What would cause me to lose my disability benefits?

Disability benefits can be taken away for reasons like medical improvement, returning to substantial work (earning too much), fraud, incarceration, not cooperating with the Social Security Administration (SSA), or certain life changes such as marriage (for DAC benefits) or institutionalization. The Social Security Administration (SSA) conducts reviews to ensure recipients still meet criteria, and benefits may stop if conditions improve or work earnings exceed set limits, known as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).


Is it hard to lose your disability benefits?

In most cases, you will continue to receive benefits as long as you have a disability. However, there are circumstances that may affect your continuing eligibility for disability benefits. For example, your health may improve or you may go back to work.

Why would disability payments stop?

Disability payments stop primarily due to medical recovery (you can work again), returning to work (earning above Substantial Gainful Activity levels), reaching full retirement age (SSDI converts to retirement), changes in living situations (like entering a nursing home), incarceration, or exceeding income/asset limits for needs-based programs like SSI. The Social Security Administration (SSA) periodically reviews cases to ensure you still meet eligibility criteria. 


What can cause you to lose your social security disability benefits?

You can lose Social Security disability benefits primarily due to medical recovery, returning to substantial work (earning too much), reaching full retirement age, or failure to cooperate with reviews or follow treatment; other reasons include incarceration, fraud, major changes in living situations (for SSI), or marriage (for disabled widow(er)s/children). The Social Security Administration (SSA) periodically checks if you still meet the criteria through Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs). 

Why was my disability cut off?

What Ends Disability Payments? If your review determines that you are no longer adequately disabled to receive benefits, your payments will be terminated. There are generally two things outside of incarceration, fraud, and death that can cause this determination to be made.


What Can Make You Lose Disability Benefits?



Why would disability be taken away?

Disability benefits can be taken away for reasons like medical improvement, returning to substantial work (earning too much), fraud, incarceration, not cooperating with the Social Security Administration (SSA), or certain life changes such as marriage (for DAC benefits) or institutionalization. The Social Security Administration (SSA) conducts reviews to ensure recipients still meet criteria, and benefits may stop if conditions improve or work earnings exceed set limits, known as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
 

What triggers a Social Security disability review?

SSA initiates a Continuing Disability Review under the following circumstances: Routine periodic reviews based on your MIE, MIP, or MINE category. Medical improvement documented in recent records. Returning to work or increased earnings, surpassing Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limits.

Why would my disability be suspended?

Periodically, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may review your case to determine whether your condition has improved to the point where you can return to work. If the SSA finds that your medical condition has improved significantly, your benefits may be suspended.


How often is disability reviewed?

Social Security disability reviews (CDRs) happen on a schedule based on your medical condition's likelihood of improvement: every 6-18 months if improvement is expected (MIE), every 3 years if possible (MIP), and every 5-7 years if not expected (MINE). The Social Security Administration (SSA) also conducts reviews if you start working, report improvement, or if new treatments emerge, using forms like the SSA-455 (Disability Update Report). 

Can Adult Disability Payment be stopped?

Payments of Adult Disability Payment should stop after an individual's entitlement to the benefit ends. Individuals have a right to request payments to stop.

How do I get my social security disability reinstated?

To get Social Security Disability reinstated, especially if it stopped due to work, use the Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) process within 5 years by calling the SSA or filing Form SSA-371, proving your current impairment is the same/related and you can't work; if it ended for other reasons, you might need to reapply, but for suspended SSI, you can often reinstate within 12 months without a new application. 


Why would my benefits be suspended?

Your benefits can be suspended for reasons like exceeding income/resource limits (especially for SSI), failure to report changes (address, living situation, income), not responding to SSA requests, significant medical improvement (disability benefits), getting a job and working above "substantial gainful activity" (SGA) levels, incarceration, or certain criminal convictions, with the Social Security Administration (SSA) usually providing advance notice before stopping payments. 

What are the disadvantages of being on disability?

Negatives of Getting Social Security Disability
  • Pros of Social Security Disability Benefits. ...
  • Proving Disability Can Be Challenging. ...
  • Lengthy Application Process. ...
  • High Rate of Initial Denials. ...
  • Limited Benefits Based on Past Earnings. ...
  • Ongoing Evaluations of Disability Status. ...
  • Restricted Ability to Continue Working.


How to not lose disability benefits?

You can return to work for at least 9 months and still get your full Disability payment. We call this a “trial work period.” In 2025, any month you earn over $1,160 before taxes will count towards this trial. The months don't need to be consecutive, just within a rolling 5-year period.


Can you lose your 100% disability?

Every VA disability rating can be reduced by the VA for a variety of reasons, so the short answer is yes, the VA can take away a permanent and total disability rating, but it is not common.

What are the three ways you can lose your Social Security?

You can lose Social Security benefits by working while collecting early, leading to earnings limits; incarceration, which suspends payments; or through garnishment for federal debts like taxes, student loans, or child support, along with other factors like remarriage or changes in disability status. 

What are red flags on a disability update report?

Red flags on a disability update report (like the SSA-455 form) often signal potential improvements or inconsistencies, including reporting better health, a doctor saying you can work, earning over Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), inconsistent daily activities, frequent doctor changes, or failing to keep up with medical treatment/appointments. These signs trigger closer review because they suggest you might no longer meet disability criteria, so honesty and consistent medical documentation are crucial. 


What's the average monthly disability check?

The average monthly disability payment varies, but for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the average for disabled workers is around $1,580-$1,600 (as of late 2025/early 2026), while Supplemental Security Income (SSI) averages lower, around $967 for individuals in 2025, with the actual amount depending on work history (SSDI) or income/resources (SSI). 

At what age do they stop reviewing disability?

Social Security Disability reviews (CDRs) don't stop at a specific age but rather end when your SSDI benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits at your Full Retirement Age (FRA), typically between 66 and 67, at which point they become retirement benefits, not disability benefits. While reviews become less frequent as you age (often shifting to every 7 years after 55) and it gets harder to lose benefits, they continue until this conversion to retirement status. 

What can get you kicked off of disability?

Although payments are terminated for death and medical recovery, suspension of payments is common, particularly for financial reasons. Payments may be suspended because the recipient has excess earnings, excess unearned income, excess resources, or a change in living arrangements.


What triggers a continuing disability review?

A Continuing Disability Review (CDR) for Social Security benefits is triggered by routine scheduled reviews (based on expected medical improvement), you reporting improvement or returning to work, significant work activity showing up on your record, or third-party reports about improved condition or lack of treatment, plus new medical advancements can also prompt a review. Essentially, anything that suggests you might no longer meet the definition of disabled or you're no longer following the rules triggers the Social Security Administration (SSA) to check in. 

Why did I stop receiving disability payments?

Disability payments stop primarily due to medical recovery (you can work again), returning to work (earning above Substantial Gainful Activity levels), reaching full retirement age (SSDI converts to retirement), changes in living situations (like entering a nursing home), incarceration, or exceeding income/asset limits for needs-based programs like SSI. The Social Security Administration (SSA) periodically reviews cases to ensure you still meet eligibility criteria. 

Does everyone on disability get reviewed?

The law requires that we review your case from time to time to verify that you still have a disability. Generally, if your health hasn't improved, or if your disability still keeps you from working, you'll continue to receive your benefits.


What changes are coming to social security disability in 2025?

For 2025, Social Security disability changes primarily involve annual inflation adjustments, increasing Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limits, Trial Work Period (TWP) amounts, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Federal Benefit Rates (FBR), alongside potential regulatory proposals from the Trump administration to tighten disability qualification rules, affecting earning thresholds for working and the frequency of medical reviews, though some of these proposed cuts faced pushback and potential shelving by late 2025. 

What is one of the biggest mistakes people make regarding Social Security?

Claiming Benefits Too Early

One of the biggest mistakes people make is claiming Social Security benefits as soon as they're eligible, which is at age 62. While getting money sooner can be tempting, claiming early has a significant downside: your monthly benefit will be reduced.