If you're preparing to go back to work, connecting with benefits planning services should be at the top of your list.  It’s that simple.  Unfortunately, in my years as a service provider, I have repeatedly run into situations where a beneficiary doesn't receive the proper information about how to report their income to the Social Security Administration (SSA).  Several months down the road, the beneficiary finds him or herself in a situation that is often the biggest disincentive for keeping a job - overpayment.  The fear of losing the benefit, for many, often outweighs the benefits of working.

An overpayment results when you either don't report your work income or report it improperly to SSA once you begin working. Overpayment put simply, means that SSA paid you too much money and they now want you to pay the overage back.  Unfortunately, it’s never a "gift" when SSA pays you more  than they should. Depending on the type of benefit you receive (Supplemental Security Income - SSI or Social Security Disability Insurance - SSDI), and the available work incentives being utilized, the timeframe for when a person may end up in an overpayment will vary.  The good news is that this can be easily avoided.

The following are four key strategies you can utilize to avoid an overpayment situation and keep more of your earned income!

Get Informed
Before you go back to work, make sure you understand the process for reporting your income to SSA.  For reporting wages, SSA requires you to submit proof of income (e.g. paystubs) monthly. While some offices prefer you to deliver the information in person, others would rather the information be faxed  or mailed. To determine the preferred submission method, contact your local SSA office.  Be sure to make copies of everything submitted in the event the information is misplaced or lost.  This will allow you to easily resubmit.

Since you ’re also required to submit your pay stubs to us, we also keep copies of your pay stubs.  If you ’d like Human Solutions to submit your pay stubs to SSA for you, please contact us so we can provide you with the appropriate forms to complete so we can utilize this service.   You can learn more about how work affects SSA benefits by visiting:
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10069.pdf.

Understand Available Work Incentives
By using available work incentives, you reduce the amount of countable income when SSA determines your monthly payment.  You can learn about SSI and SSDI work incentives by attending a local workshop, participating in an online course, or reading through available literature.  The Social Security Red Book, a general resource about SSA work incentives, is a great place to start. You can access the online version by visiting: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10069.pdf.  As your Employment Network, Human Solutions can also assist you in navigating through available work incentives.  You can schedule a Quick Coach call where we’ll review your case and determine what work incentives might be available.

Connect with Benefits Planning Provider
There will be instances where you need to consult with an expert about your financial situation.  Each state has a Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program or an 800 number available to assist you.  The WIPA projects provide work incentive and planning services free of charge to SSI and SSDI beneficiaries. Although SSA funds the service, the programs are run by local non-profit, state, advocacy, and a variety of other organizations.  You can locate a WIPA program in your area by visiting: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/oesp/providers.nsf/bystate or feel free to contact us.  We ’d be happy to assist you directly or provide a referral, if needed. For those of you in California, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Jersey, if you want to get started right away, you can also utilize the free benefits calculators available on the Disability Benefits 101 (www.db101.org).  The Benefits and Work calculator is for job seekers 8 to 65 years of age.  Human Solutions also offers benefits planning services.

Talk About Next Steps First
Thinking about next steps before you go back to work is the best approach to take.   Two questions you should ask yourself are: "How much money would I like to live on?" and "How will making that much money impact any benefits I’m receiving?"  Getting the answers to these questions first will help alleviate some of the concerns you may have about going to work.  Not only will you start a new job well informed about how work will impact your benefits, but also you'll increase the possibility of a successful outcome for yourself.  A definite win-win situation!