[HALLIEBETH87]

Well finally heard from someone at my new
Job. They decreased my pay so I can work part time and not get in trouble with social security.

[Wild Coyote]

Hi Hallie! I am glad things are working out for you!

I am sure you have checked on this, yet want to ask: Could the money being deducted from your pay (pre-tax dollars) be put into and "ABLE" account for you without having an impact upon your guidelines/limits for SSDI? ABLE accounts sound great, if you can qualify for one!

ABLE Accounts | ABLEnow A savings account for people living with a disability.

If you do not qualify for an ABLE account, could the extra money (the amount that is too much) be put in an IRA or another type of an account as Pre-tax dollars and not have an effect upon your SSDI limits?

If not an IRA account, maybe as pre-tax dollars for a health savings account?

Have you asked an accountant?

Just thinking out loud.... trying to think of a way for you to have the money and be fine with the SSDI guidelines.

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

Hi Hallie! I am glad things are working out for you!

I am sure you have checked on this, yet want to ask: Could the money being deducted from your pay (pre-tax dollars) be put into and "ABLE" account for you without having an impact upon your guidelines/limits for SSDI? ABLE accounts sound great, if you can qualify for one!

ABLE Accounts | ABLEnow A savings account for people living with a disability.

If you do not qualify for an ABLE account, could the extra money (the amount that is too much) be put in an IRA or another type of an account as Pre-tax dollars and not have an effect upon your SSDI limits?

If not an IRA account, maybe as pre-tax dollars for a health savings account?

Have you asked an accountant?

Just thinking out loud.... trying to think of a way for you to have the money and be fine with the SSDI guidelines.

Thanks for sharing about this, Wild Coyote! I had never heard about this. I bookmarked the website.

HALLIEBETH, if you can't take advantage of anything like Wild Coyote suggested, it still seems like a good thing that the job was able to "make things work". It is a bummer that one must sometimes take a relatively lower paying job than normal to get back to the workforce.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

Thanks for sharing about this, Wild Coyote! I had never heard about this.

HALLIEBETH, if you can't take advantage of anything like Wild Coyote suggested, it still seems like a good thing that the job was able to "make things work". It is a bummer that one must sometimes take a relatively lower paying job than normal to get back to the workforce.

I happened to stumble upon this when researching more about SSDI over this past weekend. Happy to share!

As I understand this, one is eligible if disability began before the age of 26.
And.. a person only needs a doctor certifying disability, for anyone not receiving SSI or SSDI.'

There is an online questionnaire which asks questions to help you to determine if you qualify. There is also an "800" number for any questions!

I wish it was available to everyone with a disability!

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

As I understand this, one is eligible if disability began before the age of 26.

Oh. Boo hiss! I didn't start collecting SSDI until I was 38. I had been collecting private disability (short/long-term) through my job, but that only started when I was 34 and there was a very short period (? months) when I managed to get off of the private disability, working full-time again.

As a side note about short and long-term private disability through an employer:

I know various employers offer different benefits, but my employer offered generous short and long-term disability options. There was one level which was either no cost or low cost. I forget. Then there was a higher "premium" level (though it was likely called something else) that was available for an extra amount of paycheck deduction. In the case of my company, I think most people just went with the regular level. That's what I had, initially. Then when I did finally manage to briefly get back to full-time work, I signed up for the higher level. Then, when I got really sick again and went back on long-term private disability, my disability checks were a notably higher percentage of my usual annual salary. Actually, almost the same. That was mighty helpful. However, when I finally applied for SSDI and was approved, SS paid "back pay" to me for months that I had collected private long-term disability. Yea, I got a big SSDI back pay payment, but I ended up having to repay the private disability insurance company for those months. That sucked because my private disability monthly allowances were notably higher than my SSDI monthly allowances.

Though I will never try to go back to my old job, if I did, the pay even for part-time work would exceed the maximum allowed by SS, at least from what I've heard. Isn't there some cap on how much you can make through the Ticket to Work Program, or similar? If/when I return to any work part-time, I will have to get a lower paying job than I had before SSDI. I would NEVER work my old job, even part-time, for significantly less income (calculated hourly). This whole issue would seem like a major deterrent to getting back to work, for some people. I don't see that as just a matter of preference, but a psychological resistance.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I think I was 25/26 when I got ssdi.

[*Beth*]

What good news, Hallie! Thanks for letting us know. It feels good to hear.