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Ticket to Work: Real Questions, Straight Answers
If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the idea of working again can feel exciting and scary at the same time. You want to earn more, feel more independent, and maybe get back to a career you love. You also do not want to risk the income and health coverage that keep you stable.
The Ticket to Work (TTW) program exists to bridge that gap. The Q&A below is based on real questions people ask every day, and the answers your Ticket to Work team gives in webinars, flyers, and program guides.
What is Ticket to Work?
Ticket to Work is a free Social Security program for most people who receive SSDI or SSI and want to move toward work and greater financial independence. It connects you with approved providers, called Employment Networks (ENs) or state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, that offer career services, benefits guidance, and ongoing support.
Key points:
- Completely voluntary. You never have to use your Ticket, and there is no penalty if you choose not to.
- No cost to you. Social Security pays the Employment Network when you reach work and earnings milestones.
- Open to ages 18 through 64 who receive SSDI or SSI cash benefits and have a goal to work toward financial self sufficiency.
What support do I receive?
With Ticket to Work, you get hands-on, practical help to prepare for work, find a job, and keep that job. Services typically include:
- Resume building and application support
- Interview coaching and preparation
- Job search assistance and tailored job leads
- Skills training or career counseling if you want to change fields
- On-the-job support if conflict, stress, or disability-related challenges come up with a manager or coworker
Benefits counseling so you understand how work affects SSDI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid
You also work with your EN to create an Individual Work Plan (IWP) that outlines your goals, the services you will receive, and the steps to get you there. It functions as a joint roadmap and helps everyone stay accountable.
Will I lose my benefits if I try to work?
This is the number one fear, and the program is built to manage it in a structured way. There are safety nets for both SSDI and SSI.
If you receive SSDI
1. Trial Work Period (TWP)
- You get 9 trial work months within a 60 month window.
- In 2025, any month you earn at least 1,160 dollars counts as a trial work month.
- During these 9 months, your full SSDI cash benefit continues regardless of how much you earn.
2. Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)
- After TWP, you enter a 36 month Extended Period of Eligibility.
- Social Security now looks at whether your gross monthly earnings are at or above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level.
- In 2025, SGA is 1,620 dollars per month for most people. In 2026, it is scheduled to rise to 1,690 dollars.
- For the first 3 months of your EPE, you still receive full SSDI even if you are over SGA. After that:
- If you are over SGA, benefits are suspended, not terminated.
- If your wages drop below SGA or you stop working, your SSDI can restart during the EPE without a new application.
3. Health coverage
- Medicare can continue for at least 93 months after your Trial Work Period, as long as you still meet Social Security’s disability rules.
If you receive SSI
SSI handles work differently:
- There is no Trial Work Period or Extended Period of Eligibility.
- Social Security ignores the first 65 dollars of earned income, then reduces your SSI payment by 1 dollar for every 2 dollars you earn above that.
- You usually come out ahead because your wages more than replace the reduction in SSI.
- You can often keep Medicaid coverage even if your SSI payment drops to zero, under special rules such as section 1619(b), depending on your state.
Bottom line: Trying to work does not instantly stop your benefits. The structure is gradual and includes multiple safety nets.
Will I lose my Medicare or Medicaid if I work?
No, not just because you are using Ticket to Work.
- If you receive SSDI, Medicare continues as long as you are receiving SSDI checks. Even after your SSDI stops due to work and earnings, you can usually keep Medicare for at least 93 months after your Trial Work Period.
- If you receive SSI, Medicaid continues as long as you remain eligible for SSI. Special rules may let you keep Medicaid even when SSI stops because of work. This protection is a key reason many people choose to join the program while they explore work.
Will Social Security review my disability if I start working?
People often worry that working will trigger a medical review. Ticket to Work addresses that concern directly.
While your Ticket is assigned and you are making what Social Security calls “timely progress” toward your work or education goals, you are protected from medical Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs).
Timely Progress Reviews usually happen once a year and look at whether you are either:
- Working enough months at certain earnings levels, or
- Completing set amounts of education or training toward your employment goal
If you are on track, you keep your CDR protection and move to the next milestone year. If you are not, you may lose the CDR protection, but you can usually stay in the program and continue to receive services and support.
What if I already have a job?
You can still join Ticket to Work. In fact, if you are already earning at or above SGA, enrolling can be very strategic because it helps you secure CDR protection and structured support while you stabilize in that job.
As long as you are:
- Between 18 and 64
- Still in cash payment status for SSDI or SSI
- Interested in working toward long term financial independence
You can connect with an Employment Network and assign your Ticket.
What if I cannot work full time?
That is very common. Many people start with part time work and then build up as their health, confidence, and stamina improve. You can still participate in Ticket to Work as long as your long term goal is to reach at least the SGA earnings level, even if it takes time and intermediate steps to get there.
If you know you never want your earnings that high, you can still work, but you might not be a fit for the Ticket program itself. In that case, you can stay under SGA and report your wages directly to Social Security. Your EN or a benefits counselor can walk through those scenarios with you so that you can choose the right path.
Does my employer need to know I am on disability or in Ticket to Work?
No. Your participation in Ticket to Work is confidential. Your Employment Network does not contact your employer to disclose that you receive disability benefits or that you are using Ticket to Work, unless you ask them to help with accommodations and give explicit permission. You always control what you share and with whom.
Can I change providers if it is not a good fit?
Yes. If you are not satisfied with your current Employment Network, you can unassign your Ticket and move it to another provider. You do not pay anything for this, and you can compare as many ENs as you like until you find the right partner.
Ticket to Work is designed to give you choice, not lock you in.
How does getting started actually work?
Here is the typical sequence:
- Initial contact: You call or email the Employment Network you are interested in. For example, Genex’s Ticket to Work program can be reached at 888-992-2865 or TTW@genexservices.com.
- Eligibility check: A specialist confirms that you are between 18 and 64, currently receiving SSDI and/or SSI cash benefits, and interested in working toward financial independence.
- Assignment and intake: Once you choose to enroll, your Ticket is assigned to that EN. You meet with a Ticket to Work specialist who gets to know your background, health, skills, and goals.
- Individual Work Plan: Together you build your Individual Work Plan, set specific milestones, and outline services.
- Ongoing support: Your specialist stays with you as your primary contact, helping with job search, job changes, and any issues that come up at work.