Connecticut Benefits Counseling
The Connect to Work Center provides individualized benefits planning and counseling for people on Social Security Disability (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Our goal is to help you understand how work may allow you to have more money, share your talents with your community and become more independent. Our Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs) can also explain the Benefit Offset Pilot rules and help you understand how Pilot participants receiving SSDI can earn more money each month without losing all of their SSDI benefits. The Center’s Community Work Incentive Coordinators, can provide:
- Specific information on the work incentives available to Social Security recipients' to support them through their transition into successful work.
- Examples of how you can achieve greater income and build a financial future when you have a combination of earnings and benefits or, often, earnings alone.
- A review of your benefits and services to help you maximize your independence.
- Follow-up services after you return to work.
To receive benefits counseling services you must be working or considering going to work in the near future. We have Community Work Incentive Coordinators available statewide who can assist you in understanding how work will affect your benefits.
Contact Information
For more information please contact us at:
1-800-773-4636
1-860-424-4839 (TTY)
Email: connecttowork.dss@ct.gov
Resources and Forms
The following links provide information about the Benefit Offset Pilot rules and give you access to forms that can help you report changes in your income to your Benefits Counselor, who will then report any changes to Social Security.
- Pilot Rules Flow Chart
- This flow chart gives an overview of the key Social Security rules for people assigned to the Pilot Rules group of the Benefit Offset Pilot.
- To report earnings from jobs: Social Security Form 821 "Work Activity Report"
- This form is used to report new work earnings or changes in work earnings. Anytime you start a new job or you start to work more hours or earn more money you should complete a form 821. A Benefits Counselor can help you fill out this form if you would like.
- To report earnings from self employment: Social Security Form 820 "Work Activity Report: Self-Employed"
- This form is used to report new work earnings or changes in work earnings if you are self-employed. A Benefits Counselor can help you fill out this form if you would like.
Work Incentives for People Receiving SSDI
The following links provide information about common work incentives for people receiving SSDI. A Benefits Planner can explain each of these work incentives in more detail and help you understand how they might apply to your situation.
- Trial Work Period
- The Trial Work Period (TWP) allows you to test your ability to work for at least 9 months. During your TWP, you will receive full SSDI benefits regardless of how high your earnings might be so long as your work activity has been reported and you have a disabling impairment.
- Extended Period of Eligibility
- At the end of your 9 Trial Work Period months the first month you make above the SGA amount for the year is called your Cessation month. During your Cessation month and the two following months (a grace period) you will continue to receive your full SSDI benefit regardless of how much you earn. The first month after your two grace period months are done is the beginning of what is called your Extended Period of Eligibility or EPE.
Your EPE will continue for 72 consecutive months (6 years). During your EPE any month that you earn below the SGA amount for the year you will receive your full SSDI benefit. Any month that you earn more than the SGA amount for the year your SSDI benefit will be reduced by $1 for every $2 above the SGA amount you earn. This is called the Benefit Offset. View an example of how the Benefit Offset works. - Impairment Related Work Expenses
- Social Security will deduct the cost of certain impairment-related items and services that you need to work from your gross earnings when they decide if your "countable earnings" are above the SGA amount.