What are earnings?

Earnings for supplemental security income (SSI) purposes are wages and self–employment income that you get from working.

Do I have to report my earnings to Social Security?

Yes. If you work and get SSI, then you must report changes in your income, including changes in your earnings.  If you have a representative payee, then your representative payee must report your earnings.

If you participate in the Ticket to Work Program, you should also report your earnings to the employment network or State vocational rehabilitation agency that is helping you reach your work goals.

Do I need to report anyone else's earnings?

It depends.  Sometimes you must report someone else's earnings. Here are a few examples:

	your spouse works and lives with you and has earnings;
	a child getting SSI lives with a parent who has earnings; or
	you are a non–citizen and have a sponsor, and your sponsor (or their spouse) has earnings (even if your sponsor doesn't live with you).

What specific earnings information do I have to report?

You need to report the following:

	Changes in your monthly gross wages (that is the amount before taxes or other deductions are subtracted);
	If you start or stop working;
	Increases or decreases in your wages or self–employment income;
	If you start or stop a second or third job; and
	Work expenses related to your medical condition

What earnings information does Social Security need to see?

When we are verifying your earnings information, we generally need to see:

	Every pay stub, including pay stubs for overtime, vacations, and bonuses;
	If self–employed, copies of your Federal Income Tax Forms Schedule SE, Schedule C, Schedule C–EZ, or Schedule F;
	Receipts for work expenses related to your medical condition. We may be able to deduct these expenses from your total wages when we determine your payment amount; and
	Receipts for expenses paid to reach your Plan to Achieve Self–Support (PASS) work goal.

When do I report earnings?

When you start or stop work or when there is a change in your earnings, you need to report this information right away.

This information must be reported no later than the 10th day of the month after the month of change. For example, if you get SSI and start working on May 22, then you must report this information no later than June 10. You must continually report your earnings by the 10th day of the month following the month of earnings.

How do I report earnings?

You may call us at 1-800-772-1213 or at our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778, if you’re deaf or hard of hearing. You can also mail your earnings information to us. If you prefer to  visit your local Social Security office, you must have an appointment. Social Security also offers several electronic reporting options:

	A toll-free automated wage reporting telephone system;
	A mobile wage reporting application; or
	Online my Social Security wage reporting tool.

I received a notice that Social Security is receiving wage reports for my employer through the Payroll Information Exchange (PIE). Do I still need to report my earnings?

It depends. We will send you a notice if we start or stop receiving your wage information through PIE and we will tell you which employer(s) are participating. These notices will also tell you about any changes to your reporting responsibilities.

If you did not receive this notice or if you report earnings from multiple employers and not all of them are listed on the notice, you must continue to report any changes to your earnings from employers that do not participate in PIE. You should also report right away if you:

	Have an improved medical condition;
	Return to work;
	Have a new employer; or
	Have self-employment earnings.

Also, let us know if you have any work expenses related to your medical condition. We may be able to deduct these expenses from your total wages when we determine your payment amount.

If all your earnings are from employers that participate in PIE, you generally do not need to report your earnings. However, if your employer stops participating, you will need to start reporting your earnings again.