Losing Your Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security may conduct evaluations on disability claims even after they’ve been approved. After a case has been evaluated, they mark them either as cases where medical improvement is expected or cases where medical improvement is not expected. In those cases where there’s medical improvement expected, you may be reevaluated within 12 or 24 months on some occasions. In other cases, review is largely based on workload, and it’s uncommon for there to be reevaluations in the first four or five years after a case has been approved.

Losing your disability benefits depends on a variety of factors. The most important factor is whether there’s been medical improvement. Social Security asks the question, “Is there something that’s happened through normal treatment that might allow you to be able to go back and do some type of work?” Certainly, returning to work can cause you to lose your benefits. Additionally, your failure to comply with Social Security can also result in losing benefits.

When you’re receiving benefits, making sure that Social Security always has a current address and phone number for you is important. That way, when they come looking for additional documentation, they don’t get mail returned to them and decide, “Well, this isn’t someone who is actively participating in their ongoing claim for benefits. We need to shut off their benefits.”

The Effect Of Going Back To Work

While you’re actually in the process of filing for benefits, going back to work makes it much more difficult to get your claim approved. Though after a claim is approved, you may be able to go back to work – albeit with certain limitations. There are income limits set in these programs, so as long as you stay within those limits, you can continue to receive disability benefits even though you’re doing some work.

Most doctors would agree that doing some work is going to benefit you emotionally and socially. Thus, it may be an important part of your long-term life plan. In 2023, for a Title II disability claim, the Social Security Administration allows for work resulting in an income of up to $1,470 a month before taxes. If you are making more than this amount, it could either complicate or cause your claim to be rejected altogether.

The hope is that you will return to good health and then return to work, so there are options to help that transition after a claim has been approved. Even if you’re not able to work at a level sufficient to be viewed as Substantial Gainful Activity, part-time work can certainly supplement your income. Additionally, there are programs for people who want to attempt to work on a more full-time basis.

Social Security offers a nine-month Trial Work Period that allows for the individual receiving disability benefits to go out and attempt to work without the risk of losing access to their benefits. This program does not limit how much you can earn. At some point during that process, if you find that your health issues are more than you can overcome to work on a full-time basis, then you can cut back on hours or stop working, and you would continue to receive disability benefit payments.

With the guidance of a skilled attorney for Social Security Disability Law Cases, you can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that we’ll make it look easy. For more information on Social Security Disability Law in North Carolina, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling or texting (704) 412-4773 today.