How does the Trial Work Period (TWP) and the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) work?
The Trial Work Period (TWP) consists of nine Trial Work months occurring within a five-year window when you receive full Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and work. These work months can be one right after the other (consecutively) or intermittently (non-consecutively). The trial work months add up to what Social Security calls a Trial Work Period only if they all occur within five years (60 months) of each other. Social Security calls this the Five-Year Window.
The Trial Work Period is the nine Trial Work months occurring within a five-year window when you receive full Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) monthly benefits and work. These work months can be one right after the other (consecutive) or occur one at a time (non-consecutive.) The Trial Work months add up to what Social Security calls a Trial Work Period only if they all occur within five years (60 months) of each other. Social Security calls this the Five-Year Window. The Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) is the 36 consecutive months which start at the end of the Trail Work Period. Different rules apply during this period.
