Ask Larry

Do I Need To Report My Earnings To Social Security If I Receive Disability Benefits And I Only Work Part-Time?

On disability for 11 years I’m 61 contemplating working part time 4-8 hrs a week making 400.00 a month do I have to report my earnings to SSD I will be applying for part b come Jan as I was covered under my husbands medical until august and because I missed the window to apply after he retired I now have to pay cobra in until next July. My husband is 65 and is now getting Medicare part a &b

Hi. Yes, if you receive disability benefits from Social Security then you must report to them any earnings that you produce. Earnings of $400 per month wouldn't affect Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits, but if you don't report your earnings the only information Social Security will receive is a copy of your W-2 form showing your calendar year earnings. Social Security would then have no way of knowing whether you earned all of that money in a single month, or if your earnings were spread out over a number of months. That's why it's important not only to report to Social Security if you start working, but also to keep copies of your pay slips so that you can prove how much you earned in each month.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Jul 3 2021 - 7:25am
MaxiFi software running on a laptop
Get What's Yours!
Discover tens of thousands in extra retirement dollars with Maximize My Social Security software!
  • Find your maximized strategy
  • Unlimited what-ifs
  • Step-by-Step filing instructions
  • Our software's lifetime-benefit increase for an illustrative couple earning $65K each and planning to take retirement benefits at 62.

    Results will differ based on your specific case and filing strategy.

Getting Started is Easy
Web-based software. Works on ALL browsers. No download.