Brian Forsythe, Benefits Specialist, Resource Partnership
Did you know that there are ways to reduce your countable income for Social Security? The most common way is the use of Impairment Related Work Expenses or IRWE.
An IRWE is defined by Social Security as “an out of pocket expense paid by the disabled individual that allows them to maintain work and is not generally utilized by the public.” One illustration of an IRWE is specialized transportation. For example, an individual uses The Ride to get to and from work, which costs $65 per month. Social Security subtracts the $65 IRWE from the individual’s monthly gross income before deciding if he or she has gone over SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity).
Other examples of IRWE’s are the cost of certain attendant care services, medical devices, equipment, prostheses, and similar items and services, and the costs of drugs or services necessary to control the disabling condition to enable an individual to work.
All of the above examples would be considered ‘ongoing’ costs because they occur regularly, i.e., daily, weekly or monthly. Another type of cost that could also be considered an IRWE would be a ‘one-time fixed’ cost. For example, an individual with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) needs to purchase a PDA to help keep them organized enough to maintain employment. In this case the PDA is a one-time fixed cost as opposed to the specialized transportation, which is ongoing. Social Security might allow this individual to amortize the cost of the PDA over a twelve-month period. The total cost of the PDA ($200) is divided by twelve months, which results in an IRWE of $16 per month for a one-year period.
If you think you may have an impairment related expense that could be counted as an IRWE, we suggest you meet with your Social Security Claims Representative to discuss it. Ask the Claims Representative to approve your IRWE prior to returning to work. Remember, if your Claims Representative decides that your expense does not qualify as an IRWE, you have the right to appeal that decision.
For more information on IRWE, SGA, and other Social Security Work Incentives, contact Brian Forsythe, Benefits Specialist at brian@resourcepartnership.org or 508-647-1722 ext. 14.
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