MS & Disability: Can I Work as a Consultant? - Expert Advice

[mmilus]

I have a customer that has MS. Right now she is able to hold down a full-time job but knows that sooner or later she will probably have to go on disability. She has been interested in PC for a long time and wondered if it is possible, from a legal standpoint, to be a consultant while on disability. She's going to check with her accountant and her attorney but I told her I'd check her as well and see if anyone has experience with this. Thanks! Marci

 

[pampered1224]

I do not have a direct connection but as most government sponsored programs are designed, any income would be discounted at a certain percentage then subtracted from the disability payment. If you get $100 a month from disability and you earn $30 that month, they will take say 33% of the $30 and subtract that from the disability. I do not believe that 100% is ever removed unless of course the $30 would become $100 or more. She should not have a problem keeping income from disability. But who knows, she may turn into a dynamite saleswomen and blow that all to heck! As for any other ramifications, like not being disabled enough, may be an issue. I know with SSI, you have to make sure you do not over do it or they will investigate. To bad these offices are not smart enough to realize that most types of disability are only intermittent and not always issues for workers.

 

[NooraK]

I have a friend whose husband receives disability income, and he makes additional income through a virtual call center company by taking calls at home. She says there is a monthly limit to how much he can make before it begins to affect his disability income. I don't know the details, though.