Free educational series helps retirement and SSDI beneficiaries understand earnings limits, avoid overpayments, and plan a return to work.
BOHEMIA, N.Y. — The AMAC Foundation, the charitable and educational affiliate of the Association of Mature American Citizens, today announced a two-part live webinar series designed to help Social Security beneficiaries who work — or plan to return to work — understand the rules that govern their benefits.
The series, Social Security: Working and Receiving Benefits — What Retirement and Disability (SSDI) Benefit Recipients Need to Know, will be presented by SSAS Advisors on Thursday, August 6 and Thursday, August 27, 2026, both starting at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. Each session runs 45 minutes: 30 minutes of presentation followed by a 15-minute live Q&A.
Why the Series Matters
Continuing to work while collecting a Social Security retirement benefit, or returning to work while receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), are two of the most common reasons beneficiaries are overpaid and required to return money to the Social Security Administration. Earnings limits — and the rules around them — are a critical part of deciding whether, when, and how much to work. This series explains those limits in plain terms and helps attendees plan ahead to avoid overpayment notices and know what to do if one arrives.
“Millions of Americans want to keep working after they start collecting Social Security, and millions more on disability want a real path back to the workforce. Too often, the rules that decide whether they can — and whether they’ll owe money back — are written in language nobody outside SSA speaks. This series is our attempt to fix that. In two clear sessions, SSAS Advisors will walk people through exactly what the earnings tests are, how the return-to-work programs work, and how to avoid the overpayment notices that catch so many beneficiaries by surprise.”
— Ian Gargan, Executive Director, AMAC Foundation
Session Details
Session 1 — Thursday, August 6, 2026 · 12:00 p.m. ET Understanding SSA Earnings Test as Applied to Retirement Benefits
Session 1 defines the SSA Earnings Test as it applies to retirement benefits. Attendees will learn the difference between the annual and monthly earnings tests, how to apply the special first-year retirement rule, how benefits are recalculated when payments are withheld, and how to avoid being overpaid.
Topics Covered:
- General definition of the earnings limit
- Annual Earnings Test (AET) before Full Retirement Age
- AET in the year of Full Retirement Age
- Monthly Earnings Test (MET) and the first-year retirement rule
- Avoiding overpayment
- Adjustment of the reduction factor
- Responding to an overpayment notice
Session 2 — Thursday, August 27, 2026 · 12:00 p.m. ET Returning to Work While Receiving Disability (SSDI) Benefits
Session 2 is for SSDI beneficiaries who are ready to return to work. Attendees will learn about SSA’s income limits and the programs designed to support re-entry into the workforce without jeopardizing their benefits.
Topics Covered:
- Distinguishing SSDI and SSI
- Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
- Ticket to Work (SSDI and SSI)
- Trial Work Period (TWP) — SSDI
- Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) — SSDI
- Expedited Reinstatement (EXR) — SSDI
- Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) — SSDI and SSI
- Section 1619 — SSI
Who Should Attend
- Anyone receiving Social Security retirement benefits who is still working, or planning to continue working
- Anyone about to file for retirement benefits who plans to keep working
- Anyone receiving SSDI benefits who is considering a return to work
Both sessions are free and open to the public. A live Q&A follows each presentation.
About the AMAC Foundation
The AMAC Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving America’s seniors through advocacy, education, and volunteerism. The Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service provides free, personalized guidance on Social Security matters, helping thousands of seniors each year navigate one of the most complex programs in the federal government. Learn more at amacfoundation.org.
