SSDI Trial Work Period in New Hampshire

For Social Security Disability Insurance recipients in New Hampshire, returning to work can feel like stepping onto a tightrope. One wrong move and you risk losing the benefits you fought hard to obtain. The Trial Work Period (TWP) is the Social Security Administration's built-in safety net that allows you to test your ability to work without immediately jeopardizing your monthly disability payments. Understanding exactly how this program works — and how to protect yourself while using it — is essential for any SSDI recipient considering employment.

What Is the Trial Work Period?

The Trial Work Period is a nine-month window during which an SSDI beneficiary can work and receive full disability benefits regardless of how much money they earn. The SSA designed this provision to encourage beneficiaries to attempt a return to employment without the fear of abruptly losing income support if the attempt fails.

The nine months do not need to be consecutive. The SSA tracks them within a rolling 60-month (five-year) window. Any month in which you earn above the service month threshold counts toward your nine months. In 2025, that threshold is $1,110 per month. If you are self-employed, the SSA may count a month in which you work more than 80 hours as a service month, regardless of earnings.

Once you use all nine trial work months, your TWP is complete. The SSA then evaluates whether your work activity constitutes Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) — currently set at $1,620 per month for non-blind individuals in 2025. If your earnings exceed SGA after exhausting your TWP, the SSA may determine that your disability has ceased.

How New Hampshire Recipients Should Approach the TWP

New Hampshire does not administer SSDI directly — it is a federal program managed by the SSA — but New Hampshire residents interact with the SSA through the Manchester and Concord field offices, as well as the New Hampshire Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (NH DVR). The NH DVR can coordinate with the SSA's Ticket to Work program, which runs parallel to the TWP and offers additional employment support services without triggering a medical continuing disability review simply by enrolling.

New Hampshire beneficiaries should take the following practical steps when beginning work during the TWP:

• Report your work activity to the SSA immediately. Notify your local SSA field office as soon as you start working. Failure to report earnings is the most common cause of overpayments, and New Hampshire recipients have faced demands to repay thousands of dollars when work activity was not disclosed promptly.
• Keep meticulous payroll records. Save pay stubs, bank statements, and any documentation showing your gross monthly earnings. The SSA counts gross wages, not net take-home pay.
• Track your service months carefully. Request your earnings record from the SSA at least once per year to confirm how many trial work months have been credited to your account.
• Understand how self-employment is counted differently. New Hampshire has a robust small business and gig economy. If you are self-employed — whether as a contractor, freelancer, or small business owner — the hours-worked calculation for service months applies and requires separate documentation.

What Happens After the Trial Work Period Ends

After all nine trial work months are used, the SSA enters a second phase called the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE), which lasts 36 months. During the EPE, you receive your full SSDI payment in any month that your earnings fall below the SGA threshold. In any month your earnings exceed SGA, you do not receive a benefit payment — but your case remains open. This means that if your earnings drop back below SGA within that 36-month window, your payments can resume without filing a new application.

This protection is significant for New Hampshire workers in seasonal industries — hospitality in the Lakes Region, ski industry employment in the White Mountains, or summer tourism on the Seacoast — where income fluctuates dramatically by season. A beneficiary whose earnings exceed SGA during peak months but fall below SGA during the off-season may still qualify for payments during lower-earning months throughout the EPE.

Once the EPE concludes, continued work above SGA will terminate your benefits. However, for five years after termination, you may request expedited reinstatement if your condition worsens and prevents you from continuing to work at the SGA level — again without filing a brand new application.

Common Mistakes That Jeopardize SSDI Benefits in New Hampshire

The most consequential errors New Hampshire SSDI recipients make during the Trial Work Period involve timing and reporting failures. The SSA's overpayment recovery process is aggressive. Once an overpayment notice arrives, recipients have 60 days to appeal or request a waiver, and failing to act can result in benefit offsets, tax refund garnishment, and collection actions.

Additional pitfalls include:

• Assuming part-time work is always safe. Even part-time hours can generate earnings exceeding the SGA threshold depending on your wage rate. An SSDI recipient in New Hampshire earning $18 per hour could reach SGA in as few as 90 hours per month.
• Confusing the TWP threshold with SGA. The service month threshold ($1,110) and the SGA amount ($1,620) are different numbers used for different purposes. Many recipients mistakenly believe they are safe as long as they stay under SGA, not realizing service months accrue at a lower figure.
• Not accounting for impairment-related work expenses (IRWEs). New Hampshire beneficiaries who pay out-of-pocket for disability-related work expenses — such as specialized transportation, medications required to work, or adaptive equipment — can deduct these costs from countable earnings. This deduction can keep earnings below SGA even if gross income exceeds the threshold.
• Forgetting Medicare continuation rights. Even after SSDI cash benefits stop because of work, Medicare coverage typically continues for at least 93 months under the Extended Medicare Coverage provision. New Hampshire recipients should not assume they lose health coverage when their cash benefit ends.

Protecting Your Rights During the Return-to-Work Process

The Trial Work Period rules are complex, and the stakes are high. An error in reporting or a misunderstanding of the SGA calculation can result in benefit termination or a substantial overpayment demand that takes years to resolve. New Hampshire SSDI recipients who are considering returning to work should consult with a disability attorney before beginning employment — not after problems arise.

An experienced attorney can help you calculate how many trial work months you have already used, advise on structuring work activity to maximize protections, document impairment-related work expenses to reduce countable income, respond to SSA overpayment notices, and represent you in continuing disability reviews triggered by work activity. Acting proactively protects both your benefits and your ability to use them as the intended bridge back to meaningful employment.

The Trial Work Period exists because Congress recognized that disability is not always permanent and that the path back to work is rarely straightforward. New Hampshire beneficiaries who understand their rights under this provision can pursue employment opportunities with confidence rather than fear.

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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