Suppose you are disabled and you’ve come to the conclusion that your medical condition keeps you from working and earning a living. If that’s the case and you have paid your Social Security taxes long enough, meaning you “paid into the Social Security program,” you should highly consider applying for disability benefits. If you decide to apply for disability and you are approved, you will be required by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to not only report your income, but to update the SSA whenever there is a change in your income, and whenever there is a change in your work habits; for example, if you start working more or less – the SSA will want to know about your work activities.
What Do I Have to Report?
For starters, you will be required to report all earnings from your work, whether you’re an employee or self-employed. You will also need to report:
- If you stop working for some reason.
- If your pay changes (up or down).
- If your work hours change.
- If you begin paying for something you need for work as a result of your disability, such as medication, medical devices, wheelchairs, counseling, therapy, transportation (e.g. a ride to work or bus passes), or co-pays.
- If you start receiving extra help to accommodate your disability, such as a mentor, a job coach, or extra breaks so you can rest.
Other Income Must Be Reported
Aside from your regular wages from employed for self-employed work, you’ll be required to report other income, including:
- Pensions
- Sick or vacation pay
- Workers’ compensation
- Public disability benefits
- The frequency of such payments
- When these payments will be modified, or terminated
We hope this gives you a basic understanding of the income-reporting requirements for people receiving Social Security Disability. To learn more about filing an application for benefits, contact us to meet with a Dallas SSD lawyer.