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Understand benefits and work

Parents often worry that their child’s work will affect their benefits. But in Minnesota, work and benefits go together to help our child pursue their dreams, live independently, and achieve their education and employment goals.

Benefit programs and work incentives

All public disability benefit programs in Minnesota are designed to support work. They do this through special rules, called work incentives.

Work incentives let people with disabilities:

  • Get or keep a benefit, like health coverage, while they work

  • Have more money, even if benefits changes

  • Get a benefit back quickly if it stops because of work and they need it again later

This means your child can work and continue to get benefits like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medical Assistance (MA).

Ways to plan for work and benefits

Summary statement here.

At 18, your child may stop receiving certain benefits and start receiving others.

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI): If your child gets SSI and will be turning 18 soon, the Social Security Administration will verify that they still qualify for SSI as an adult. This is known as the Age-18 Redetermination. Ask if education and work programs — such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Vocational Rehabilitation Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) or Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) — might allow your child to continue receiving SSI for a while if they aren't medically eligible as an adult. Learn more about qualifying for benefit continuation through Section 301.

  • Medical Assistance (MA): Eligibility rules for MA change between ages 18 and 21 based on how your youth qualified for MA.

Learn more about benefits and turning 18 at Disability Benefits 101.

With work incentives, your child can:

  • Keep MA health coverage no matter how much the job pays

  • Have more total income and keep getting SSI

  • Save money and keep getting benefits

  • Get back on SSI if it stops and is needed later

Visit Disability Benefits 101’s (DB101) work incentives and programs sections to understand how work incentives and programs, like 1619(b), the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) and Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MA-EPD), can allow your child to keep benefits while working. DB101’s work and benefits section has information about ways to save money and keep getting benefits.

[Or link to the Hub's work and benefits page??]

My Vault: Benefits Planning Path

Disability Hub MN’s My Vault tool can help youth understand what happens to their benefits when they work. My Vault's benefits planning path can help youth know the benefits they receive, get an idea of how much they might want to work or earn, and see how work and benefits work together. A My Vault account is a secure way to explore planning activities, tools and more.

DB101 Estimators

Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) has two estimator tools that help youth see how they can have more money when they work.

  • School and Work Estimator: This estimator is designed for youth ages 14-25 who are interested in working. It addresses potential changes in benefits typically accessed by youth, including SSI, Disabled Adult Child (DAC), and Medical Assistance. Note: Youth don't have to be in school to use this estimator.

  • Benefits and Work Estimator: This estimator is for people ages 18-64 and addresses potential changes in a large number of benefits, including SSDI.

Understand more about benefits and work

Benefits videos

SSI and Work »

Benefits videos

SSI and Youth Who Work »

Benefits videos

MA-EPD Awareness »
See more benefits videos »

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