Disability Benefits Suspended or Terminated Because of Work

by Jody Schimmel and David C. Stapleton
Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 71, No. 3, 2011
Table equivalent for Chart 1. Percentage of DI beneficiaries in NSTW, by months since first STW event in 2002 and TTW participation status
Months since first STW event in 2002 TTW participants Nonparticipants
1 100.0 100.0
2 87.3 78.8
3 79.6 74.4
4 72.9 69.9
5 71.0 66.5
6 65.2 64.2
7 65.6 62.0
8 62.9 60.0
9 59.3 58.5
10 63.3 57.0
11 59.3 55.7
12 57.5 54.7
13 57.5 53.5
14 57.5 51.5
15 54.3 50.0
16 54.3 48.7
17 53.4 47.8
18 54.3 47.3
19 52.5 46.4
20 51.6 45.8
21 49.8 45.2
22 50.2 44.5
23 47.1 43.8
24 47.5 43.3
25 47.5 42.9
26 46.2 42.1
27 45.7 41.5
28 43.4 40.9
29 44.3 40.5
30 44.3 40.0
31 44.3 39.7
32 45.7 39.2
33 45.3 38.8
34 45.7 38.1
35 47.1 37.9
36 45.7 37.9
37 46.6 37.7
38 46.6 37.4
39 46.6 37.2
40 45.7 37.0
41 46.2 36.7
42 45.7 36.5
43 44.3 36.1
44 44.8 35.8
45 46.2 35.5
46 44.8 35.2
47 43.9 34.9
48 43.4 34.7
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes DI beneficiaries who were aged 18–64, not deceased in January 2002, were in current-pay status throughout 2001, and had at least 1 month during 2002 in current-pay status or with benefits suspended for work. The first STW event is the first month of suspension or termination for work in 2002. TTW participants are those whose most recent tickets were assigned to an EN in at least 1 month of 2002, even if assignment occurred after the first STW event. Nonparticipants are those whose tickets had not been assigned by the end of 2002. Ticket payment system is determined at the month of ticket assignment; payment title was determined in January 2002.
Table equivalent for Chart 2. Percentage of SSI-only beneficiaries in NSTW, by months since first STW event in 2002 and TTW participation status
Months since first STW event in 2002 TTW participants Nonparticipants
1 100 100
2 64 77
3 60 74
4 48 72
5 46 69
6 50 69
7 48 67
8 48 64
9 50 62
10 50 60
11 50 58
12 50 54
13 44 48
14 38 34
15 38 23
16 36 15
17 30 12
18 34 12
19 32 11
20 32 10
21 28 10
22 30 9
23 24 9
24 34 9
25 28 9
26 32 8
27 28 8
28 22 8
29 20 8
30 24 8
31 22 7
32 20 7
33 22 7
34 18 7
35 20 7
36 16 7
37 18 7
38 18 6
39 16 6
40 16 6
41 18 6
42 18 6
43 16 6
44 16 6
45 16 6
46 16 6
47 16 6
48 14 6
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes SSI-only beneficiaries who were aged 18–64, not deceased in January 2002, were in current-pay status throughout 2001, and had at least 1 month during 2002 in current-pay status or with benefits suspended for work. The first STW event is the first month of suspension or termination for work in 2002. TTW participants are those whose most recent tickets were assigned to an EN in at least 1 month of 2002, even if assignment occurred after the first STW event. Nonparticipants are those whose tickets had not been assigned by the end of 2002. Ticket payment system is determined at the month of ticket assignment; payment title was determined in January 2002.
Table equivalent for Chart 3. Cumulative percentage of TTW participants under the traditional payment system with at least 1 NSTW month since ticket assignment, by ticket-assignment cohort and months since assignment
Months since ticket assignment Ticket-assignment cohort
2002 2003 2004 2005
1 1.7 1.7 1.5 1.4
2 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.7
3 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.0
4 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.3
5 3.1 3.2 2.9 2.6
6 3.6 3.6 3.2 2.9
7 4.1 3.9 3.6 3.2
8 4.4 4.3 4.0 3.6
9 4.8 4.6 4.4 3.9
10 5.2 4.9 4.8 4.1
11 5.5 5.3 5.2 4.5
12 6.1 5.8 5.7 4.9
13 6.6 6.2 6.2  
14 7.0 6.8 6.7  
15 7.4 7.3 7.2  
16 7.8 7.7 7.6  
17 8.2 8.0 8.0  
18 8.7 8.4 8.5  
19 9.0 8.8 8.9  
20 9.3 9.2 9.2  
21 9.7 9.6 9.6  
22 10.0 10.0 10.0  
23 10.3 10.4 10.3  
24 10.6 10.7 10.6  
25 10.9 11.0    
26 11.3 11.3    
27 11.6 11.6    
28 11.9 11.9    
29 12.2 12.2    
30 12.6 12.4    
31 12.8 12.7    
32 13.1 12.9    
33 13.3 13.2    
34 13.5 13.4    
35 13.8 13.6    
36 14.0 13.7    
37 14.3      
38 14.5      
39 14.8      
40 15.0      
41 15.2      
42 15.5      
43 15.6      
44 15.8      
45 16.0      
46 16.2      
47 16.3      
48 16.5      
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes TTW participants who, as of December 2005, had most recently assigned their tickets under the traditional payment system; payment system and payment title are determined in the month of ticket assignment. The first month observed is the month in which the ticket was assigned. Months in which tickets were unassigned are excluded.
Table equivalent for Chart 4. Cumulative percentage of TTW participants under the MO payment system with at least 1 NSTW month since ticket assignment, by ticket-assignment cohort and months since assignment
Months since ticket assignment Ticket-assignment cohort
2002 2003 2004 2005
1 2.8 2.6 2.2 1.6
2 3.3 3.2 2.6 2.0
3 3.7 3.6 3.0 2.5
4 4.3 4.2 3.6 2.9
5 4.8 4.5 4.1 3.3
6 5.5 5.2 4.4 3.7
7 5.8 5.6 4.8 4.1
8 6.1 6.2 5.3 4.5
9 7.0 6.5 5.8 4.7
10 7.7 7.1 6.4 5.3
11 8.5 7.5 6.8 5.8
12 9.1 8.0 7.5 6.5
13 9.5 8.5 8.1  
14 10.5 9.2 8.7  
15 11.1 9.7 9.4  
16 11.6 10.3 9.9  
17 12.0 10.7 10.4  
18 12.3 11.2 10.8  
19 12.6 11.8 11.4  
20 12.7 12.0 11.8  
21 13.1 12.5 12.1  
22 13.4 12.9 12.4  
23 13.7 13.1 12.7  
24 13.8 13.3 12.9  
25 14.0 13.8    
26 14.3 14.0    
27 14.5 14.2    
28 14.6 14.4    
29 15.0 14.5    
30 15.2 14.7    
31 15.5 14.9    
32 15.8 15.0    
33 15.8 15.2    
34 15.9 15.4    
35 16.1 15.5    
36 16.1 15.7    
37 16.2      
38 16.3      
39 16.5      
40 16.7      
41 16.8      
42 16.9      
43 16.9      
44 17.0      
45 17.1      
46 17.1      
47 17.3      
48 17.3      
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes TTW participants who, as of December 2005, had most recently assigned their tickets under the MO payment system; payment system and payment title are determined in the month of ticket assignment. The first month observed is the month in which the ticket was assigned. Months in which tickets were unassigned are excluded.
Table equivalent for Chart 5. Cumulative percentage of TTW participants under the OO payment system with at least 1 NSTW month since ticket assignment, by ticket-assignment cohort and months since assignment
Months since ticket assignment Ticket-assignment cohort
2002 2003 2004 2005
1 3.6 5.0 4.2 4.0
2 4.8 5.8 4.8 4.8
3 6.3 6.6 5.8 5.7
4 7.2 8.0 6.8 6.5
5 7.2 9.0 8.1 7.7
6 8.2 9.9 9.1 8.3
7 8.9 10.4 9.4 9.0
8 9.2 10.9 10.1 9.2
9 10.4 12.0 10.8 10.0
10 10.4 13.0 11.2 10.4
11 10.9 13.9 12.1 11.5
12 12.3 14.7 13.0 12.9
13 13.8 16.1 14.5  
14 14.5 17.1 15.5  
15 15.7 17.3 16.2  
16 16.2 18.4 16.6  
17 16.7 19.5 17.4  
18 17.1 20.0 18.2  
19 18.4 20.5 18.6  
20 18.6 20.7 19.1  
21 18.6 20.9 19.4  
22 19.1 21.3 19.8  
23 19.3 21.8 20.3  
24 20.3 22.6 20.5  
25 20.3 23.1    
26 20.5 23.6    
27 20.8 23.7    
28 21.0 24.0    
29 21.0 24.5    
30 21.0 24.5    
31 21.3 24.8    
32 21.7 25.1    
33 22.0 25.3    
34 22.0 25.3    
35 22.0 25.5    
36 22.9 25.7    
37 23.2      
38 23.4      
39 23.9      
40 24.2      
41 24.4      
42 24.9      
43 24.9      
44 24.9      
45 24.9      
46 24.9      
47 25.1      
48 25.1      
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes TTW participants who, as of December 2005, had most recently assigned their tickets under the OO payment system; payment system and payment title are determined in the month of ticket assignment. The first month observed is the month in which the ticket was assigned. Months in which tickets were unassigned are excluded.
Table equivalent for Chart 6. Percentage of TTW participants under the traditional payment system in NSTW, by months since first NSTW month after ticket assignment and year of first NSTW month after ticket assignment (exit cohort)
Months since first NSTW month after ticket assignment Exit cohort
2002 2003 2004 2005
1 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
2 81.5 81.3 79.3 81.3
3 77.6 76.8 76.8 77.9
4 71.3 73.4 73.9 75.4
5 70.1 70.1 70.4 71.7
6 66.3 68.9 69.2 70.7
7 65.7 68.6 69.5 69.3
8 62.1 66.9 66.8 66.4
9 61.2 66.4 65.0 65.2
10 62.1 63.7 63.9 63.7
11 61.5 62.5 62.1 60.8
12 57.6 61.5 61.0 60.8
13 57.6 61.5 60.1  
14 55.5 59.1 57.6  
15 54.0 57.5 55.7  
16 53.7 55.4 55.1  
17 51.6 55.0 52.5  
18 52.5 53.1 52.2  
19 52.5 52.0 51.6  
20 50.7 51.5 50.0  
21 49.8 50.5 49.7  
22 48.4 50.1 49.4  
23 49.3 48.7 48.9  
24 48.4 48.8 48.4  
25 49.3 48.4    
26 48.7 46.7    
27 47.5 46.5    
28 48.1 45.8    
29 48.1 45.3    
30 49.3 45.2    
31 49.0 44.1    
32 49.6 43.1    
33 48.1 42.9    
34 46.3 42.5    
35 46.3 42.4    
36 44.5 42.2    
37 45.7      
38 45.1      
39 44.2      
40 41.8      
41 42.4      
42 41.5      
43 41.8      
44 41.2      
45 42.7      
46 42.4      
47 42.4      
48 40.9      
N 335 1436 3170 4741
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes participants who, as of December 2005, had most recently assigned their tickets under the traditional payment system and had a least 1 NSTW month during the observation period for their assignment cohort. Each line represents the experience of those who had their first NSTW month after ticket assignment in the year indicated. The first month observed is the first NSTW month. Months in which tickets were unassigned are excluded.
Table equivalent for Chart 7. Percentage of TTW participants under the MO payment system in NSTW, by months since first NSTW month after ticket assignment and year of first NSTW month after ticket assignment (exit cohort)
Months since first NSTW month after ticket assignment Exit cohort
2002 2003 2004 2005
1 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
2 75.7 83.1 79.4 83.2
3 72.8 82.1 75.9 81.0
4 68.9 74.3 73.1 77.0
5 66.0 73.3 71.4 73.8
6 62.1 72.6 68.7 73.1
7 64.1 69.4 66.5 71.3
8 58.3 67.1 65.2 68.0
9 53.4 66.4 64.8 65.7
10 53.4 64.8 63.4 61.9
11 53.4 63.5 60.2 61.8
12 54.4 64.5 61.4 63.0
13 55.3 60.9 60.6  
14 49.5 58.3 57.6  
15 45.6 57.3 55.9  
16 45.6 56.0 54.0  
17 43.7 57.0 51.7  
18 43.7 57.0 51.9  
19 43.7 54.7 47.7  
20 43.7 53.4 47.3  
21 42.7 52.4 46.4  
22 43.7 50.2 46.0  
23 39.8 48.9 47.0  
24 41.7 48.9 47.5  
25 39.8 48.5    
26 37.9 46.3    
27 37.9 46.6    
28 34.0 46.6    
29 35.0 45.3    
30 32.0 44.0    
31 32.0 43.6    
32 31.1 45.3    
33 32.0 43.0    
34 32.0 42.7    
35 31.1 42.7    
36 32.0 43.3    
37 30.1      
38 27.2      
39 26.2      
40 25.2      
41 24.3      
42 22.3      
43 22.3      
44 23.3      
45 24.3      
46 25.2      
47 25.2      
48 24.3      
N 103 307 528 691
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes participants who, as of December 2005, had most recently assigned their tickets under the MO payment system and had a least 1 NSTW month during the observation period for their assignment cohort. Each line represents the experience of those who had their first NSTW month after ticket assignment in the year indicated. The first month observed is the first NSTW month. Months in which tickets were unassigned are excluded.
Table equivalent for Chart 8. Percentage of TTW participants under the OO payment system in NSTW, by months since first NSTW month after ticket assignment and year of first NSTW month after ticket assignment (exit cohort)
Months since first NSTW month after ticket assignment Exit cohort
2002 2003 2004 2005
1 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
2 82.8 94.2 84.7 87.0
3 79.3 89.8 81.5 82.0
4 75.9 81.0 79.7 80.8
5 75.9 81.8 77.0 78.5
6 79.3 81.8 76.1 78.5
7 62.1 79.6 76.1 76.6
8 62.1 77.4 72.1 75.1
9 69.0 76.6 70.7 72.8
10 69.0 76.6 69.4 71.3
11 65.5 73.0 66.2 69.3
12 65.5 70.1 66.2 69.0
13 65.5 71.5 66.2  
14 62.1 67.2 64.9  
15 62.1 65.7 63.5  
16 58.6 65.7 64.0  
17 62.1 65.7 65.8  
18 62.1 64.2 64.0  
19 58.6 63.5 63.1  
20 55.2 63.5 62.2  
21 55.2 61.3 60.4  
22 55.2 59.1 59.9  
23 51.7 57.7 57.7  
24 55.2 59.9 58.6  
25 51.7 57.7    
26 55.2 59.1    
27 55.2 60.6    
28 51.7 59.1    
29 48.3 59.9    
30 48.3 58.4    
31 44.8 59.9    
32 44.8 58.4    
33 48.3 57.7    
34 51.7 57.7    
35 55.2 55.5    
36 55.2 55.5    
37 62.1      
38 69.0      
39 65.5      
40 62.1      
41 62.1      
42 62.1      
43 58.6      
44 58.6      
45 55.2      
46 48.3      
47 48.3      
48 48.3      
N 29 137 222 261
SOURCE: Analysis of DI and SSI beneficiary records in the 2007 TRF.
NOTES: Sample includes participants who, as of December 2005, had most recently assigned their tickets under the OO payment system and had a least 1 NSTW month during the observation period for their assignment cohort. Each line represents the experience of those who had their first NSTW month after ticket assignment in the year indicated. The first month observed is the first NSTW month. Months in which tickets were unassigned are excluded.