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 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?

Yes. 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:

	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;
	work expenses related to your disability; and
	if you are blind, any work expenses.

What earnings information does Social Security need to see?

We 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 disability;
	if you are blind, receipts for any work expense; 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 you may call, visit, or write your local Social Security office.  Social Security also offers a toll-free automated wage reporting telephone system and a mobile wage reporting application.  You may also use my Social Security to report wages online.  For more information about these electronic wage reporting methods, please see the Spotlight on Electroninc Wage Reporting Tools. Ask Social Security how you can report wages using this system or application.