Working Part-Time on SSDI in Maine

Many Social Security Disability Insurance recipients in Maine worry that earning any income will immediately end their benefits. That fear keeps some people from attempting work they could handle — and leaves others in the dark about rights they already have. The reality is more nuanced: federal rules allow SSDI recipients to work part-time under specific conditions, and understanding those rules can help you make informed decisions about your finances and health.

The Trial Work Period: Your Nine Months to Test the Waters

The Social Security Administration gives every SSDI beneficiary a Trial Work Period (TWP) — nine months, within any rolling 60-month window, during which you can work and earn any amount without losing your disability benefits. In 2024, any month in which you earn more than $1,110 counts as a trial work month. These nine months do not need to be consecutive.

For Maine residents, this matters practically. If you take a part-time position at a Bangor warehouse, a Portland restaurant, or a seasonal agricultural job in Aroostook County, those earnings during your TWP do not affect your monthly SSDI payment — regardless of how much you make. The SSA wants to encourage work attempts, and the TWP is the mechanism designed to make those attempts financially safe.

Once you exhaust your nine trial work months, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE). During the EPE, your benefits continue in any month your earnings fall below Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) levels — $1,550 per month in 2024 for non-blind individuals. If you earn above SGA during the EPE, your benefits stop for that month. If you drop below SGA again, benefits can be reinstated without filing a new application.

What Counts as Substantial Gainful Activity

SGA is the SSA's threshold for determining whether your work is significant enough to suggest you are no longer disabled. For most part-time workers in Maine, the key question is whether monthly gross earnings cross the SGA line.

• $1,550/month (2024) is the SGA limit for non-blind SSDI recipients
• $2,590/month (2024) is the SGA limit for blind SSDI recipients
• Impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) — costs directly related to your disability that allow you to work — can be deducted from gross earnings before SGA is calculated

Common IRWEs for Maine workers include adaptive equipment, specialized transportation for those without access to public transit in rural areas, prescription medications needed specifically to sustain work activity, and attendant care costs. Documenting these expenses carefully and reporting them to the SSA can meaningfully reduce your countable earnings and keep you under the SGA threshold.

Reporting Requirements and Common Mistakes in Maine

Maine SSDI recipients are legally required to report all work activity to the Social Security Administration promptly. Failure to report is not a gray area — it can result in overpayments that the SSA will demand back, and in serious cases, penalties or fraud allegations.

You should report the following events as soon as they occur:

• Starting any job, including self-employment or gig work
• Changes in your hours or pay rate
• Stopping work
• Receiving any special job accommodations from your employer

One of the most common mistakes Maine recipients make is assuming a part-time, low-wage job is too minor to report. The SSA is not looking at the significance of the job from your perspective — it is tracking whether work activity exists at all. Even informal cash work should be disclosed. The short-term risk of reporting is far smaller than the long-term consequences of an overpayment notice arriving years later.

Reports can be made by contacting your local SSA field office. Maine has offices in Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Biddeford, Caribou, Lewiston, Portland, and Rockland. You can also report online through your my Social Security account or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Ticket to Work and Maine's Vocational Rehabilitation Programs

SSDI recipients who want structured support for returning to work can use the Ticket to Work program, a free federal initiative that connects beneficiaries with employment networks and vocational rehabilitation services. Participating in Ticket to Work also provides certain protections against medical Continuing Disability Reviews while you are making progress toward employment goals.

In Maine, the Maine Department of Labor's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) is a key resource. DVR provides eligible individuals with career counseling, job placement assistance, assistive technology evaluations, and in some cases funding for training or education. Maine's DVR offices serve all counties and are particularly experienced with rural job markets — an important consideration given how much of Maine's population lives outside metropolitan areas.

Maine also participates in Benefits Counseling through the Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program. WIPA counselors can review your specific SSDI case, explain how your particular earnings would interact with your benefits, and help you plan a return to work without financial surprises. Accessing a WIPA counselor before starting any job is strongly advisable.

What Happens If Your Benefits Stop: Expedited Reinstatement

If your SSDI benefits terminate because your earnings exceeded SGA — whether during or after the EPE — and your condition subsequently prevents you from maintaining that level of work, you may qualify for Expedited Reinstatement (EXR). EXR allows former SSDI recipients to request reinstatement without filing a completely new disability application, provided the request is made within five years of the termination date.

During the EXR review period, the SSA can provide up to six months of provisional benefits while your case is evaluated. This safety net is significant: it means attempting work carries less permanent financial risk than many Maine residents fear. If the work attempt fails due to your disability, the path back to benefits is substantially faster than starting over.

Maine residents should be aware that EXR requests go through the same local field offices and Disability Determination Services (DDS) office in Augusta that handled the original claim. Response times vary, and having documentation of your medical condition and work history organized in advance will help move the process forward.

Working part-time while receiving SSDI in Maine is not only possible — for many people, it is a sensible step toward financial stability and recovery. The rules are detailed, the reporting obligations are real, and the consequences of misunderstanding either can be costly. Consulting with an attorney experienced in Social Security law before starting work, changing jobs, or responding to an SSA notice can protect both your benefits and your livelihood.

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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