Impairment-Related Work Expenses
Plan to Achieve Self-Support

If you currently receive Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits because of your disability, you may be afraid that going to work will cause you to lose those benefits. Since getting those benefits is based on the fact that you have disability-related barriers to employment, it is true that wages from a job could cause Social Security to send you less money or even cut off your benefits. This section will provide information on how going to work might affect your benefits. You will also find out about incentive programs designed to help you keep your benefits when you go to work.

Impairment-Related Work Expenses

Work expenses that are related to your disability may be deducted from your total earnings when determining whether and to what extent your earnings affect your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. These include any expenses you pay for yourself, that are related to your disability, and which you must pay for in order to be able to work. These might include assistive technology, medication, personal assistance, transportation, or any other disability-related expenses that are essential in order for you to be able to work.

Plan to Achieve Self Support

If you know of training, education, tools, transportation or anything else that could help you in being able to work, you might consider writing a Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS). PASS qualify you to receive more Social Security Income (SSI) than what you currently are getting.

A PASS plan is usually written with help from a counselor or advocate. It states your work goals, what you need to do and/or buy to achieve the goals, how long it will take, and what it will cost. This PASS Plan is submitted to the Social Security Administration. Your work goals can be anything you realistically expect to accomplish. The plan must also generate adequate living income. The things you need to buy must be related to the goals; training or tuition, a car or van for transportation, a computer or tools and supplies of your trade or business, day care for a child while you work or attend school, adaptive technology, etc. For more in-depth information on how to write and implement a PASS Plan, see the below listed links.

Guide to PASS Program 
This website offers information about how to write a PASS plan along with examples of successful PASS plans.

Red Book on Employment Support
The Red Book on Employment Support is a guide to employment supports available to people with disabilities under the SSDI and SSI Programs. You can learn how earning money affects your benefits and the various work incentives available to you.

The Work Sitet
The Work Site describes the various work incentives in place to encourage people who receive SSI and SSDI to go to work.

Work Incentives 
The Work Incentive website includes information about aspects of work incentives for people on SSI and SSDI.