What happens when you want to stop SSDI

You can stop receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at any time by notifying the Social Security Administration. The process is straightforward: you contact your local Social Security office, call 1-800-772-1213, or visit ssa.gov to report that you no longer want benefits. Social Security will stop your payments in the month after they receive your request.

Many people stop SSDI because they have recovered enough to work, or because they want to test their ability to work without losing benefits when ready. Others stop because they reach full retirement age, at which point SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same payment amount. Understanding your options before you stop is important, because the rules around work, medical reviews, and benefit reinstatement differ depending on your situation.

Key Takeaways

  • You can stop SSDI by contacting Social Security directly—by phone, in person, or online—and your payments will end the month after they process your request.
  • If you stop SSDI to return to work, you may be able to restart benefits within five years if your work attempt does not succeed, without going through a new medical review.
  • Social Security's work incentive programs, including the Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access Period, let you test work and keep some benefits while you earn income.
  • Stopping SSDI does not automatically stop Medicare or Medicaid, so you need to understand your health coverage separately before you leave the program.
  • If you are unsure whether to stop or want to test work first, a Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) project can explain your options at no cost.

Stopping SSDI by notifying Social Security

To stop your SSDI, you must tell Social Security directly. You have three ways to do this: call the national number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), visit your local Social Security office in person, or use your account on ssa.gov if you have created one. When you contact them, tell them you want to stop receiving SSDI benefits. You do not need a reason, and you do not need to fill out a form—your verbal request is enough.

Social Security will stop your payments in the month after they receive and process your request. For example, if you call in March, your last payment will be in April. They will send you a written notice confirming the date your benefits end. Keep this notice, because you may need it later if you want to restart benefits or if questions come up about your work history.

Restarting SSDI if you stop and then need to return

If you stop SSDI and later find that you cannot work, you have a safety net: you can restart your benefits within five years without going through a new medical review. This is called expedited reinstatement. Social Security will assume you are still disabled based on your original approval, so you do not have to prove your condition again or wait months for a decision.

To use expedited reinstatement, you must contact Social Security within five years of the month your benefits ended and explain that you can no longer work. You will need to describe what happened—for example, your condition worsened, you lost your job, or you tried to work but could not sustain it. Social Security will review your work history during those five years to confirm you were not earning substantial income. If you meet the requirements, your benefits restart, usually within a few weeks.

After five years, you lose the right to expedited reinstatement. You would have to file a new claim and go through the full medical review process again, which takes months.

Using work incentive programs before or instead of stopping

Before you stop SSDI entirely, Social Security offers programs that let you work and keep some or all of your benefits. The most important one is the Trial Work Period (TWP), which lasts nine months. During the TWP, you can earn any amount of money and keep your full SSDI payment. Social Security counts only months in which you earn $940 or more (in 2024; this amount changes yearly) toward your nine-month limit.

After your nine-month Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period (EEP), which lasts 36 months. During the EEP, Social Security reduces your payment based on your earnings, but you keep some benefits as long as you are not earning over the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit—$1,550 per month in 2024 for non-blind individuals. This means you can work part-time or at a lower wage and still receive a partial check.

These programs exist so you can test whether you can work without losing your safety net when ready. Many people use the Trial Work Period to see if their condition allows them to sustain employment, and then decide whether to stop SSDI or continue working within the Extended may be able to access Period.

What happens to your Medicare and Medicaid when you stop SSDI

Stopping SSDI does not automatically stop your Medicare or Medicaid coverage, but the rules are different for each program. If you have Medicare, your coverage continues for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after your SSDI payments end, even if you are working and earning above the SGA limit. After 93 months, your Medicare ends unless you pay the premium yourself or may have access to for it another way.

Medicaid is run by your state, so the rules vary. In some states, your Medicaid ends when your SSDI ends. In others, you can keep Medicaid for a period of time even after SSDI stops, or you may may have access to for Medicaid based on your income and assets rather than your disability status. Before you stop SSDI, contact your state Medicaid office or your local Social Security office to find out what will happen to your coverage.

Getting help understanding your options

If you are not sure whether to stop SSDI, or you want to understand the work incentive programs better, you can contact a Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) project at no cost. WIPA projects are funded by Social Security and staffed by counselors who explain how work, earnings, and benefits interact. They can help you understand whether the Trial Work Period or Extended may be able to access Period makes sense for your situation, or whether stopping SSDI is the right choice.

To find a WIPA project near you, visit askjan.org or call 1-800-772-1213 and ask for a referral. You can also search "WIPA" plus your state name online. These services are free and confidential, and the counselors are trained specifically in Social Security work rules—they know details that even some Social Security staff do not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stop SSDI and then restart it later if I change my mind?

Yes, within five years. If you stop and later find you cannot work, you can restart benefits through expedited reinstatement without a new medical review. After five years, you lose this right and must file a new claim, which takes months and requires a new medical evaluation.

What if I stop SSDI but keep working—will Social Security penalize me?

No. Once your SSDI payments have ended, Social Security does not monitor your earnings or penalize you for working. You are no longer in the program, so work rules no longer explore. However, if you restart benefits later, Social Security will review your work history during the time you were off SSDI to make sure you were not earning substantial income.

Do I lose my Social Security record if I stop SSDI?

No. Stopping SSDI does not affect your Social Security work record or your future retirement benefits. Your earnings history remains on file, and when you reach full retirement age, you can claim retirement benefits based on your work record. The amount may be different from your SSDI payment, but your record stays intact.

What is the difference between stopping SSDI and letting it end because I reached full retirement age?

If you reach full retirement age while on SSDI, your benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits at the same payment amount—you do not have to do anything. If you stop SSDI before reaching full retirement age, you are choosing to end the program, and you would need to reapply for retirement benefits when you reach full retirement age. The payment amount is usually the same either way.

Can I stop SSDI just for a few months and then restart it?

Yes, but Social Security will treat it as a full stop and restart. If you restart within five years, you can use expedited reinstatement. If you are thinking about a short break to test work, the Trial Work Period or Extended may be able to access Period might be a better option, because they let you work without formally stopping your benefits.