SSDI Trial Work Period Rules in Colorado

Returning to work after a disability can feel like stepping onto a tightrope. The Social Security Administration's Trial Work Period (TWP) is designed to give SSDI beneficiaries a structured opportunity to test their ability to work without immediately losing benefits. Understanding exactly how this program operates — and how Colorado's vocational resources interact with it — can mean the difference between a smooth transition and an unexpected loss of income.

What the Trial Work Period Actually Allows

The Trial Work Period gives SSDI recipients up to 9 months to attempt employment while continuing to receive full disability benefits, regardless of how much they earn during those months. The 9 months do not need to be consecutive — they are counted within any rolling 60-month (5-year) window.

A month counts as a TWP month only if your gross earnings exceed the SSA's monthly threshold. For 2026, that threshold is $1,110 per month. If you earn less than this amount in a given month, it does not count against your 9 TWP months. Self-employment triggers a TWP month differently — the SSA looks at either your net earnings or the number of hours worked (80+ hours in a month counts regardless of income).

Key point: during your Trial Work Period, the SSA does not evaluate whether your work constitutes Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). You receive your full monthly benefit even if you are earning well above SGA limits. The TWP is a true testing window.

What Happens After the 9 Trial Work Months

Once you exhaust your 9 TWP months, you enter the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), which lasts 36 consecutive months. During the EPE, the rules change significantly. The SSA will now evaluate whether your earnings constitute SGA each month.

For 2026, SGA is $1,620 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,700 per month for individuals who are statutorily blind. If your earnings fall below the applicable SGA amount in any given month during the EPE, you receive your full SSDI benefit for that month. If your earnings exceed SGA, your benefit is suspended — not terminated — for that month.

This distinction matters enormously. Suspension during the EPE means your benefits can be reinstated quickly in any month your earnings drop below SGA, without a new application. Colorado residents who work in seasonal industries, agriculture, or variable-hour jobs may find the EPE particularly valuable given the natural fluctuations in their earnings.

Expedited Reinstatement: A Safety Net Beyond the EPE

After the Extended Period of Eligibility ends, your SSDI case closes if you are still working above SGA. However, federal law provides one more layer of protection: Expedited Reinstatement (EXR).

If your disability recurs or worsens within 5 years of your benefit termination, you can request reinstatement without filing a new application. While SSA reviews your EXR request, you can receive provisional benefits for up to 6 months. If the SSA ultimately denies reinstatement, you are not required to repay those provisional payments — a significant protection for Colorado beneficiaries who may face a waiting period before they can begin a new claim.

To request EXR, contact your local Colorado SSA field office or submit SSA Form 4702. Colorado has field offices in Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Grand Junction, Fort Collins, Greeley, and Lakewood, among others.

Colorado-Specific Resources During the Trial Work Period

Colorado beneficiaries attempting a return to work have access to several state and federally funded programs that can complement their TWP:

• Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR): Provides job training, assistive technology, and job placement services to individuals with disabilities. DVR services are available statewide, including rural and mountain communities often underserved by other programs.
• Ticket to Work Program: SSDI recipients between ages 18 and 64 receive a "ticket" that can be assigned to an Employment Network (EN) or Colorado DVR. Using your ticket suspends continuing disability reviews while you work toward self-sufficiency, though it does not extend your TWP.
• Benefits Counseling through Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA): Colorado's WIPA projects — operated through organizations like Disability Connect Colorado — provide free counseling on how work affects SSDI, Medicare, and other benefits. A benefits counselor can map out exactly how many TWP months you have used and project your EPE timeline.
• Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS): Allows you to set aside income or resources for a vocational goal without those funds counting against SSI eligibility or SSDI work incentives. This can be particularly useful for Colorado beneficiaries pursuing retraining or small business development.

Colorado's cost of living varies dramatically by region — housing costs along the Front Range are substantially higher than in rural eastern or western Colorado. This economic reality makes accurate benefits planning critical before accepting a job offer.

Common Mistakes That Derail Colorado SSDI Recipients

Even beneficiaries who understand the TWP rules in theory often make avoidable errors. The most damaging include:

• Failing to report work to SSA promptly. Colorado SSDI recipients are required to report any work activity to the SSA. Delays in reporting can create overpayments that the SSA will demand repayment of, sometimes years later.
• Misunderstanding when TWP months begin. Many beneficiaries assume the clock starts when they begin a job. In reality, a TWP month is triggered by your earnings in that calendar month — not your start date or pay date. If you receive a large signing bonus or back pay in a single month, that month may count even if you worked only a few days.
• Overlooking impairment-related work expenses (IRWEs). Colorado beneficiaries who pay out-of-pocket for items needed to work because of their disability — such as prescription medications, modified vehicles, or attendant care — can deduct these costs from gross earnings when SSA calculates SGA. This can keep earnings below the SGA threshold even when gross pay exceeds it.
• Assuming Medicare terminates when work begins. Medicare continues for at least 93 months (approximately 7.75 years) after the first month of your TWP, even if SSDI cash benefits stop. Colorado beneficiaries who rely on Medicare for ongoing medical care should not let fear of losing health coverage prevent them from attempting work.

The interaction between the Trial Work Period, the Extended Period of Eligibility, and Colorado's own benefit programs is genuinely complex. A single misstep — an unreported job, a miscalculated SGA determination, a missed EXR deadline — can result in months of disrupted income that takes years to resolve through SSA's administrative process.

Before accepting employment, consulting with an attorney or certified benefits counselor who understands Colorado's specific resources and SSA's overlapping rules is one of the most practical steps any SSDI recipient can take.

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

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