[AspiringAuthor]

A firm that offers trainings, such as Microsoft, CISCO, etc., has contacted me about teaching classes of that type online from home. Next day, another firm contacted me about in-person classes, but I would need to travel from California to Utah to teach them. I receive SSDI - was approved as of Sept of last year and in Sept 2019 would become eligible for Medicare. I need Medicare badly not only for psych stuff, but also for BOTOX for my migraines, for physical therapy for chronic foot, leg and back pain, and, I am not getting any younger, so SSDI is vitally important for me, but I would like to occasionally make extra money on the side.

How does it work with SSDI? The work that I am considering would be 1099 so I would deduct various expenses.

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by AspiringAuthor

A firm that offers trainings, such as Microsoft, CISCO, etc., has contacted me about teaching classes of that type online from home. Next day, another firm contacted me about in-person classes, but I would need to travel from California to Utah to teach them. I receive SSDI - was approved as of Sept of last year and in Sept 2019 would become eligible for Medicare. I need Medicare badly not only for psych stuff, but also for BOTOX for my migraines, for physical therapy for chronic foot, leg and back pain, and, I am not getting any younger, so SSDI is vitally important for me, but I would like to occasionally make extra money on the side.

How does it work with SSDI? The work that I am considering would be 1099 so I would deduct various expenses.

SSDI allows you to earn a small amount monthly while on it. You should call your local office directly to find out how much you can earn. Typically, and this is confusing, the monthly amount you can earn is around $800, but you won't get kicked off until you earn over $1100. You will only get kicked off for the month that you over-earn, it can be reinstated the next month, but it's a huge pain in the butt. Since you'd be a consultant, you need to contact the office directly and ask them to send you a form to self-report your earnings. I had to go through this all earlier this year. Fortunately, I began to make enough through consulting to not need SSDI anymore.

Also, the Medicare doesn't go away just because you go off of SSDI. Once you are awarded Medicare, you get it for life. It's kind of weird, but that's how it is. You have to be on SSDI for two years to get Medicare, so 24 months. So if you don't get your SSDI because you over-earn for a month, that month won't count towards the 24 months, I believe. But check with your SSA office.

I recommended that you contact your local SSA office directly and ask them for clarity on all these questions. Things can be different from state to state, depending on how they administer social security payments.

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[Rose76]

I'm quite sure there is a limited window of time during which you can make as much as you're able to. After the time allotted for that runs out, you must stay within what they allow.

Contact your local Division of Vocational Rehab. I believe every state has such an agency. They can be supportive of you returning to work . . . and hook you up with a "benefits counselor."

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by Rose76

I'm quite sure there is a limited window of time during which you can make as much as you're able to. After the time allotted for that runs out, you must stay within what they allow.

Contact your local Division of Vocational Rehab. I believe every state has such an agency. They can be supportive of you returning to work . . . and hook you up with a "benefits counselor."

There is a ticket to work program, that's a 9 month program of basically you get your full benefits while making however much you can. But once it's up, it's up. You don't get it back. I don't recommend using it unless you are absolutely going back to work full-time. I say this having used mine.

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[cool09]

It used to be 9 months they would give you to make as much as you wanted then they would evaluate you for continuing benefits. I worked PT on SSDI cleaning offices and working in a library. I think it's a fair system.

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by cool09

It used to be 9 months they would give you to make as much as you wanted then they would evaluate you for continuing benefits. I worked PT on SSDI cleaning offices and working in a library. I think it's a fair system.

This is called Ticket to Work and it's to get you off SSDI. I wouldn't use it unless you are planning to get off of SSDI entirely because it starts a lot of balls rolling that cannot be stopped.

[AspiringAuthor]

I definitely do not plan to go off SSDI entirely. Also, because BOTOX is so effective for my migraines and costs a lot of money ($12K a year without insurance), Medicare is so important for me (for other things as well, including psych treatment). And even on BOTOX I get migraine attacks which I abort with Sumatriptans and refrigerated suppositories Indocin and Promethazine, all very expensive, so without Medicare I would not be able to afford healthcare.

I did not know that Medicare is for life. Thanks so much to all of you. I will go to the local office - it is actually within a walking distance from where I live - and ask the questions.