What is Work Incentives Benefits Counseling?
Work Incentives Benefits Counseling gives people the information they need to make informed decisions about work. It helps them understand how earning money may affect disability payments, healthcare, and other publicly funded benefits. This information is essential to getting and keeping a job.
Why is it Needed?
Many people with a disability want to work or increase their income but fear that working will lead to a loss of their much-needed benefits. Social Security provides many work incentives to make it possible for people to earn more while keeping needed benefits. Benefits counseling can help a person make important life decisions.
How Does it Work?
Work Incentives Benefits Specialists assist people with disabilities make informed choices about how work will impact their benefits. They analyze a person’s services and benefits and explain to them how work will change their cash payments, medical coverage, and continued eligibility.
Tips for Success
Individuals may need benefits counseling services at several points in their career exploration and development journey. Services can be provided “just-in-time,” when they are most needed. These times may include when a person is:
Want to know more about how this employment strategy can be incorporated into your work? Check out these resources:
Featured Training
Watch webcasts to gain valuable information that will help improve employment outcomes and quality of employment for people you serve.
- Work Incentive Planning Services
- The Problem of Unemployment Among Social Security Disability Beneficiaries
- Introduction to Social Security Disability Benefit Programs
- Title II Disability Benefits and Work
- Understanding the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Work
- Supporting Beneficiaries to Take the Next Step Toward Employment
- National Work and Benefits, Daniel Fortuno
- National Work and Benefits Presentation Slides, Daniel Fortuno (PowerPoint)
National Disability Institute Financial Capability Series
Selected Tools and Resources
These tools and resources offer information to support your practice.
- Work Incentive Planning Services
- Able Special Needs Pooled Trust Comparison Handout
- Able Supplemental Guide Handout
- How Does Working Affect Benefits
- SSA Work Incentive Cheat Sheet
Best Practices/Research
Project E3’s research summaries provide an “At-a-Glance” overview the latest research findings, as well as recommendations for best practices and how to incorporate them in your work.
Strategy Use in Targeted Communities
Several Project E3 Communities used this strategy to improve employment outcomes for their most underserved populations. They include: