Successive 12-month periods: Six months work out of the last 12 with earnings in each of six months that preclude payment of Title II disability benefits and federal SSA cash benefits. Note: Beneficiaries can combine work and education to meet timely progress requirements. For example, Social Security is reviewing a beneficiary after the first 12-month period and he or she worked one month at trial work level (33.3 percent of work requirement) and attended school at 40 percent of full-time credit (66.7 percent of education requirement), he or she will have met the timely progress requirement. The combined percentages must add up to at least 100 percent. NOTE: A Reference Chart is provided at the end of this resource document that lists the various 12-month progress review periods and provides a description of the timely progress requirements. This chart is in a format that will be easy to use as a desk reference and is recommended for use when counseling beneficiaries on Ticket issues. Beneficiaries who don’t meet the timely progress requirements don’t lose their right to participate in the Ticket program. They only lose their right to protection from a medical CDR. The following discussion that follows elaborates on how the new timely progress provisions operate. The Work Requirement The following rules apply to individuals who seek to meet the timely progress requirements based only on their level of earnings (or net income from self-employment) for a particular review period: The first two review periods, at the end of years one and two, require work at the level to qualify as a work period (TWP) month for three months out of 12 and six months out of 12, respectively, during years one and two. This is a departure from the prior regulations, which only required adherence to active participation in an employment plan during the first 24-month progress review period. The second two review periods, at the end of years three and four, require work at the current substantial gainful activity (SGA) level for nine of 12 months in each year. In determining whether the beneficiary has achieved SGA-level work, Social Security makes no deductions for paid time off such as vacation, holiday, or sick time, and Social Security doesn’t consider work incentives such as impairment-related work expenses or subsidies to determine if countable earnings fall below the SGA level.
beneficiaries of the Social Security disability programs. Like all work incentives, it’s designed to meet the needs of certain beneficiaries, but isn’t intended to be applicable to every individual or to resolve every barrier to employment a beneficiary may encounter. Conducting Independent Research Federal Regulations on Ticket to Work Program: New Ticket to Work Regulations: Ticket to Work FAQs: This document produced at U.S. taxpayer expense. Timely Progress for Ticket Users Quick Reference Chart 12-Month Review Period High School Diploma / GED Technical Trade or Vocational Program Degree / Certification Program Work Requirement 1st Obtained high school diploma or GED certificate. Completed 60% of full time course load for 1 academic year. Completed 60% of full time course load for 1 academic year. 3 out of 12 months with gross earnings at TWP level or above. 2nd Completed 75% of full time course load for 1 academic year. Completed 75% of full time course load for 1 academic year. 6 out of 12 months with gross earnings at TWP level or above. 3rd Completed the technical, trade or vocational program. Completed a 2-year program, or for a 4-year program, completed an additional academic year of full time 9 out of 12 months with gross earnings at non-blind SGA level or above. 4th For a 4-year program, completed an additional academic year of full time study. 9 out of 12 months with gross earnings at non-blind SGA level or above. 5th For a 4-year program, completed an additional academic year of full time study or completed the 4-year degree program. 6 out of 12 months with earnings that preclude cash payments from either SSI or the Title II disability benefit programs.