and legal headache:

• Not reporting work the month it starts. SSA calculates overpayments from the month earnings began, not the month SSA discovered them. Early reporting limits exposure.
• Assuming below-SGA earnings need not be reported. All work activity must be reported, even part-time or casual work below the trial work threshold.
• Counting months incorrectly. Because the nine months are tracked within a rolling 60-month window, beneficiaries often miscalculate which months have been used, especially after gaps in employment.
• Ignoring Medicare continuation rights. Even after SSDI cash benefits end following a successful TWP, Medicare coverage generally continues for at least 93 months under the Extended Medicare Coverage provision—a critical benefit for Arkansans managing serious health conditions.
• Failing to appeal an overpayment determination. If SSA claims you were overpaid, you have 60 days to appeal or request a waiver. Many overpayment decisions are reversed on appeal, particularly when the beneficiary reported work activity but SSA failed to act on it promptly.

The Trial Work Period is one of the most valuable protections in the SSDI program, but its rules are complex and the consequences of errors are serious. An Arkansas SSDI recipient navigating a return to work deserves accurate, current information and ideally guidance from a legal professional who knows how SSA field offices in the state operate and how to document work activity in a way that protects the beneficiary's record.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

Related Articles

• SSDI Processing Times in Arkansas
• SSDI Approval Timeline in Rhode Island
• SSDI Trial Work Period: Indiana Guide