SSDI Trial Work Period: Vermont Claimants Guide

Returning to work while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is a prospect that many Vermont residents fear will cost them everything they worked hard to secure. The trial work period (TWP) exists precisely to remove that fear. Understanding how this federal program operates — and how Vermont-specific factors interact with it — can mean the difference between a successful return to employment and an unexpected loss of benefits.

What Is the SSDI Trial Work Period?

The trial work period is a federal Social Security Administration (SSA) provision that allows SSDI beneficiaries to test their ability to work for at least nine months without losing their disability benefits. During this period, you continue to receive your full SSDI payment regardless of how much you earn, as long as you report your work activity to the SSA and continue to have a disabling condition.

The nine months do not need to be consecutive. The SSA counts any month within a rolling 60-month window in which your earnings exceed the trial work period threshold. For 2024, that threshold is $1,110 per month. Any month in which you earn at or above this figure — or, if self-employed, work more than 80 hours — counts as a trial work month. The TWP ends once you have accumulated nine such months within a five-year period.

This protection is especially significant for Vermont residents, where the cost of living, particularly in Burlington and surrounding Chittenden County, can make part-time or trial employment a necessary step before committing to full-time work.

How the Trial Work Period Works in Practice

Once your nine trial work months are exhausted, the SSA enters a different phase called the extended period of eligibility (EPE), which lasts for 36 consecutive months. During the EPE, you receive SSDI benefits in any month your earnings fall below the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level — $1,550 per month in 2024 for non-blind individuals. If you earn above SGA in any month during the EPE, benefits stop for that month, but they can be reinstated without a new application if your earnings dip below SGA again within the same 36-month window.

Here is a simplified breakdown of the timeline:

• Months 1–9 (Trial Work Period): Earn any amount, keep full SSDI benefits
• Months 10–45 (Extended Period of Eligibility): Benefits paid only in months earnings fall below SGA
• After Month 45: Benefits terminate; expedited reinstatement may apply if you become unable to work again

Vermont does not have a state-administered component that modifies these federal timelines. However, Vermont's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offers services that can complement your TWP strategy by providing job training, assistive technology, and workplace accommodations — potentially making the difference between a sustainable return and a premature one.

Reporting Requirements Vermont Beneficiaries Must Follow

The trial work period is not automatic protection that operates in the background without your participation. You have an affirmative obligation to report any work activity to the SSA promptly. Failing to report can result in overpayments that the SSA will demand you repay — sometimes years after the fact.

Vermont SSDI recipients should report work activity in writing to the SSA's Burlington field office or through their My Social Security online account. Keep copies of all correspondence. When reporting, include:

• The date you began working
• The name and address of your employer
• Your gross monthly wages (before taxes)
• The number of hours worked per week
• Any work-related expenses related to your disability (known as Impairment-Related Work Expenses, or IRWEs)

Impairment-Related Work Expenses are particularly important. If you pay out of pocket for items or services that your disability requires for you to work — such as prescription medications, specialized transportation, or a home health aide — those costs can be deducted from your countable earnings. This can keep a month from being counted as a trial work month or keep your earnings below SGA during the extended eligibility period. Vermont's rural geography means transportation costs for reaching employment can be substantial, and these may qualify as IRWEs.

Common Mistakes Vermont SSDI Recipients Make During the TWP

Many claimants make avoidable errors that jeopardize their benefits or extend their financial vulnerability. The most common include:

• Failing to track trial work months: Because the nine months can accumulate over five years, recipients sometimes lose count. Request your work history from the SSA annually to verify the agency's count matches yours.
• Not claiming IRWEs: Many Vermont beneficiaries do not realize that disability-related work expenses reduce countable income. Document every qualifying expense from day one.
• Assuming the TWP restarts automatically: A new trial work period does not begin simply because you stopped working. You must demonstrate that a new period of disability has commenced, which involves medical evidence and a new determination.
• Waiting too long to contact an attorney: If the SSA sends a notice that your benefits are being terminated because you exceeded SGA, you have limited time to appeal. The 60-day appeal window can close before many recipients even understand what the notice means.
• Confusing TWP rules with SSI rules: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) operates under entirely different income rules. Vermont beneficiaries who receive both SSDI and SSI — a common situation — must understand that work income affects each program differently.

What Happens If You Cannot Continue Working After the TWP

One of the most reassuring aspects of the trial work period is that if your health prevents you from sustaining employment, you are not starting over. If your benefits were terminated because your earnings exceeded SGA during the extended period of eligibility, and you again become unable to work within five years of the termination, you can request expedited reinstatement. This allows provisional benefits to begin within a month of your request while the SSA reviews your case — without requiring a completely new application and waiting period.

Vermont's harsh winters and rural infrastructure can create unpredictable barriers to sustained employment for individuals with physical or mental health disabilities. A Vermont attorney familiar with SSDI can help you document these circumstances and present them effectively if expedited reinstatement becomes necessary.

Vermont also provides access to Benefits Counseling through the Vermont Association of Business, Industry, and Rehabilitation (VABIR) and certified benefits counselors through local agencies. These professionals can map out exactly how earnings will affect your specific benefit combination before you accept a job offer — a step that is worth every minute of preparation.

The trial work period exists because Congress recognized that forcing a choice between attempting recovery and keeping disability benefits discourages the very independence that benefits are designed to support. Used correctly and carefully documented, the TWP is one of the most powerful tools available to Vermont SSDI recipients who are ready to test the waters of returning to work.

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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