How to Make Money When You’re Disabled

Earning income while managing a disability involves understanding available work incentives and support systems. This article provides practical guidance and insights into various avenues for income generation, demonstrating that earning money is achievable.

Navigating Work and Disability Benefits

Understanding how work impacts Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a foundational step. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers work incentives to support beneficiaries in their return to work.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) defines the monthly earnings the SSA considers substantial. For 2025, the SGA limit is $1,620 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,700 per month for statutorily blind individuals. Earning above these thresholds can indicate an individual is no longer considered disabled for benefit purposes.

The Trial Work Period (TWP) allows SSDI beneficiaries to test their work abilities for at least nine months. During this period, beneficiaries receive full SSDI benefits regardless of earnings. A month counts as a TWP month if gross earnings exceed $1,160 in 2025, or if a self-employed individual works more than 80 hours. These nine months do not need to be consecutive and can be used within a rolling 60-month period.

After the nine TWP months, an SSDI beneficiary enters the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) for 36 consecutive months. During the EPE, beneficiaries can continue to receive SSDI payments for any month their earnings fall below the SGA limit. If earnings exceed the SGA limit during the EPE, SSDI cash payments are not received for that month, but benefits can resume in months where earnings fall below SGA without a new application.

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) can reduce countable income when determining SGA. These are costs for items or services a person with a disability needs to work. Examples include transportation, assistive technology, or personal attendant services, which are deducted from gross earnings to calculate countable income.

The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) is an SSI work incentive that allows individuals to set aside income and resources for a specific period. This money can be used to achieve a vocational goal, such as education, vocational training, or starting a business. Funds set aside under an approved PASS are not counted when determining SSI eligibility or payment amounts, which can help individuals pay for necessary work-related expenses.

Reporting all income and changes in work activity to the SSA is important for both SSDI and SSI beneficiaries. This includes starting or stopping work, changes in pay, or adjustments to hours worked. Prompt reporting helps ensure accurate benefit payments and prevents overpayments. Beneficiaries can report wages through their “my Social Security” account online, a mobile wage reporting app, or by contacting the SSA directly.

Identifying Suitable Work Opportunities

Exploring work models can broaden employment prospects for individuals with disabilities, offering flexibility and accessibility. Remote work eliminates commuting challenges and provides a controlled environment. Many roles, such as data entry, content writing, virtual assistant services, or customer support, suit remote arrangements.

Part-time employment offers flexibility, allowing individuals to manage work hours around medical appointments or fatigue. This model helps those gradually re-entering the workforce or whose conditions fluctuate. Many industries, including retail, administrative support, and service sectors, offer part-time positions.

Flexible schedules, whether in-person or remote, allow adjustment of daily or weekly work hours. Roles emphasizing task completion over strict adherence to a fixed schedule often accommodate such arrangements, supporting a better work-life balance.

Self-employment, including freelancing and small business ventures, provides autonomy over work hours, pace, and environment. Individuals can leverage skills in areas like graphic design, web development, online tutoring, consulting, or craft production.

The gig economy presents opportunities for flexible income generation. This can include driving for ride-sharing services, delivering food, or undertaking micro-tasks through online platforms. These roles allow individuals to work on demand.

Utilizing Employment Support and Resources

Governmental and non-profit support systems assist individuals with disabilities in their employment journey. These resources offer comprehensive services from career development to job placement and ongoing support. Accessing these programs can help secure and maintain employment.

State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services provide individualized assistance to help people with disabilities prepare for, find, and retain employment. VR agencies offer vocational assessments, career counseling, job training, education support, and job placement assistance. They also help with assistive technology and other accommodations.

American Job Centers (AJCs), located nationwide, serve as a hub for employment and training services for all job seekers, including those with disabilities. These centers provide access to job listings, resume and interview preparation workshops, and information on local training programs.

Job boards and recruitment agencies cater to individuals with disabilities. Platforms like AbilityJobs, CareerCast Disability Network, Evenbreak, and Our Ability Jobs offer listings from employers seeking to hire diverse talent.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job, work environment, or hiring process that enables an individual with a disability to perform essential job functions. This includes modifying work schedules, acquiring specialized equipment, or restructuring job tasks.

Requesting reasonable accommodations involves an interactive process between the employee and employer. Individuals should communicate their needs and how an accommodation would enable them to perform their job. Employers must provide accommodations unless doing so would cause an undue hardship, meaning difficulty or expense.