Red Book

Red Book Home

Introducing The Red Book

Explanation of Changes to the Red Book

Contacting Us

How Do We Define Disability?

Overview Of Our Disability Programs

Returning To Work

How Do Employment Supports Help?

Resources To Assist You Return To Work

Resources To Assist Youth With the Transition To A Successful Adulthood

SSDI and SSI Employment Supports

SSDI Only Employment Supports

SSI Only Employment Supports

Special Rules For Persons Who Are Blind

Additional Help With Health Care For Persons With Disabilities

Example of Concurrent Benefits With Employment Supports

Demonstration Projects Update

Glossary

A Guide To Work Incentives and Employment Supports for People Who Have a Disability Under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Programs

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

WHAT’S NEW IN 2024?

  • Automatic Adjustments Effective January 1, 2020

CONTACTING US

  • How to Reach Social Security
  • my Social Security
  • Request copies of the Red Book or other SSA Publications

HOW DO WE DEFINE DISABILITY?

  • Our Definition of Disability
  • What is Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)?
  • How Do We Evaluate Your Work Activity fot SGA Purposes?
  • What If You Are Self-employed?

OVERVIEW OF OUR DISABILITY PROGRAMS

  • Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSDI)
  • Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI)
  • When You Receive Both SSDI and SSI
  • Comparison of the SSDI and SSI Disability Programs

RETURNING TO WORK

  • What Are Your Responsibilities When You Return to Work?
  • When Will We Review Your Disability?
  • When Will Your Benefits Stop?

HOW DO EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS HELP?

  • SSDI Employment Supports
  • SSI Employment Supports
  • Guide to Employment Supports

RESOURCES TO ASSIST YOU RETURN TO WORK

  • Work Incentive Liaison (WIL)
  • Area Work Incentives Coordinator (AWIC)
  • Benefits Planning Query (BPQY)
  • Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects
  • Work Incentives Seminar (WISE)
  • Employment Network and State Vocational Rehabilitation Providers
  • Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS)
  • Individual Development Accounts (IDA)
  • Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)
  • American Job Centers
  • Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
  • The Guidepost to Success
  • Federal Literary Information for Young People with Disabilities
  • Federal Employment of People with Disabilities
  • AmeriCorps

RESOURCES TO ASSIST YOUTH WITH THE TRANSITION TO A SUCCESSFUL ADULTHOOD 17 SSDI AND SSI EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS

SSDI AND SSI EMPLOYMENTS SUPPORTS

  • Subsidy and Special Conditions
  • Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA)
  • Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)
  • Examples of Deductible and Non-Deductible IRWE
  • Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
  • Who Can Help You Set Up a PASS?
  • Examples of a PASS
  • Ticket to Work (TTW)
  • Continued Payment under a Vocational Rehabilitation Program or Similar Program (Section 301)
  • Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)

SSDI ONLY EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS

  • Trial Work Period (TWP)
  • Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)
  • Unincurred Business Expenses (Self-Employment)
  • Continuation of Medicare Coverage
  • Medicare for Persons with Disabilities Who Work
  • SSDI at a Glance - What Happens When You Go to Work

SSI ONLY EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS

  • Earned Income Exclusion
  • Examples of the Earned Income Exclusion
  • Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE)
  • Property Essential to Self-Support (PESS)
  • Special SSI Payments for Persons Who Work - Section 1619(a)
  • Reinstating SSI Eligibility Without a New Application
  • Special Benefits for Persons Eligible under 1619 Who Enter a Medical Facility
  • Medicaid While Working – Section 1619(b
  • 2019 State Threshold Amounts for Persons with Disabilities
  • 2019 States with Separate Threshold Amounts for Blind Persons

SPECIAL RULES PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND

  • How We Apply Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) Under SSDI to Persons Who Are Blind
  • Blind Work Expenses (BWE)
  • Comparison of Monthly SSI Payment With BWE Versus IRWE
  • Accommodations for Persons Who Are Blind or Visually-Impaired

ADDITIONAL HELP WITH HEALTH CARE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

  • Medicaid Buy-In for Working Persons with Disabilities
  • Help with Medicare Part A Premiums
  • Affordable Care Act (ACA)

EXAMPLE OF CONCURRENT BENEFITS WITH EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS

  • Summary of Example with Concurrent Benefits

DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS UPDATE

  • Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND)
  • Promoting Readiness of Minors in SSI (PROMISE)
  • Promoting Opportunity Demonstration (POD)
  • Supported Employement Demonstration (SED)
  • Current Events

GLOSSARY