YOU CAN WORK
Here is some information to help everyone see that it is possible to work without losing benefits:
· If you receive SSDI you can make up to $900.00 per month in 2007 and it will not affect your benefits. For example:
o If you make $7.50 an hour you can work up to 27 hours a week
o If you make $8.50 an hour you can work up to 23 hours a week
o If you make $10.00 an hour you can work up to 20 hours a week
(To figure the amount of hours someone can work using a specific hourly wage, divide $900.00 by the wage and then divide that amount by 4.3, since an average month has more than 4 weeks.)
· If you receive SSI things are a little more complicated. The first $85.00 a month you earn is not touched. After subtracting the first $85, your total gross monthly amount is divided in two – that amount is what your SSI check will be reduced by. For example:
· If you make $7.50 an hour and you work 15 hours a week, your gross (before taxes) monthly total is $483.75. Subtract $85.00 from the total leaving $398.75. Divide $398.75 by 2 and that equals $199.38 – that is the amount your SSI check is reduced by.
· Even if you make too much money to receive MassHealth you can still get health insurance. CommonHealth is an affordable insurance program (with the same coverage as MassHealth) for people with disabilities who are working at least 40 hours per month.
