Working with a Disability: The Ticket to Work Program

For millions of Americans with disabilities, the desire to work is strong but the fear of losing disability benefits is stronger. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provide a financial lifeline—along with Medicare or Medicaid health insurance—that many beneficiaries are terrified of jeopardizing. “If I try to work and it doesn’t work out, will I lose my benefits? Will I have to start the disability application process all over again? Will I lose my healthcare?” These fears keep many people with disabilities on the sidelines of the labor force, even when they have the skills, motivation, and ability to work.

The Ticket to Work program was created by Congress specifically to address these fears. Established by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, the program provides two critical things: first, free employment services through a nationwide network of Employment Networks (ENs) and state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies that help beneficiaries find and maintain employment; and second, robust work incentive protections that allow beneficiaries to test their ability to work without immediately losing their benefits or health insurance.

Ticket to Work is voluntary—no one is required to participate. But for beneficiaries who want to explore employment, the program removes the risk. You can try working, and if it doesn’t work out, your benefits are protected. You can earn substantial income during a Trial Work Period while keeping full SSDI benefits. And even after the Trial Work Period ends, you can have your benefits quickly reinstated if you’re unable to continue working. Meanwhile, your Medicare or Medicaid coverage continues throughout the transition.

The program serves over 20 million SSDI and SSI beneficiaries nationwide, though only a fraction currently participate. Understanding what the program offers and how the work incentive protections work can open doors that many beneficiaries believe are permanently closed.

Opportunity Snapshot

How Ticket to Work Works

Your Ticket

Every SSDI and SSI beneficiary between ages 18 and 64 automatically receives a “Ticket”—there is no application required. The Ticket is not a physical document but rather a record in Social Security’s systems indicating your eligibility to participate in the program. You can think of it as a voucher that you can assign to an Employment Network or VR agency of your choice, which then provides you with employment services.

Employment Networks (ENs)

Employment Networks are organizations—both for-profit and nonprofit—that have agreed to provide employment services to Ticket holders under contract with Social Security. There are over 500 Employment Networks nationwide, offering a wide range of services including vocational assessment and career exploration, résumé writing and interview preparation, job search assistance and placement, job coaching and on-the-job support, skills training and education, assistive technology assessment and provision, self-employment and entrepreneurship support, benefits planning and analysis, and post-employment follow-up and retention services.

ENs are not paid by beneficiaries—they are paid by Social Security based on the employment outcomes they help beneficiaries achieve. This means ENs have a financial incentive to help you succeed in finding and keeping work, and you never pay a dime.

State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies

Your Ticket can also be assigned to your state’s Vocational Rehabilitation agency, which provides comprehensive employment services for people with disabilities as described in the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services entry in this database. VR agencies offer some of the most intensive employment services available, including assistive technology, job training, supported employment, and more.

Choosing a Provider

When you decide to participate in Ticket to Work, you choose where to assign your Ticket. You can search for Employment Networks in your area at choosework.ssa.gov or by calling the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842. You should consider the types of services offered (do they match your needs?), the provider’s experience with your type of disability, location and accessibility, success rates and reputation, and whether the provider offers services in your preferred language.

You can reassign your Ticket to a different EN or VR agency if you are not satisfied with the services you’re receiving, and you can place your Ticket “in use” status without assigning it if you are making progress toward work goals on your own.

Work Incentive Protections

The work incentive protections are the heart of what makes Ticket to Work so valuable. They eliminate the all-or-nothing cliff that beneficiaries fear and create a gradual, protected transition from benefits to employment.

Trial Work Period (SSDI)

The Trial Work Period allows SSDI beneficiaries to test their ability to work for up to 9 months (not necessarily consecutive) within a 60-month rolling period while receiving full SSDI benefits regardless of how much they earn. In 2024, a Trial Work month is any month in which you earn more than $1,110 (this amount is adjusted annually). During the Trial Work Period, you keep every dollar of your SSDI benefit, keep your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage, and can earn as much as you want with no reduction in benefits.

Extended Period of Eligibility (SSDI)

After the 9-month Trial Work Period, you enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility. During this period, you receive your SSDI benefit in any month your earnings are below Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which is $1,550/month in 2024 ($2,590 for blind individuals). In months when earnings exceed SGA, benefits are suspended but not terminated. This gives you additional time to stabilize your employment without permanently losing benefits.

Expedited Reinstatement

If your SSDI benefits are terminated because your earnings exceed SGA and you subsequently become unable to work due to your disability within 5 years, you can request Expedited Reinstatement. This allows you to receive temporary benefits for up to 6 months while Social Security reviews your case, without having to file a new disability application from scratch.

SSI Work Incentives

For SSI recipients, the work incentives are somewhat different. SSI uses a gradual reduction formula—for every $2 you earn (after the first $65 and any applicable exclusions), your SSI payment is reduced by $1. This means you always come out ahead financially by working. Additionally, SSI provides a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) that allows you to set aside income and resources for a work goal without affecting SSI eligibility, Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) that exclude disability-related costs from income calculations, Student Earned Income Exclusion for students under age 22, and continued Medicaid coverage under Section 1619(b) even when earnings exceed the SSI payment level, as long as you continue to meet other eligibility criteria.

Medicare and Medicaid Protections

One of the biggest fears for disability beneficiaries considering work is losing health insurance. Ticket to Work addresses this directly. SSDI beneficiaries keep Medicare Part A premium-free for at least 93 months (over 7.5 years) after the end of the Trial Work Period, even if cash benefits stop due to earnings. SSI recipients in most states keep Medicaid coverage under Section 1619(b) as long as they continue to need Medicaid to work, their earnings are below a state-specific threshold, and they continue to meet other SSI eligibility criteria. Many states also offer Medicaid Buy-In programs that allow working individuals with disabilities to purchase Medicaid coverage at affordable premiums even when their earnings exceed standard Medicaid limits.

Benefits Planning Services

Understanding work incentives can be complex, and making uninformed decisions can lead to overpayments, benefit interruptions, and financial hardship. That’s why the Social Security Administration funds Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) programs in every state. WIPA programs employ Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWICs) who provide free, in-depth benefits counseling to Ticket holders. CWICs help you understand how working will affect your specific benefits (SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, housing, food assistance, etc.), develop a plan to maximize your total income from work plus benefits, navigate the reporting requirements and avoid overpayments, access all available work incentives, and coordinate with your Employment Network and other service providers.

To find a WIPA program near you, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or visit choosework.ssa.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my disability benefits if I try to work? No—that’s exactly what Ticket to Work is designed to prevent. Work incentive protections allow you to test your ability to work while keeping your benefits and health insurance. If your work attempt doesn’t succeed, your benefits can be quickly reinstated.

Do I have to participate in Ticket to Work? No. Participation is completely voluntary. However, using your Ticket provides protection from Continuing Disability Reviews (medical reviews) while your Ticket is in use—an important benefit even for those not immediately ready to work.

Can I work part-time? Absolutely. Many Ticket to Work participants start with part-time work and increase their hours over time. The work incentive protections apply regardless of whether you work part-time or full-time.

What if I’m self-employed? Ticket to Work supports self-employment. Some Employment Networks specialize in self-employment and entrepreneurship assistance. Self-employment income is evaluated differently than wages for SGA purposes—Social Security considers your net earnings and the value of your work activity.

What kinds of jobs do participants get? Ticket to Work participants work in every industry and occupation. Common fields include administrative and clerical work, customer service, retail, healthcare support, information technology, food service, warehouse and logistics, education, and many others.

Can I use Ticket to Work while receiving treatment? Yes. There is no requirement to stop treatment or be “fully recovered” to participate. Many participants work while continuing to receive medical treatment, therapy, and other health services.

How to Get Started

1. Call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (TTY: 1-866-833-2967)
2. Visit choosework.ssa.gov to learn more and find Employment Networks
3. Search for Employment Networks near you at choosework.ssa.gov/findhelp
4. Contact your state Vocational Rehabilitation agency about assigning your Ticket
5. Request a WIPA benefits counselor for free work incentive planning
6. Attend a free Ticket to Work webinar (scheduled monthly at choosework.ssa.gov)

Your disability does not define the boundaries of your career. If you want to work, the Ticket to Work program gives you the services, support, and safety net to make it happen—at no cost and no risk to your benefits. The first step is simply reaching out.