By Tripp, Senior Ticket Counselor
Myth: If I return to work and my wages are reported to the SSA, they will take away all of my benefits.
Fact: Employers are required to report your wages to the SSA, regardless of whether you are an SSI/SSDI beneficiary or not. If you receive SSI or SSDI benefits, are eligible to participate in the Ticket to Work program, and you go back to work without participating in the program, you can risk losing your benefits. This can easily be avoided by
assigning your ticket to an employment network or state vocational agency. The purpose of the Ticket to Work program is to allow you to attempt going back to work to see whether or not it is right for you, all the while protecting your benefits. Therefore going back to work without the assistance the program offers will defeat it's purpose, and could prove costly for a person who is eligible to participate in the program and elects not to.
