New Bill Targets Social Security Work Disincentives for Disabled Americans

What You Need to Know

The Work Without Worry Act would ensure that any earnings from work will not prevent a disabled individual from receiving certain Social Security benefits.
The proposed changes are estimated to improve the lives of nearly 6,000 individuals with disabilities over the next 10 years.
The bill is not expected to have a significant impact on the trust funds.

A new bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to ensure Americans with disabilities and their families will not lose out on higher Social Security benefits merely for working to their full potential.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, is a lead sponsor of the legislation alongside Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and the bill includes a mix of other Democratic and Republican co-sponsors.

Wyden and Cassidy are calling their legislation the Work Without Worry Act. As they explain in a press release accompanying the new bill, if an adult has a severe medical condition that began before age 22, they may be eligible for a Social Security benefit called the Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefit.

Their benefits are based on their parent’s Social Security earnings, in the same way that benefits of a child under age 18 would be. However, under current law, some of these young adults fear that if they try to work they will lose future DAC benefits. These benefits are often higher than any other benefit they may qualify for on their own.

This fear inhibits the ability of Americans with disabilities to explore their ability to work as they transition to adult life, the senators argue.

To address the problem, the Work Without Worry Act would ensure that any earnings from work — no matter how much — will not prevent an individual from receiving a Social Security DAC benefit from their parent’s work history if they have an eligible medical condition that began before age 22.