>> Good afternoon everybody. This is Ray Cebula and I'm at the Yang-Tan Institute at Cornell University and I want to welcome you to today's social media asked and you answered -- or you asked and we answered, or somebody answered anyway. We're going to talk to you today -- it's one of our WISE events, Work Incentives Seminar Event -- about three support services for folks who are trying or are ready to return to work and who receive benefits based on disability from the Social Security Administration. This was our first social media webinar and we need to thank you all for the questions that were sent in through all kinds of social media so that we could put today's webinar together. It helps us a whole lot when we know what you want to hear about. And today we have two CWICs, community work incentive specialists, or work incentive coordinators, with us who have been with us before. Kendra's been with us before, Tammy's new. But they're going to give you all kinds of information about returning to work. So let me get you through some business slides before we continue on. You're on a webinar. There's a webinar console on the right-hand side of your screen. What we want you to be able to do is to participate, and because there are about 800 of you out there we can't have you participating verbally. So what you can do is to hit the little arrowhead next to the Q and A. It's going to open up the Q and A box. You can type in your question here, hit send, and Jaime's going to catch all those questions. And what she will do is pass on the most important questions that pertain to the greatest number of people. So if we get some general questions or general interest to 800 folks, those are the ones we're going to ask. That doesn't mean you shouldn't ask your question. Please ask them and we will provide you with information as to where you can get those questions answered if we're not able to get to all of them. Now, today you've been connected by default to your computer's speakers and that's how you will be listening to me. If at any time at all you have difficulty hearing or your internet connection -- there's a blizzard going on in Massachusetts where I'm from, and they may not have some access through the internet today -- so if you do have any problem at all, all you need to do is open up your audio conference box, switch to I will call in on the phone, and today's information will come up. You'll need the phone number and the access code. And let me give you that phone number now. The phone number right now -- you got a pencil ready? Write this down. Is 1-855-749-4750, and the access code that you'll need is 641-338-655. So you do have an option for that. Webinar accessibility is incredibly important to us. We want to know if you're having any issues at all and more importantly than letting us know what your accessibility issue is, if you're aware of any solution, any program that we can purchase to make your accessibility easier, make this event better for you, please let us know. Now, what you can do is let us know by using the Q and A box today or if you want to get to us afterwards, please write to support@chooseworkttw.net. And if we do get any issue or you have any problems, we can get our web team working on those right away so that we can make your experience better. We want as many people as possible to be able to participate with us. Now again, the toll-free number for today is 1-855-749-4750, and that access code that you'll need is 641-338-655. The closed captioning link for today's session is www.ilr.cornell.edu /edi/captions.cfm ?activity_id=4732. And I believe Jaime's going to be posting that for you. And the Webinar PowerPoint and accessible PDF you received with your link for today's session, and if you need a copy of anything afterwards please feel free to either email us, give us a Q and A shot, and we'll get stuff to you. We'll get the information you want to you. The presentation transcript and audio recording for today's session will be available in about two weeks, so that if you want to review this, or if you want to go into the archives and listen to other webinars discussing different topics of your interest, please go to www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi /m-wise-webinars.cfm. We will have a question and answer period at the end of each speakers session. Please get your questions to us and soon as you have them because if something important comes up I will interrupt the speaker for those questions. You can submit your questions using the chat box. We do prefer that you use that Q and A box that I pointed out earlier, or if you want you can email them to webinars@choosework -- one word -- choosework.net. Webinars@choosework.net. And if you have a question when we're finished and you forgot about it or it just dawned on you or we didn't get to it and you want to make sure we do get to it, email us at support@chooseworkttw.net. Now, what can you expect from today's presentation? I'll tell you what you can expect and we're going to review these questions, but right now before we talk about that and go any further, I've got something I need to ask you. We have a few simple polling questions, and these questions help us to find out who's listening, how you heard about us, and how many folks are actually out there. And just give me a few seconds to ask you these questions. How did you learn about today's webinar? Was it via email, Facebook or Twitter, a website, a family or friend, through your work incentive agency, or someplace else? And if you do select other, drop us a line in the Q and A box and let us know how you heard. I'll give you some time to answer that. Lots of good participation. All right, I'm going to close that down, we got to wait 20 seconds. You can still vote. We got a good portion of others. We got 14 folks who have selected they heard from us some other way, so I'm a little curious to know how you heard. All right, thank you. Now, polling question two. What is it that you hope to learn from today's session? Do you want to know about the Ticket to Work, Work Incentives for SSI, Work Incentives for SSDI, Employment Networks and VR, Legal Protection and Advocacy Agencies, or something else? And once again, if you pick F please let us know what it is that you want to know about because we have built webinars on some of your suggestions in the past and we'll do it again. And we got lots of good participation on this one, too. All right, closing that down but keep your votes coming. 10 seconds. And magically we have 14 people who picked F again. So that's 15 people now, okay [laughter]. So let us know what you want us to talk about during one of our future webinars. Poll three, what's your gender male or female? All right, that was any easy one so we'll cut that one down now. 10 seconds. Okay, four. What is your age? Are you 18 or younger, 19 to 25, 26 to 40, 41 to 55, 56 to 65, or 66 or older? And that was an easy one, too. We'll shut that one down, too. Thank you for your responses. We gained some major percentages here, which is really good. A few seconds left. Okay, and our last question is, besides yourself how many other people are watching your computer screen with you? One, two, three, four, five or more? Now this gives us a real good indication of how many people are actually participating today. Now, we got one party going, three parties. All right, we're going to close that one down. And thank you very much for your answers folks. They really do help us and we appreciate it. And a couple of seconds to close that down. All right, so let's get back to work. What can you expect from today's presentation? What if I'm ready to go to work? What if you're thinking about going to work? We're going to talk to you today about the Ticket to Work Program. We're going to talk to you about Substantial Gainful Activity and what that term means. We'll talk about Timely Progress Reviews, something that's very important if you are actually participating in the Ticket program. And then we're going to talk about that Trial Work Period and how that can protect you while you are getting your feet wet in that workplace. Now, what happens if we continue to work beyond that trial work period? You know, lots of people wonder what happens? How long does this stuff go on? How long do these work incentives remain available? Well I can tell you a good long time. We're going to talk about the 36 month EPE, extended period of eligibility. We're going to talk about Expedited Reinstatement that is really a fantastic work incentive because it's actually a work incentive that allows you to get back into the Social Security system very easily and quickly after you have been terminated because of your work activity. So we've got a lot of work incentives upfront and then even after you have succeeded in your work goal we're still going to have another safety net for you. And Medicaid and Medicare, very important things, often the most important things we have to consider when someone's returning to work. We'll talk about those programs. And in a lot of states right now that's really a no-brainer. Healthcare is really becoming a non-issue because extended Medicare, extended Medicaid can last for a very, very long time. We're going to provide you with lots of resources to get further information and then we'll have our question and answer session at the end. And I did promise you that we would break after each speaker. Now why does somebody choose to go to work? Earning more income is really the obvious and simplest answer. Having more income is just going to improve your life and the quality of life. And with the help of Kendra and Tammy we can pretty much plan a return to work that will guarantee that you will have more money by working. And that's what these work incentives are all about. Gaining independence is a very important thing too. Now we're not just talking about independence from the state agencies and the federal agencies that you're involved with. Getting away from that, becoming independent and not having to tell somebody when you get married or when you get a new job, or when you move, or who you live with, is a great thing. But having more money allows you more independence in that you can make more choices. You can simply make more choices about where you want to live and how you want to live. Learning new skills. You may need some skills before you enter the workforce. You may have some skills and need alternative ways of performing those skills due to an injury or a disability. But while you are working, you learn new skills constantly. We'll learn it with Tammy is going today -- learn how to do a webinar presentation. This is her first shot. I learned how to do it. You know, I met Tammy today -- meeting new people. I met Kendra. I met Jaime. All because of work. You know, meeting new people is an incredible new thing. It stops that social isolation and allows you to participate in your community. So there are lots of wonderful things that come through work besides more money, and some of those things are very, very amazing and wonderful. You asked and we answered. What if you're ready to work? Well, the first thing is to make a connection and fortunately there's no wrong way to make a connection, to get a plan together to work. And I'm going to encourage all of you to think about this and actually make a plan because it's much easier and you'll be much more confident and feel safer if you know what is going to happen and when it's expected to happen. It puts you in control. We are not making a plan for you. We are putting a plan together for you based upon what you want. Now, gather information and resources. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives are certainly going to help you make that journey a smooth one. And folks like Kendra and Tammy are there to help along the way. Whether we're talking education, whether we're talking vocational schools, whether we're talking technical schools, whatever type of job you want, you'll just reach for your dreams here and we can put a plan together and get you to that goal. Now building an employment team is going to be critical, and I do really mean a team. This is a full-fledged team and you are the coach, because we have information, we have lots of information, but we don't know what you want unless you tell us. So you are in charge here. We're here to help you put this together. So you got to build a team. You can start by speaking with an expert at the Ticket to Work Help Line, and that's 1-866-968-7842, or for TTY users, 866-833-2967. Those folks can give you some basic information and get you connected with somebody that you can sit down and talk to in your area. And remember these services are all free. You can learn more about the Ticket to Work and about people who have used that Ticket by reading the blog. We have lots of videos up there about people who have used their ticket and succeeded, and they're great stories. We're going to share one with you today. And those can be found at www.socialsecurity.gov/work. Now that's a real safe way of figuring things out and getting some information and seeing how this can work. You don't even have to talk to anybody. And that will also -- that website will also give you your local connections so that you can give somebody in your local area a call. Find an employment network. Now employment networks are all different sizes, all different shapes, but they're basically rehabilitation specialists, private agencies. You can find that list also on socialsecurity.work/gov. Or your state VR agencies. They're all listed there too. They can start this process with you by putting a plan together for your work needs and what education rehabilitation services you need. Then you can work with Kendra and Tammy to put the benefits transition together. And once you do all of this and make these connections, all of these people can be part of your team. You need to stay connected with us. You know, if we're going to support your return to work we need to know what we're supporting. You know, we'll let you know when it's important to come in and talk with us, but you need to keep up and keep directing our work. And that could include a Work Incentives Specialist, a Protection and Advocacy lawyer, a Private EN, or a VR agency. Any way you want to start this, you can get in touch with any one of these agencies or through that website you can contact any of them, and you can start building your employment team. There is no wrong way. Now, the Ticket to Work program, lots of you wanted to know, if you're ready to work and you're ready to get that Ticket program going -- this is a custom program. It is made for each and every one of you and it will be tailored to your needs. It's available to both SSDI and SSI recipients and we're going to let Ben do some storytelling here. So Mike, I'm going to pass you the magic ball and if you can que up Ben's video, that would be a great thing.

>> [Background Music] Independence, fulfillment, community involvement. These are some of the benefits that work provides. By working, you can earn more income, meet new people, and learn skills. What is the Ticket to Work program? How can it help you? Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary program from Social Security that provides you employment support services to help you go to work, while still providing access to Medicaid and/or Medicare. It can help you go to work, which can give you a greater sense of purpose, and help you give back to your community. With time, you will be able to replace your cash benefits with your earnings from work, putting you on the road to financial independence, with the peace of mind that your benefits will be available to you if you need them due to your disability. Meet Ben. Ben qualified for the Ticket to Work program because he is age 18 through 64 and receives Social Security Disability Insurance. If Ben received Supplement Security Income, he would also qualify for the program. Ben wanted to work but needed to understand how work would impact his benefits, especially his health care. Ben did some research and found out that over 316,000 people with disabilities have participated in the program. After doing more research, he decided that Ticket to Work was just the ticket he needed to be successful in going to work. When Ben contacted the ticket helpline, they talked to him about supports from Social Security he could use to go work. He found that with Social Security's Ticket Work and work incentives, he might be able to work while keeping his Medicaid or Medicare, with the peace of mind that if he needed to stop working due to his disability, there would be a fast track back restarting his benefits. With the Ticket program, Ben had a choice of service providers, employments networks, and state vocational rehabilitation agencies. He was able to select one of these service providers to work with him one on one to help him reach his work goals. Both could offer him specialized services, and he could choose which was right for him. VR agencies work with individuals who need more significant services. The services that Ben could receive include benefits and career counseling, education, training, and job search support. ENs are private or public organizations that may help with career counseling, and assistance with job placement and more. Different ENs offer different types of services, so Ben could pick an EN that was just right for him. Ben also had the option to receive services from his state VR agency. And then when those services end, he could work with an EN to receive additional services that would help him find a job or keep an existing job. Ben took some time to think about his options and decided to assign his ticket to an EN. Ben's commitment to participate in the Ticket to Work program forged a partnership between him and his service provider. They both agreed to work together and jointly developed a plan that was just for him. His plan defined his work goals and described the specialized services the EN would provide or arrange for to help him meet his goals. Ben's route to employment through the Ticket program is a two-way street. In return for assistance in getting a job, Ben pledged to Social Security that he would take specific steps determined by the plan he developed with the EN with time-frames set by Social Security to work at a specified earnings level, or complete certain educational or training requirements. Taking the agreed-upon steps toward employment with time-frames set by Social Security is called "making timely progress." By taking these steps Ben was able to fully take advantage of the supports and protections the Ticket to Work program provided. You can be like Ben. The Ticket to Work program is here to help you become and stay employed, meet new people, and gain fulfillment and financial independence. We know it's a big step, but there is so much help for you all along the way. The Ticket program offers many tools and resources to help you learn about starting your journey to financial independence. Are you ready to work? Call the Ticket to Work helpline at 1-866-968-7842. For TTY, call 1-866-833-2967, to talk to one of our knowledgeable representatives. Or visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work to learn more. Good luck on your journey to financial independence. We are ready to help you on your way.

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>> Okay. So that was Ben's story and pretty much a rundown of what we're going to talk about today. And notice there was one thing that stuck out to me, that Ben was going to be getting help even after he had returned to work. And those on the job supports can be very, very important. So we're not trying to find you a job and we're leaving you alone. We're sticking with you as long as you need us. And with that I'm going to turn this over to Kendra Berry, who is a CWIC, Community Work Incentive Coordinator and a Benefits Planner. And she works in Indiana with Aspire, and -- take it over.

>> Thanks, Ray. As Ray said my name is Kendra and I'm here to talk to you about the Ticket to Work program and some of the work incentives that are available to you. As we discussed, the Ticket to Work program is available for both SSDI and SSI recipients. SSDI is Social Security Disability Insurance and SSI is Supplemental Security Income. And it'll be important to know which type of benefit you're receiving as we discuss these work incentives, but the Ticket to Work applies to most people. The Ticket to Work is a free and voluntary program to assist beneficiaries to go back to work, enter the workforce, or increase their current work hours. Social Security years ago sent out paper Ticket to Work and they didn't have an explanation of what they were so when people received them they thought that it meant Social Security was telling them to go back to work. So people threw them away or didn't do anything with them and you don't have to have that paper ticket to use the services. Again, this is a free and voluntary service to help you find a job that's a good fit. It's not a temp service, you're not going to be placed somewhere. You're going to work with different people to help you find a good job that will work for you. The representatives at the Ticket to Work Help Line can help you understand how the program works and can walk you through the different steps. For more information, you can call 1-866-968-7842, or for TTY 1-866-833-2967. You can also visit the website at www.socialsecurity.gov/work. Next slide. As we discuss the Ticket to Work program, everyone's already taken the first step by choosing to participate in this call and learn more about the work incentives available to you. What the Ticket to Work program and the different agencies such as the Employment Network, and the Work Incentive counselors can assist you with is finding that job that's a good fit. If you feel like you are looking for the personal fulfillment that comes from working, the agencies and people you work with one on one can help give you that safety net and the assurance and stability you need to feel confidence as you look for a job. If you're worried about how working will affect your benefits, benefits counselors such as, myself and Tammy can give you one on one information on how working will impact your specific benefits. If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't worry. I know that this is a lot of information, but this is just meant to be a first step for you so that you can start to become familiar with the work incentives and the different agencies and assistance that are out there for you. Next slide. Oh and this -- Ray, this one is for you to introduce. Are you there Ray?

>> Yes, I am. I was muted and I didn't realize it, and I was talking away to myself. But I do want to introduce you to Rob. Rob was a bit overweight, had some kidney issues, some serious kidney issues, and had been a worker for a long time, and wasn't happy on benefits. And he used his Ticket to Work to go back to work. Is now an active member of the community, bringing in more money and has transitioned himself back to stability. So what I'm going to do is transfer the magic ball back to Mike, and we're going to listen to Rob tell us his story.

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>> He drives 108 miles one way to work, to both sites, same amount of time. Snow storms -- Robbie's still on time.

>> He's got a tremendous, tremendous amount of pride in his work, and in himself.

>> Robbie's just a go-getter. He just -- he wants everything. He wants to try everything. He wants to be able to do everything. And healing is a part of that, you know, with the sickness it really hindered him to be able to get back into the workforce and to get back to work and traveling and everything has just -- it's been a wonderful thing for him.

>> Pretty much I was overweight, and I was always doing something. I was always -- in order to keep five businesses going, you know, it was just something that I needed to keep going. So my weight problem was deteriorating my health. I had some history of kidney failure and then I got sick when I was in the middle of that, and that's when I had to shut everything down. Finally, my kidneys completely failed. The only way to get a kidney transplant was I needed to lose the weight. I went from like around 550 down to 250. I had a transplant and I was scary. It was really -- I didn't know what to expect. I had bills, I didn't know what -- you know, how to transition from work and to Social Security. So, finally, I went and I got onto Social Security through my doctor's office, and I wanted to get myself back into a life to where I can enjoy it and I don't have to be relied on a government program. I didn't want to keep living that way, on a fixed income and limited area of being able to do things. My DVR had said we have a Ticket to Work Program after you -- there are certain agencies that represent Ticket to Work, and ERI was the one that was most suggested by them.

>> Well when Robbie came to use he had a lot of questions. First of all, Robbie was very well-versed and more than a lot of individuals who come to me, in understanding his benefits. He knew that he had work incentives, and he also knew that he was able to continue a lot of his -- continue with his medical insurance. So we worked together to talk to Social Security to ensure that the months that he actually was using trial work months was accurately reflected in his Social Security record.

>> That one must have been my birthday, huh?

>> Yeah, because you've got a birthday cake in front of you, unless you stole somebody else's cake. Oh, he was so happy because he could go back to work. And he started to -- he got on the internet, and he started looking different places.

>> And Robbie was hired as a part-time examiner down in the southwest corner of the state. When we opened up the opportunity in Chilton, Robbie took a transfer up to Chilton. At that time, he was just part-time. We were able to get a 50/50 position, where we could get him over to Manitowoc and allow him to be full-time.

>> The Ticket to Work program has kept me stable. It's kept me, you know, be able to stay with my job, to help support me. Any needs that I'll have in the future it'll keep me going and keep me working.

>> He was my hero. Because of what he went through, he took it so in stride and he never complained. And, even not a day, I never hear him say, you know, "I'm so tired," or -- he just goes right onto work. He just never liked to be on Social Security. So when he got his job, it was a real blessing for him.

>> I guess I'm not scared to keep taking steps forward. In my whole entire time here, I never took a step back. I always took a step forward. I always maybe stopped a little bit to reassess my choices. But I never went back, I always went forward.

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>> Okay, everybody. That was Rob's story, ending with a great big smile. Not so bad. And all of the supports that he received, once again, were through the Ticket to Work program and were at no cost to Rob. So let me turn you back over to Kendra.

>> Thanks, Ray. Now that we've seen both Ben, the cartoon story, and Rob's story, let's talk about some of the specific work incentives. You asked, we answer, what is Substantial Gainful Activity? Substantial Gainful Activity, or SGA, is for SSDI recipients who have worked some, maybe used of some of the other work incentives and now need to understand how much money they can earn. Next slide. What substantial Gainful Activity is, is it's not a number. It's a measure of your earnings level. What substantial means is that work that you're performing is a significant physical or mental exertion and it's full or part-time activity. Gainful means that your work is, or is generally considered, for pay or profit, even if you don't actually make a profit. Social Security had to determine at what level do you stop receiving cash benefits, and they did this by assigning an amount. What you also need to keep in mind is that we're just reviewing some work incentives today and that there are other work incentives that can impact the amount of SGA. Social Security will take into account some out of pocket costs you have related to your disability, as well as if your employer makes any accommodations for you. Next slide. The amount of monthly earnings that are considered substantial and gainful depends on what your disability is and the work activity. For 2014, if your work earnings average more than $1,070 gross, that's before taxes, each month, and you're not blind then you'll be considered working at the SGA level. If you're disability is blindness then SGA is $1,800 gross per month. There are different levels depending on what your disability is and it's just because Social Security views it differently. And the most common question that SSDI recipients ask me and other benefits counselors is how much money can I earn? And there's really not an easy answer for that. So the best advice for you is to contact the Ticket to Work help line and ask to speak with a Community Work Incentive Coordinator or a Benefits Counselor, so that you can find out what work incentives are available to you and how much money you, personally, can earn. Next slide. What is a Timely Progress Review? We heard in the videos that they talked about timely progress and moving ahead. And this applies to both SSDI and SSI recipients. Next slide. The Timely Progress Review measures your success in achieving your work goals. So when you contact an Employment Network or your Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, you will develop an individual work plan. Like I said, the Ticket to Work program is not a temp agency. They won't place you anywhere. So you're going to sit down and you're going to tell them what your disability is, what your job goal is, if you'd like to work in clerical, if you would like to go to school, if you want to work in retail. And you're going to tell them how many hours you'd like to work and how much you'd like to earn, and you're going to develop an Individualized Work Plan with the person that you're working with. You'll make progress towards meeting your goals. And there are different steps that you'll reach it, three months, six months, nine months. And it'll be reviewed every 12 months. Next slide. If you're making timely progress during the first 12 months review then you will have worked three out of the 12 months at Trial Work Period earnings, which will discuss in just a minute. You will have completed 60% of a full-time course load for one year towards a degree or certification if you are furthering your education. And the number of months per year that you work and the amount of completion toward your degree or certification will increase with each 12-month review. So what it means is that while you have this work plan in place and you have your goal, you have to continue making progress towards it in order to be considered using your Ticket to Work. Next slide. If you don't meet the Ticket to Work and the Timely Progress Review requirements, you can continue to work with the Ticket to Work program and you'll still have some work incentives available to you. Your cash and health care benefits won't be affected at all. However, while you are using the Ticket to Work and meeting the Timely Progress Reviews, Social Security does not [inaudible] medical Continuing Disability Reviews. And what a medical Continuing Disability Review is, is every year, three years, or seven years, Social Security sends you a little packet of paper and it is asking if your disability has changed. You have to provide if you've gone to the doctor, what medications you're taking and if anything has changed. While your ticket is in use, you will not receive that disability review. But if you don't meet the Timely Progress Review requirements then that review would start back up. So those are just the requirements you have. Next slide. You asked about the Trial Work Period. I mentioned a few minutes ago with the progress and the Ticket to Work that there is a Trial Work Period amount. The Trial Work Period applies to SSDI recipients, and what it is, is a nine month period where you can earn as much as you want and nothing will happen to your benefits. Next slide. The point of the Trial Work Period is to provide you with the first safety net to go out and see how much work that you can handle. By giving you this nine month period where you can earn any amount of money at all and your Social Security check will continue, it allows you to see can you handle full-time work, or maybe it's too much for you and you need to work less. It's just a safety net and it allows you to test your work ability. There is an amount associated with the Trial Work Period, kind of like there's an amount of SGA. If you earn more than $770 gross, before taxes, in a month, then you would use the Trial Work Period month. And that's not a bad thing. I talked to a lot of beneficiaries that worried about using their Trial Work Period, but it's really beneficial to you to use the Trial Work Period because it allows you to see how much work you can do and if the job is a good fit for you. Next slide. While you're using the Trial Work Period, your Social Security cash benefits will continue and your healthcare Medicare will continue as well. The nine month Trial Work Period starts the first month that you're entitled to Social Security or the month you filed for benefits, whichever is later. And if you're using your Ticket to Work, the Continuing Disability review is postponed as we discussed. After you complete your trial work period you begin the extended period of eligibility which is a 36 month period that Tammy [assumed spelling] is going to tell you about in just a few minutes. During the EPE, that's when Social Security is going to evaluate SGA and see if you're earning about that $1,070 amount per year. That's a few of the assessed GI work incentive, and I'm going to turn it over to Ray [assumed spelling] to see if we have any questions right now.

>> Yeah, Kendra, we do, and they're more general questions than specific, and they're pretty good ones, I think. Are there options for home employment under the Ticket tool?

>> There -- the Ticket to Work program is -- because it's not a temp service, the goal is to find you the job that you are looking for. When it comes to home employment there are options out there, but you're definitely going to want to do your research. The best place to start is to go online and contact the Ticket to Work website, the choose work website, and start working with either an employment network or vocational rehabilitation. Work with a job coach and someone who can help you find a good job that's a good fit, because there are some work at home jobs out there that are scams. So, you want to make sure, get some help, use your Ticket to Work, and find that job that's a good fit.

>> Okay, and if somebody's working part time already but still receiving benefits, is it too late to begin to use their ticket?

>> No. No, it's not too late at all. The best thing to do is to contact the Ticket to Work helpline and get setup with either an employment network, or a CWIC; Such as myself. What they'll do is they'll help you review if you've used any work incentives, and help you understand what work incentives that you have available to you still. So, it's great timing that you are listening to this call right now.

>> Okay, and the last one I have is, after contacting an employment network or a VR agency, how long does it take before Social Security approves the ticket?

>> Well it -- you know what? It really just depends. You're going to be working closely with an individual on creating your individualized work plan and depending on if you're working with an employment network or working with a vocational rehabilitation, it's just -- it's going to depend on the agency. I don't know that I have a great answer for that, do you Ray?

>> I really don't either because I think it depends is the right thing. I mean it depends on how complex of plan you have, how long it takes to negotiate that plan, and whatever equipment or educational needs are going to be needed. With the employment or the VR agency, I know that once that plan has been agreed to between the EN or VR, and it is sent to Social Security, it's done very, very quickly, usually within 48 hours. So, the question is how long does it take to develop the plan? That is the real thing. The approval doesn't take a whole lot of time. But, it all depends you know, as Debbie [assumed spelling] said. I'm sorry, as Kendra said. That's all I have for you, and right now we're going to turn you over to Tammy Austin who is also with Aspire Indiana Works. Tammy, take it away.

>> All right. Well, I just want to thank everybody for joining us today. I am Tammy Austin, the Community Work Incentive Coordinator with Indiana Works. And we're going to talk a little bit about some of the work incentives past the ones Kendra talked about. One being the Extended Period of Eligibility or the EPE, Expedited Reinstatement or the EXR, and some discussion on Medicaid and Medicare. Next slide. All right. Well, Extended Period of Eligibility is a work incentive specific to the SSDI beneficiaries. It is a 36-month period, beginning the month after the trial work period that Kendra had spoke on. One thing to remember is the 36 months does continue whether you're working or not. So, if you've worked your nine trial work months your 36 months of EPE is continuing whether you are working, and no matter what you are earning. During the EPE your benefits can be started without an application or without a new determination, and not other waiting period, so that's the great thing about it. Let's talk about how it works a little bit. For many -- for any month that your countable earnings -- and I say countable earnings because that's your gross earnings after any deductions that social security, like out of pocket expenses, things like that. If they are below the SGA that Kendra just talked about, you will receive checks for those months. So, let's say that you've been working. You've worked for say 14 months, earning $1,500 dollars and unfortunately something happens and you are no longer able to earn over SGA or work at all, you would just notify Social Security and your check would be picked right back up for that month. So, next slide. All right. So, what happens when you succeed and you work past this 36 months of this EP? That is when we go into the next work incentive called the expedited reinstatement, or the EXR. With this work incentive, you're able to restart your benefits without a new application, and if we will go onto the next slide. EXR is a work incentive that applies to both SSI and SSDI beneficiaries. Let's say it's a fast track to benefit reinstatement. If you've worked your way off your benefits and make the reinstatement request within five years after your benefits stop. Now, to qualify for EXR, you must have stopped receiving benefits due to earnings from work, are no longer earning more than SGA, so even if -- again if you're still working but your earnings have reduced below the SGA amount -- or currently unable to earn SGA due to your disability. And, the next slide. The great thing about this work incentive is that once you apply for this benefit -- for this work incentive, you're going to go ahead and receive six months of provisional payments while Social Security reviews for your reinstatement. Now, if for some reason you were found that you are no longer disabled of you are not eligible for the EXR, the great thing about this work incentive is you do not have to pay back that provisional six months of payments, and your eligibility for Medicare or Medicaid can continue through this period. Okay, next slide. Some big concerns for individuals when they return to work is their health coverage. So, let's talk a little bit about Medicare and Medicaid for just a few minutes. Okay, next slide. All right. For those or you that are eligible for SSI and have Medicaid as your health insurance, you're going to be covered under a program called 1619B that allows you to work and to keep your Medicaid coverage without [inaudible] You can continue to be eligible for Medicaid coverage until your gross annual amount reaches a certain amount. Now, you'd have to check with your state. In Indiana that amount is $37,010 in 2014. If your earnings would reach a designated amount by your state at that time, then you would need to look into the state Medicaid buy in program or contact the marketplace about other further insurance. Next slide.

>> Okay, Tammy, I do have a question for you. I'm going to go back a few slides to look at that 36 month Extended Period of Eligibility because somebody was confused about how that works.

>> Okay. All right, was there a specific question, or...

>> No. It was just -- how does -- what is that 36 month period all about? They just did not understand what happens once you finish with your TWP, your Trial Work Period and you enter that 36 months. How does that period work?

>> Okay. Your extended period of eligibility is the 36 months following your trial work period. What that is, is it's three years where any month that your earnings, your countable earnings are below SGA, Social Security is going to give you your benefit check. Now, if you have a month that your earnings end up being about SGA, you will not receive your check for that month. So, it's kind of a month to month look at. So, hopefully that explains it-- yes?

>> So, I'm assuming Tammy, that during that period of time it's real important to keep in contact with Social Security?

>> Yes, absolutely, because if you're turning in -- Social Security will sometimes estimate your earnings. So, if they're estimating them below SGA and you have a month above, it is very important that you notify them, or the other way around. If you've been working above and not receiving your benefit check, just to make sure you're reporting your pay stubs to Social Security so they can track that.

>> Okay. Another question just came in for you and it's a real good one Tammy. What do you mean when you say countable earnings? Can you give an example of that? What's not countable?

>> Okay, yes. The countable earnings is very important. Countable earnings are your gross as Kendra was saying earlier, before taxes -- but then there's some other work incentives that we are not discussing in this webinar today. Impairment related work experiences and subsidies, and these were forms of out of pocket expenses that social security will not consider as income, so when they use your -- when they say countable income, this would be your gross minus any out of pocket or subsidies that you have.

>> Okay, so they're not counting everything that you've earned necessarily

>> Correct.

>> Okay, and that EPE, Extended Period of Eligibility, does that begin right after the nine month trial work period?

>> Yes, that is correct. It will begin once your ninth month of trial work has ended. So, on that tenth month, that will begin your 36 months of EPE. Keep in mind that it does not matter if you are working or what your earnings are for each month. That 36 months will continue.

>> Okay. Thank you very much, and I'm going to try and get you back to where we can start talking about health care. I think that's where we were.

>> Yes. 36

>> Okay.

>> Slide 36. Okay. So, if you're receiving SSDI and Medicaid and you begin working there are buy-in programs that you can participate in. In Indiana, ours is called Medworks Program. So, you just need to check with your Medicaid state to see what exactly their Medicaid buy-in is. For those of you receiving Medicare coverage, you will be continuing to have that coverage for 33, I'm sorry 93 months of coverage after you begin working. You do not and you will not have a premium for your Medicare part A, that's the hospitalization. So, even if you obtain a job that offers insurance, it's [inaudible] to know you're going to continue to have that Medicare part A. you also continue with your Medicare part B and C if you are already enrolled in them. Next one. All right, the calculations for figuring this 93 months and when it will start and stop, it does get a little complicated so I would just say that keep in mind your first month will be the month after your trial work period, or the same as when your EPE starts. But, to get the end date it's best just to speak with somebody with Social Security because there's some factors that they factor in there, and it's really impossible unless you're already working and use some of these work incentives , to give you an actual end date for that 93 months. All right, and next slide. Now, if you are under the age of 65, disabled, and no longer entitled to the free Medicare insurance part A. There are some programs out there that can help you with this premium. Now, to be eligible you need to continue to have a disability or the impairment, sign up for premium hospital insurance, have limited income and resources, and not already eligible for Medicaid. Now, keep in mind that the need for this additional help, you're looking at a minimum of nine years from when you start working. I'm really not going to get into a lot about this slide. Just know that you can get additional information if you need it, either at the Q and A at the end of this webinar or through your Social Security Administration. And, next one. So every state has its own Medicaid office so you can also -- for additional information you can call 1-800-MEDICARE that's 1-800-663-4227 or the TTY is 1-877-486-2048. Now, when you call they will want your Medicare number and they will transfer you. On the menu you want to choose that you have other questions. You will be transferred then to a representative and just be prepared to write down your state and the number they give you for them. That's all I have, I just want to thank you again for participating, and I'm going to turn this back over to Ray.

>> Okay Tammy, that's not all you've got though. We've got lots and lots of questions and I want to encourage people to get your questions into us because we will have time for a Q and A session after I give you some more information. But Tammy, can you tell us what a WIPA is?

>> Yes. That is a work incentive. Kendra do you want to take this one since you've been more involved with this for longer than I have?

>> Oh, the joys of being on mute. Hello, this is Kendra. I am actually the supervisor for Indiana Works and Indiana Works is the WIPA for Northern and central Indiana. WIPA stands for Work Incentive Planning and Assistance project, and what it is, is we are grant funded through Social Security to provide benefits counseling to SSDI and SSI recipients for free. So, at no cost to you we can give you benefits counseling information and explain to you how working will impact not only your Social Security, but all of your benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, HUD, anything you may be receiving. Every state has at least one WIPA and many states have two. To get in contact you can call the Ticket to Work helpline and they can put you in touch with your local WIPA.

>> All right. Thank you very much. Now, I've got a couple of other questions here, and Tammy I think this one's for you. Is EXR, Expedited Reinstatement, basically a subtraction of the amount you earned from your benefits?

>> All right, and we're talking about the EXR, the Expedited Reinstatement?

>> Yeah.

>> No. What this does is allow you to be reinstated if your benefits have terminated, it's going to allow you to expedite -- instead of having to go back in and reapply, and wait for another decision to be made, because we all know that originally that probably took awhile. With the Expedited Reinstatement it is a fast track to get those benefits back immediately.

>> Okay, so you get your whole benefits check back?

>> Correct.

>> Okay, and does a doctor have to give you permission to use your Ticket to Work?

>> No, not at all.

>> Okay, I didn't think so. If you -- I think talking with your doctor about your physical or mental ability to begin work is always a good thing but you don't need your doctor's permission. I have somebody who wants to know if there's financial aid available for an educational program or a degree program through the Ticket to Work.

>> And, I'm going to let someone else jump in on that question and answer also.

>> This is Kendra. I will say that you can contact different employment networks and you can also contact vocational rehabilitations. Some agencies will be able to offer you assistance, not all of them so it's definitely not something you should expect but it's worth asking about when you are contacting different agencies and telling them what your work goals are.

>> Yeah, I think that's the case and I think that the more money you are looking to spend on education, the more likely you are to end up working with your state ER agency. However, there is all kinds of financial aid available. You know, many of us went to school using financial aid and those options are open to you too. So, part of your plan may be to simply apply for some of that financial aid or grants in order to get through school. That's an okay thing too, and [inaudible] can certainly help you with that. Kendra, what do you think about this one? Somebody is wanting to know... If I get into this program, are you telling me that all I can earn is $1,070 a month?

>> No. Not at all. The plus of the Ticket to Work program is that you set your goal. So, if you want to work five hours a week, then that's your goal. If you want to work 50 hours a week, you can do that as well. These work incentives that we have just briefly explained to you today tell you what some of the limits and earning caps are. If you receive SSDI and you've used your trial work period, where you can earn any amount of money and you are earning above $1070 and you don't have out of pocket expenses, then your Social Security would stop. But, what you should consider is that if you are able to get back to work full-time and earn $35,000 a year, that's most likely much more than you're receiving in Social Security. The other benefit is, by returning to work, you're paying more into the Social Security system so that if in the future you're unable to work again because of your disability, or when you're ready to retire, you'll qualify to receive more money monthly. So, there are a lot of plusses to going back to work and working your way off benefits. But, if that's not something you're interested in, then we can explain how to manage that as well.

>> Yeah. I think that's key Kendra. The earnings level that we mentioned are really rules set forth by Social Security. But, when you're talking about managing how much income you have coming in, talking to Kendra and Tammy, or someone like them in your state, is going to be very critical because you know, we don't know and can't guess right now what your countable income will be for substantial [inaudible] activity. But, after we talk with you we can come pretty close to letting you know what that will be and how that substantial gainful activity [inaudible] so, these are great questions they're just very hard to answer in the abstract.

>> Wait. Can I add one thing in there too.

>> Absolutely.

>> Keep in mind that like Kendra said, if you were working over that STA and your benefits stop, there's a definite difference between them stopping, and being terminated. So, keep in mind that if you do take that job, and you are earning the 35,000 and your EPE -- or you get past your trial work, those other work incentives are there as a cushion to put you right back into those. So, after your trial work, you're looking at about nine years of protection of just being able to step right back into that benefit again.

>> Yeah. Very, very important. Okay, Tammy, how do I find my local WIPA?

>> Okay. You can just contact the Ticket to Work line and they will connect you with a local WIPA, and let's see. Ray, do we have that number again for them?

>> Yeah, The Ticket to Work helpline is 1-866-968-7842 or TTY users can get that at -- can get that information at 866-833-2967 and do I have to use a WIPA, and employment network, or VR in my area, or can I work with one outside of my state?

>> So, we've got there questions build in there.

>> Okay. Well, there are employment networks and keep in mind that these are private organizations. Some of them cover different states and when you contact the Ticket to Work line, they will give you access where you can pull up infinite networks that work with your area, and some of them are going to be outside of your area, but they're going to cover and participate in helping you. Vocational rehab, I believe you are going to be with the one in your area, and as far as a WIPA, you are not required to even -- I mean, you can go out and find a job on your own without the use of these things, I would just suggest that this is just an additional support for you, that you utilize them, as far as someone outside of your area, [inaudible] area will probably be your best bet.

>> Yeah, yeah. I think working with folks who are closer to home it's always going to be the best bet. I got one that I'm going to keep and you guys can chime in on. Does your employer need to know that you are using a Ticket to Work? You know, your status as a person with a disability is your business, and it's nobody else's. when you are looking for a job, your employer can't ask you if you have a disability. You know, not until after they are giving you an offer, does that come up. So, you can most certainly keep that information to yourself. Now, there's always a time and a place where you might want to let your employer know about your disability status if you need a reasonable accommodation for the job, or some kind of special arrangement on that job, that's something where you would have to disclose your disability status. That doesn't mean you have to disclose that you are using a Ticket to Work or that you are a Social Security recipient. Those are two very different things. So, whether you need to tell people you have a disability, is one question. You may need to do that for accommodation purposes, but you don't need to tell them that you're receiving benefits or that you're using that Ticket to Work. The PABS agency, the protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security is the legal wing of your employment team. If you want to know when that's going to be -- when's the best time for you to do that, or how can you go about doing that, that legal agency, which you can find again by calling that Ticket to Work line, will be able to provide you with free information so that you can make that determination. Now, we've got a couple of questions about setting up your own business and whether or not an EN can help you do that. There are a couple of specific things so we can all chime in on this. We've got... Is setting up your own business a possibility? Then we have somebody who wants to become a Real Estate broker. Is that a possibility under the Ticket to Work? And there's another person who wants to know about the more creative arts. What do we do with people who want to write or paint. So, why don't we start with self employment an is that going to be an option under the Ticket to Work program?

>> Okay. This is Kendra. I will jump in here. Self employment is definitely an option, but you are going to want to contact your Work Incentive planning and Assistance project, your WIPA because Social Security views self employment differently. For SSDI they look at the trial work period a little differently, and it's also important to know that if you choose to set up as either a Sole Proprietorship verses an LLC, it's going to have impacts on how Social Security views your earnings so, the answer to the question is yes. Self employment is definitely an option but contact someone who is knowledgeable about work incentives and can advise you on how Social Security will view your self employment.

>> Okay. Now, as far as the other questions go, I'm going to take a shot at it. The real estate license, absolutely a potential, absolutely a potential, and right now the economy is great for that. So, I would suggest that would definitely be a possibility. You do need to be licensed by your state. So, there's an educational component, there's a licensing component, and that can be done fairly quickly so an employment network and that Ticket to Work could most certainly be used for that purpose. Now, when you're talking about real estate and then you're talking about the creative arts, writing, painting, music, it's very , very peculiar and I've been involved with discussions about this, with Social Security for years. Because you know, let's look at the real estate broker. A real estate broker can list a house for sale today and potentially work for four months before they sell that house, and then they get this big commission. So, when you're looking at getting that big commission, is that income for one month or is that income for the entire time that you worked to sell that house. Well, Social Security is going to say it was income for that entire time. If you are on SSDI, because that is a program that counts earnings when you work, when you earn the money. Now, if you're on SSI, it's a totally different ballgame, and that commission that you received would be seen as income in the month that you receive it. Now, that 's if you're on commission. Some real estate brokers have a situation where they are paid a regular salary and then may get bonuses when they sell that home. That's a regular income and bonus situation, in both benefits. For those real creative arts, for somebody whose writing a book, and it takes two years to write a book, and then you make that big sale and get that book published, again, we're talking about two very different programs. So, it depends upon which program you're receiving money for. The person that's on SSDI might get that $100,000 advance when they sell their book, and that's going to be divided over 24 months because it took two years of work. In the SSI world, that is income in the month that it's received. So, we again -- more important to discuss this with your WIPA than anything, because we're always talking about self employment in most of these situations, Or in the real estate situation something very close to self employment, and how you count income when you're self employed is very different, and it's very different for each program. So, all of that is important but, for those people in the really creative arts... keep track of what you're doing, when you're doing it, and how much time is involved. And, definitely work with your CWICs in your area. Work with Kendra in your Tammy because those cases can be very, very difficult. Now, Kendra, I've got a really great question for you. This person can't do physical work but can do consulting. It's not steady but the extra income helps. How can I get the logistics for figuring something like that out?

>> This may go without saying but contact your WIPA. Your Work Incentives planning and Assistance projects are staffed with rigorously trained CWICS. We all go through a week long training and then an almost six month follow-up before we are certified. And then have to do continued training on work incentives. Contracting work is definitely able to be done while you are on benefits, and depending on your situation, they can let you know the work incentives that are available to you. Just as an example, and it may not apply or it may. Social Security sometimes averages income for people who do not work steadily. So, contact your local WIPA so that you can tell them about your work opportunity and make it work for you, because if there is a will, there is a way.

>> Yeah, absolutely. And particularly on something where it's not steady, there are all kinds of little counting mechanisms and accounting mechanisms that you can use to make that easier for you so that you don't have to worry about great fluctuations in income this much. So, that's a critical situation where the help of a CWIC is critically important. Jamie [assumed spelling] is just asking me to plug next month's webinar particularly for those people who want to set up their own businesses, whether it be in real estate or it be in the creative arts, join us next month for next month's webinar. Now, what else do we have? We have somebody here who wants to know what the SGA amount is for SSI. Kendra, I'm going to let you take a shot at that.

>> I was getting ready to jump in anyway. I started this when I started presenting [inaudible] saying that you have to know whether you're receiving SSDI or SSI, because the work incentives are very different. For SSI recipients there is no trial work period, and there is no SGA, there is a calculation that's done and the -- I'm going to give you an example. If you are receiving 721 in SSI right now, but you find a job and you go to work, and you're going to receive $885 in earnings a month, Social Security is going to count $400 of those earnings and your new SSI check will go from 721 down to 321, and that scares people, but it shouldn't. You're still getting 321 in SSI, and you earned $885 at your job. So, now you have over $1200 a month between your earnings and your SSI. Even though your SSI check dropped in half. So, there's a calculation that's done and there's some other things that come into play. For those of you receiving SSI it's very, very important that not only do you contact your WIPA to talk with a CWIC but also that you report any earnings to Social Security, because your SSI check is figured out often. So, Social Security needs to know If you have any fluctuations in income.

>> Yeah, yeah. Two very, very different programs. And, you know Kendra, I am no good at math but, I can guarantee everyone out there if you're on SSI and you go back to work you will always have more money at the end of it. That much I do know. All right. Now, I've got one that I believe I'm going to take a shot at and I want you two to chime in. how do you explain not working for a long time on a job application without revealing a disability? You know that is an exceptional question, and an EN an employment network, is exactly the type of person who can help you build a resume and fill in those gaps. There are lots of things that you can discuss. What were you doing during that period of time? Were you babysitting? Were you volunteering? You know even babysitting can look like some kind of self-employment. If it was a relatives child, that's a wonderful explanation as to why you have a gap in your employment. My daughter had a child, and I needed to take care of my grandchild. You know, there are ways you can fill that gap by just explaining what has been going on, and what you have been doing in your life and EN's are wonderful at helping you put a resume together that will fill those gaps. Okay, I guess I answered that one right. Now, we're going to move on because we still have some stuff to cover. You know, we need to talk to you about some more resources, and we've got all kinds of resources that are available to you for everything we've discussed today. And again, as both Kendra and Tammy said, we talked about some specific things that you folks wanted to know about. Next month we've got self employment, there may be another general webinar coming up in a few months that just is going to talk about all of these work incentives. You can always look at the archives to find out one of those general ones, if you want to hear all about those out of pocket expenses and subsidies that Tammy was talking about. If you're ready to get started again, talk to people at the helpline. 1-866-968-7842 or for TTY users 866-833-2967. Get on the website. www.socialsecurity.gov/work. You can listen to success stories, you can read the blog, you can take a look at the list of employment networks, VR agencies, WIPA staff who are available to help you, as well as look at some of the rules concerning the things we've been talking about. Like the Ticket to Work, and the extended period of eligibility. That website is a great resource for you and again, no obligation here. Very safe way to get more information. Find that employment network. For that person that asked that question about filling that gap in your resume, an employment network in your area is going to be a wonderful place to do that, to figure out the best way to fill in those gaps, and when you meet these people and you're working with them, stay connected. There's a lot of times when people just change their mind. Look at BOB. He said he stopped and reassessed his options. He didn't do that in a vacuum. He did that by communicating with his CWICs, with his employment networks, and with VR. So, we want you to keep working with these people, Now, after today's session we have a Facebook Q and A that's running from 4:30 to 5:30 Eastern time, so an hour afterwards. You can join that Facebook session, and if you didn't get your question answered, that's another great place to do it. You're going to want to join that session at www.facebook.com/choosework. And again, you can participate and ask questions during that session. If you don't have a Facebook account you can do that in about 30 seconds. www.facebook.com/help /createaccount. One word, Createaccount. If you need assistance with accessibility and assisted technology using Facebook, www.facebook.com/help /accessability and there will be folks there who can chat away with you via Facebook to do that. If you want to participate via HTML you can do that at http://m.facebook.com /choosework#choosework #!/choosework? v+feed@_user =0 I'm going to do that again, http://m.facebook.com /choosework #choosework#!/choosework? v+feed@_user =0 if you cannot access Facebook or you want to send us your questions another way, send them to webinars@choosework.net. And, you can visit the choose work blog after the session to access the Q and A transcript. So, if you don't have time right now, you can most certainly get that transcript and I can assure you that If you've got a questions, somebody else during that Q and A session is likely to ask the same question. Now, where to get more information? Again, that Social Security website www.socialsecurity.gov/work will help you find everything you need. And, Tammy and Kendra and I are on that website every single day. Or, you can talk to somebody at the help line to get started. 1-866-968-7842 or TTY users 866-833-2967. More questions? Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/choosework follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/choosework and give that helpline a call again. That number once again is 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 for TTY users. Now, when I shut down the webinar there will be a very brief survey that's going to pop up on your screen. Be very helpful if you'd fill that out for us so we can get your comments and I want to say thank you to Jamie for getting me those questions, thanks to Mike for making all things webinar happen, and very much thank you to Kendra and Tammy for giving you some great information today. Also, join that Facebook chat and we'll see you at a future webinar. Thanks guys.