Benefits Counseling

The Work Without Limits Benefits Counseling program specializes in assisting individuals to understand how earned income (e.g., from work and self-employment) and unearned income (e.g., gifts, inheritances, lottery winnings, grants, guaranteed income) may affect public benefits, such as:

  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
  • Medicaid and Medicare
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Subsidized Housing
  • Emergency Aid to Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC)
  • VA Benefits

 

Work Without Limits currently provides two no-cost benefits counseling services for Social Security beneficiaries receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI):

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)

Work Without Limits provides benefits counseling services through a Social Security WIPA grant.

We provide one-on-one counseling on the impact of work earnings or wage increases on:

  • Cash benefits (SSI/SSDI)
  • Health insurance (MassHealth/Medicare)
  • Other public benefits (Housing, SNAP, etc.)

This service is for SSI/SSDI beneficiaries between the ages of 14 and full retirement age. To prioritize services for beneficiaries who are most vulnerable to overpayment, and most in need of immediate attention, we serve beneficiaries meeting the following priority order:

  1. Individuals working, self-employed or about to start work full-time.
  2. Individuals working, self-employed or about to start work part-time.
  3. Individuals with a pending job offer.
  4. Individuals with recent (within 30 days) or upcoming/scheduled job interview(s).
  5. Individuals who are currently receiving services from State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Ticket to Work Employment Network (EN), other vocational program and/or with a serious intent to work.

Territory:

  • Massachusetts Counties:  Middlesex, Worcester, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Berkshire
  • New York Counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie and Washington
For more information visit our
WIPA page

Employment Network (EN)

The Work Without Limits EN is part of the Social Security Ticket to Work program and offers on-going benefits counseling and employment supports.

This service is for SSI and SSDI beneficiaries who:

  • Live anywhere in the U.S.A.
  • Are receiving monthly SSI and/or SSDI payments
  • Have a long-term goal to earn enough money from their full- or part-time job or from self-employment to get off their cash benefits (such as SSI, SSDI and SNAP)
  • Are interested in receiving benefits counseling as they work toward transitioning from receiving cash benefits to supporting themselves through work.

Specifically:

  • SSDI beneficiaries who have a job, job offer or who are independently looking for work and:
  • SSI beneficiaries who have a job and who are earning enough that they are about to zero out their SSI payment
  • SSI or SSDI beneficiaries who are self-employed

Please Note: In addition to providing long-term benefits counseling to SSA beneficiaries, our EN provides the administrative functions that allow community-based organizations and state agencies to access payments through the Social Security Ticket to Work program.

Territory: Nationwide

For more information visit our
Employment Network page
For individuals who do not meet the above criteria, please contact:
Social Security Ticket To Work
Toll-Free Help Line: 1-866-968-7842

Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Other Work Without Limits Benefits Counseling Initiatives

Creatives Rebuild New York

Creatives Rebuild New York (CRNY), a workforce initiative for artists across New York State, provides artists with employmentopportunities and guaranteed income to mitigate the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with CRNY, Work Without Limits provide artists with benefits counseling services. These services help artists to understand the impact
employment and guaranteed income may have on any public benefits they may be receiving.

Learn about Work Without Limits partnership with CRNY.

Mass Cultural Council

In partnership with Mass Cultural Council, Work Without Limits provides benefits counseling services for creatives and gig workers who have been awarded grants from the Mass Cultural Council’s
Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals. Benefits counseling services will help artists to understand the impact the Recovery Grant may have on any public benefits they may be receiving.

Learn about Work Without Limits partnership with Mass Cultural Council.

If you are a program or organization who could benefit from Work Without Limits Benefits Counseling services,
please contact Work Without Limits director Kathy Petkauskos.

Meet the Work Without Limits Team.

This web page was developed at U.S. taxpayer expense and is funded through a Social Security cooperative agreement. Although Social Security reviewed this document for accuracy, it does not constitute an official Social Security communication.