Where and How to Report Someone Working While on Disability

Life with a disability can be difficult in many ways. Certainly, being unable to work can be tremendously stressful from a financial perspective, and disability benefits can be very helpful in relieving that stress. It’s important, however, to be certain that those benefits are pursued in accordance with the law, and that those who are receiving those benefits obey the law as well. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, you may know of instances in which people intentionally disobey the law while receiving disability benefits. One example of this is someone who continues to work while receiving disability benefits. Let’s take a closer look at what the law says about this particular situation.

How Does the Social Security Administration Define “Work”?

Before reporting someone for “working” while on disability, it’s important to understand what the Social Security Administration considers to be work. This is essential because, in many cases, an individual may be working appropriately. In fact, the Social Security Administration wants benefit recipients to eventually be able to return to work, if possible, and offers certain incentives for doing so. Some of these incentives include:

• The Ticket to Work Program: The Ticket to Work program is a free, voluntary program that those receiving disability benefits can participate in if they wish to attempt a return to work. The program offers a variety of resources, including training, employment search assistance, vocational rehabilitation, and other services to help those interested in resuming work.
• The Trial Work Period: The trial work period is a stretch of time, nine months specifically, in which beneficiaries can attempt to return to work while still retaining their disability benefits. The nine months do not have to be consecutive, and can be at any time within a rolling 60-month period. The Social Security Administration considers a month to be a trial work period month if gross monthly earnings exceed a specific, annually adjusted amount (e.g., $1,160 in 2025) or, working more than 80 hours for an individual who is self-employed.

While an individual is engaged in either the Ticket to Work Program or a trial work period, they can typically continue to receive their disability benefits without interruption. If they are not participating in an incentive program but are simply working consistently, the Social Security Administration may discontinue benefits if the individual is earning more than the “substantial gainful activity” limit.

What is the Substantial Gainful Activity Limit?

“Substantial Gainful Activity” or SGA for short, is a term used to describe work that involves substantial physical or mental activity performed for pay. When an individual earns beyond the monetary limit set for a particular year, they are considered to be engaged in “substantial gainful activity,” which may jeopardize their right to continue to receive disability benefits. In 2025, the SGA limit for non-blind individuals is $1,620 per month in gross income, and $2,700 per month for blind individuals. Although this limit changes annually, what those who are working should know is that, as a general rule, earnings must not exceed this limit.

How to Report Consistent Violations

There are various ways in which the Social Security Administration might discover that an applicant is working while receiving disability benefits. These include:

• Third-party reporting: The SSA receives information from various sources that may reveal unreported work activity. Sometimes, financial institutions may report larger than normal deposits to accounts. In other cases, state unemployment offices may make reports. In still other cases, employers may directly report wages.
• Disability Reviews: The SSA also conducts periodic reviews to ensure that beneficiaries should still continue to receive benefits. These reviews include verification of earnings and work activity.

If you know an individual who receives disability benefits and is consistently working and earning an income without participating in one of the Social Security Administration’s return-to-work incentives, you may consider reporting that violation to the Social Security Administration yourself. If you wish to do so, you can use this form on the Social Security Administration’s website to report someone who is working and receiving disability outside of the legitimate options offered by the Social Security Administration.

Call Disability Experts Today

At Disability Experts, we know that the law surrounding disability benefits can often seem complicated and confusing. Regardless of whether you’re pursuing a claim for the first time or addressing an issue involving benefits currently being received, you need to know that you can turn to a team with the knowledge and experience you need on your side. At Disability Experts, we’re here to help. If you’re ready to get started today, give us a call. We look forward to helping you soon.

Sources

• Ticket to Work Program: https://www.ssa.gov/work/
• Trial Work Period: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/twp.html
• Substantial Gainful Activity Limit: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html
• Reporting Fraud to the Social Security Administration: https://secure.ssa.gov/oig/fraud