Does anybody here work a little and report it to SSA? Even though its under the SGA amount?

I sometimes work from home grading papers for a national testing service. Or I will go in the office and work. It is temporary/seasonal and I usually work 2-4weeks, 3-4 times a year.

Well, I called SSA to see how many trial work period months I have left and a week later I get a form in the mail saying Work CDR. I called the worker listed on the form and she said I was to inform them everytime I've worked and now they have to do a work cdr to see if I still qualify for SSDI. I was shocked because I thought SSA wanted us to work if we could and as long as we didnt make over $860, it was okay.

I know there are some months when I have gone over the $620, TWP amount, but wanted see how many months I had left. Now, I am so nervous because I dont know whats going to happen. I hope I still qualify because I need my benefits. The good thing about this job is I can work on as many projects for as long as I want. When I cant work because of pain, or depression, I just dont. It fits in with my issues. But.......I will never do it again if it will cause this much drama with my benefits.

Anybody else ever went through something like this? Ive been receiving benefits since 2/2005 but have been disabled since 2003.

KEKE

keke,
I started working in Feb. All months under the SGA. I received a letter from soc sec saying that my earnigs were under SGA and I was found to ahve no medical improvement. No months counted towrd the trial work period of 9 months yet.

Theoretically my attorney said as long as I earn under the $860 ($900 in Jan) and had no medical improvement I could keep the whole social security check and the under $860-900 earnings.

Also, the amount is deducted from such items as medical necessary needs. If you need a special mouse, reading program, for home working, if someone cleans or runs work related earrands as you can't not, also medications...then they can figure out your earning. Self employed it goes by net, working for another it is gross earning after the needs are deducted.

I imagine the CDR came as a result of having quarters over SGA and not having turned in a tickket to work. I did turn in my ticket to work to OVR office of vocational rehabilitation. I did not receive a CDR this year.
Even if you go over the $900 next year after cost deducted, it still is countable months added up toward the three years, not necessaraly months in a row, but over the three eyars. One month over a few months under,

Also, a plan for self sufficiancy (PASS) you can set aside earning for perhaps, education, a car for work, etc deducted from your earnings.

Now I am in PA so not sure about the programs being federal or state operated.
www.ssa.gov has a lot of information, look for the RED BOOK link.
Always keep up your medications, doctor appointments, rehabilitation, if you need extra help because of working make your pain increase or symptoms, keep documented at your visits, even if they don't have a response to help you...it is documented.

When you fill out the CDR, put all facilities and test that you had done, any hospitalizations even if ER visit. Any new doctors, any new symptoms, medications etc.

As I said I did not receive a CDR and understand by turning in a ticket to work, participating in a vocational approved program etc, you can avoid the benefits being cut.

Are tehre any questions on the CDR that are confusing? Explain all acomadations you need to work, if someone ahs to clean the area you work from home in, if you need transportation to work or folks drop off the work as driving distances is difficult. That is takes you longer to do the job then a healthy person, but they are will to accomadate that it will take you more time. For exaple, soemone is paid to do more documents then you, you are only charged for the amount you do, not the full pay.

If you and a healthy person; they do 100 documents and you do 50 documents and receive the same pay, then half your pay will not count as the the employer is accomadating you for free. IF you take 8 hours to do wha it takes someone 3 hours to do, then the pay is avg. over the hours extra.
That was explained to me at a recent informative workshop.
But, the biggest benefits, if not the only one for the ticket to work is not to have the CDR review.

I work about 10 hours a week to help with our mortgage, it is tough.

BUT, only the months you ahve SGA will count toward the 9 months trial work period. The CDR kicked in becasue there was no ticket to work. I don't believe this si a problem as the amount of work you are doing is only a few weeks a few times a year. Certainly not as much as I am working nad they did not charge me for any months and did not find medical improvement for me.

Dianne