What should you wear today? Sometimes that question gets more complicated when you are choosing clothes for working in an office setting. Today's blog post provides five tips for buying work clothes on a budget.

Some jobs have a business casual or business professional dress code. This often includes dress pants, skirts, dress shirts and occasionally suits. Office attire is changing, so if you need help figuring out what items meet the dress code, ask your supervisor to give you examples of common outfits. An office wardrobe can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. There are many ways to save money on clothes, and still meet the dress code at work. Here are some ways to spend less money and get the outfits you need to look good and feel confident at work.

1. Shop Your Closet

You may already have some items that can start your work wardrobe. If you have a pair of black dress pants and a couple of dress shirts, that's three fewer items to buy! Take inventory of what you already have, and what family members and friends can share. If you already have one business casual skirt, consider buying just one more in another color to build your wardrobe. Items you have that may not stand out as “office clothing” can work too, if paired with the right items. A plain tank top you already own worn under a cardigan can add to your outfits.

2. Purchase Basic Items to Mix and Match

It's always a good idea to buy some basic pieces that you can easily mix and match. A black blazer or suit jacket can match with many items. It can be worn with slacks, a skirt or jeans if your employer allows casual days. A solid color pair of pants in navy blue or gray can also be paired with many shirts, blouses or sweaters. For shoes, look for neutral colors so they can go with most of your outfits.

3. Check out Thrift Stores

Thrift stores have many quality items to add to your work wardrobe. You can find items that are gently used, or even brand new for a low price. Thrift, or consignment stores, have a large selection of clothes in all sizes, colors and styles. Some thrift stores have special days when the already low-priced items are half off, or an additional discount is applied all day. Call ahead or check their websites to get the best deals during the week. If you choose to shop any of the popular online thrift stores, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for consumer safety advice for online shopping.

4. Limit Expensive Name Brands

Buying just a couple of designer items can take up a big part of your budget. Start your wardrobe by buying more classic items and get more for your money. In addition, some designer items can be difficult to mix and match because of the colors and patterns. Non-designer clothes can be more useful and create several outfit choices. Sometimes you can find used designer items at neighborhood garage sales, discount shops or thrift stores, along with other professional clothes.

5. Take Your Time

You can gradually purchase items for your work wardrobe, a couple of pieces at a time. No need to rush and buy all your clothes right away. As you can afford more, you'll eventually build a great selection with many outfits. Slowly buy clothes as time goes on. Buying slowly also allows you to find “off season” sales. For example, if you purchase sweaters in the summer, prices will typically be much lower. Buy your short-sleeved shirts in the winter and save money. Make a habit of heading to the clearance section for these off-season deals. Your budget will thank you.

There are many ways to spend less and have a work-ready wardrobe. Stay on the lookout for deals, and your wardrobe will grow before you know it!

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI/SSI) and want to work. Through this free and voluntary program, eligible participants can work with service providers to receive the service and supports they need to find and maintain employment as they move toward financial independence through work.

Connect with a Ticket Program service provider such as an Employment Network (EN) for career counseling that can include advice on your work wardrobe, and connections to local organizations that may help with donations. Find an Employment Network (EN) today!

Learn More

To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit choosework.ssa.gov or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. You can also learn more by registering for a free, online Work Incentives Seminar Event webinar. Or text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292 to receive Ticket Program texts. Standard messaging rates may apply, and you can opt out at any time.

The Choose Work website is currently undergoing maintenance. The website will continue to function as usual. However, we will not post any new content for a few weeks. We will let you know when we resume sharing new content. 

Still have questions?

If you have questions about how work will affect your benefits, we encourage you to call the Ticket to Work Help Line. A specialist will be able to answer your questions and connect you with resources that can help as you transition to employment. You can reach the Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET.

Thank you for your patience as we work to improve your experience with the Choose Work website. Here are some other ways to receive timely updates from Ticket to Work!

• Become a Fan on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Subscribe to receive email updates

Receive Ticket Program Texts

If you're interested in receiving text messages from the Ticket Program, please text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply. We'll send updates from our blog, identify steps on the path to employment and more. We hope you'll find this way to stay in touch helpful. You can opt out at any time.

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts that are available to eligible individuals with disabilities. By opening an ABLE account, you may be able to save more money each year to help you pay for disability-related expenses.

But how do you open an ABLE account and what exactly can the funds be used for? In this blog post, we're answering the top three questions about ABLE accounts and how they may help you on your path to financial independence.

Who is eligible to open an ABLE account?

As of 2023, the ABLE Act limits eligibility to people with disabilities who had an onset of disability before they turned 26. As of 2026, however, the ABLE Age Adjustment Act will increase the age of ABLE eligibility to “before the age of 46”. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may then choose the state in which you plan to open your account.

More than half of the states in the country have launched ABLE programs. You are not required to establish your account in the state where you live. To help you decide in which state you want to open an account, use the Three-State Comparison tool. Then, visit the program website of the state you chose and complete the application. In 2023, Social Security disability beneficiaries, their family members, friends, and employers can deposit up to a combined total of $17,000.00 into an ABLE account.

What can ABLE account funds be used for?

ABLE account funds can be used for "qualified disability-related expenses" (QDE). A QDE is any expense the beneficiary incurs as a result of the disability. These may include expenses related to education, housing, transportation, employment training and support, assistive technology, personal support services, healthcare expense, financial management and administrative services, and other expenses that help improve health, independence and/or quality of life.

Although you do not need to submit receipts for the expenses, you should keep them along with other documentation of the expenditure. If you're unsure whether something is a QDE, you can check with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the only organization that can make that decision.

How do ABLE accounts affect my Social Security disability benefits?

If you receive SSDI, are working, and deposit part or all of your earnings into an ABLE Account, Social Security still considers this deposited money as "countable earnings" and applies Work Incentives to determine if you're engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA). However, deposits made into an ABLE account by others, such as your family members, friends, and employers are not considered countable income for determining SGA.

However, if you receive SSI benefits, the ABLE Act sets further limitations. The first $100,000 in your ABLE account would be exempted from the SSI $2,000 individual resource limit. When your ABLE account exceeds $100,000, your SSI benefit payments would be suspended until the account balance falls below $100,000. It is important to note that while your eligibility for a benefit payment is suspended, this has no effect on your ability to receive or be eligible to receive medical assistance through Medicaid¹.

About Ticket to Work

Social Security's Ticket Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce.

Learn More

Visit the ABLE National Resource Center to learn more about ABLE accounts and for more resources, including Frequently Asked Questions, webinars and podcasts. To learn more about the Ticket Program, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket Program Find Help tool.

^{1 Spotlight on Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts (ssa.gov)}

Have you ever thought about working for the federal government? Students, now may be your chance. Learn more about the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP).

The WRP is a recruitment and referral program for college students with disabilities that connects them with federal and select private-sector employers nationwide. Students will be eligible to register for the program beginning August 21.

Managed by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Labor, the WRP lets graduate students and recent graduates demonstrate their skills and abilities in the workplace through internships or permanent jobs.

Applicants must be:

• A person with a disability eligible for the Schedule A Hiring Authority
• A U.S. citizen
• An undergraduate student, graduate/doctoral student, or a recent graduate
  • A student must be enrolled in a degree-seeking program at a U.S. accredited college or university on a substantially full-time basis (unless their disability or program requirements preclude the student from taking a substantially full-time load).
  • A recent graduate must have received a postsecondary degree on or after April 1, 2021.

The college or university you attend must be registered for the Workforce Recruitment Program. Check with your school’s disability services or career services to see if they are registered.

Registration for students is open August 21! Register at wrp.gov.

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Are you a college student or graduate who receives Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI)? If so, knowing more about Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program will help as you pursue your work goals after graduation.

The Ticket Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) and want to work. Through this free and voluntary program, eligible participants can work with Ticket Program service providers, like State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies or Employment Networks (EN), to receive the supports and services they need to pursue work and financial independence.

Ticket Program service providers offer a variety of supports and services to help job seekers with disabilities, ranging from resume writing and interview prep to assistance requesting reasonable accommodations (during the interview and/or on the job), and continued support once someone has started working. Many service providers also offer benefits counseling through certified Benefits Counselors, who can help you better understand how earning an income will affect your benefits and discover Work Incentives that may help you keep certain benefits during the transitional period.

Getting Started

1. Call the Ticket to Work Help Line: Ticket Program representatives can help callers find answers to their questions about working and their benefits — or even send them a list of service providers that offer the supports and services they need to start or continue their job search or succeed on the job. The Ticket to Work Help Line is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. To connect with a representative, call 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY).
2. Visit the Find Help tool: If you are ready to start working with a Ticket Program service provider, the Find Help tool can help you find the right one. The Direct Search feature allows you to find service providers by type of provider, location and even services offered. Or the Guided Search feature asks you a series of questions to help determine what kind of service provider may fit the user's needs.

Staying Connected

Find us on social media to see more information and resources. We post updates about the Ticket Program and other Social Security news, and we help our followers discover new resources that may help them find work, request job accommodations, and succeed on the path to financial independence.

• Like us on Facebook: @Choose Work!
• Follow us on Twitter: @ChooseWorkSSA
• Sign up for Ticket Program Texts by texting TICKET to 1-571-489-5292. Standard messaging rates may apply.
• Register for our monthly Work Incentives Seminar Events (WISE) Webinars!

It's the 33^rd anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. It ensures that people with disabilities have equal access to businesses, employment, transportation, government programs and services, and telecommunications.

The ADA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an individual with a disability to attain the same level of performance or to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by employees without disabilities. Examples of some common reasonable accommodations include:

1. Working from home
   Working from home part time or full time is a reasonable accommodation for many job fields.
2. Modified schedule/break schedule
   If you need to take more breaks than the regular break schedule allows or to modify your schedule, you can work with your employer to identify when you need to take your breaks or adjust your work hours.
3. Assistive technology
   Sometimes a reasonable accommodation may be technology hardware or software that helps you perform your job function, such as using an alternative keyboard, voice recognition or screen reader at your desk.

Who can help you request reasonable accommodations?

Generally, disclosure of your disability is totally voluntary. However, if you wish to receive a reasonable accommodation because of your disability, you will need to disclose the nature of the disability and how it affects your ability to perform the job. Once you decide that you may need an accommodation, and are willing to disclose your disability, who do you go to? Below are three resources to help you get started.

1. Talk to Human Resources (HR)
   If you are currently working and realize you may need an accommodation, talk to the HR department at your job. They will work with you to determine how to meet your work needs.
2. If you think you may need some advice about how to talk with HR, JAN offers free, confidential guidance from experts on workplace accommodations. They can help you through the disclosure process and help you find accommodations not only for on the job but during job interviews as well. Visit askjan.org to learn more.
3. American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Centers
   There are 10 ADA centers distributed in regions throughout the United States to provide local assistance and provide more information about the ADA. They can also talk to you about assistive technology and the disclosure process. For more information, visit adata.org.

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. It helps people with disabilities move toward financial independence and connects them with the services and support they need to succeed in the workforce. You can discuss reasonable accommodations with your Ticket to Work service provider. They can help you with the disclosure process and requesting job accommodations.

Learn More

To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit https://choosework.ssa.gov. You can also call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket Program Find Help tool.

You might remember taking a test as a kid that predicted which career you might have as an adult. How have your interests changed? What new skills have you developed, and how can taking a new test help you now?

When it comes to finding work, there are certain things you should know beforehand. One of those things is knowing what kind of work you want and are able to do. Not everyone has a clear vision for what they want to pursue when it comes to employment. Or some may be looking to switch up their career. Luckily, there are resources available.

What if you don't know which skills you possess? One way to find out is by taking a skills matcher test. Rather than answering math or logic questions, these assessments are meant to determine which career you are more suited for based on the skills and personal characteristics you possess.

Questions could include:

• How well do you handle customer's needs?
• How many words can you type per minute?
• Do you feel you work better in an individual setting or in a team setting?

These tests can take anywhere from as little to five minutes to as long as 60 minutes depending on how detailed you want your results to be. Once you are finished with the test, the program will then process the answers and give you options for career fields or positions within that field based on what you answered for your values, personal characteristics, and soft and hard skills.

Here are some things to keep in mind while taking a skills test:

• You do NOT have to choose a career based on the results of these tests. They are simply resources to guide you, just like any other resource. They help you decide what career or field you may want to pursue or research further based on your results.
• The test may ask for an email address. Like with any online form these days, a skills test may ask for some personal information. This is so the full results can be emailed to you later so you can have more time to read and fully understand what they are.
• Answer the test accurately and be honest with yourself. If you go in with a pre-conceived notion of what you WANT to be or what field you want to be in rather than what field you are most suited for, the test will skew results in your favor toward that field. If you want to be a marine biologist but have had no education related to marine biology and have never had experience with animals, you should not answer that you have had experience with animals.

Finally, remember that this is not the be-all end-all to your career search. Once you've found a career that you feel suits you, do some more research into that field or position. If you have friends or family who have been in that field or know someone in that field, ask if you can talk to them and find out what it is like.

Additional Resources

• CareerOneStop Skills Matcher Assessment
  Find what career you're suited for based on what skills you already possess.
• CareerOneStop Work Values Matcher
  Identify what you value most in a job (helping others, working independently, etc.) to see which career cluster you are suited for.
• Career Explorer – Free Test
  Take this free career explorer test to see which career cluster most suits you.

How Can Ticket to Work Help?

Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI) and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. The Ticket Program connects you with free employment services to help you decide if working is right for you, prepare for work, find a job or be successful while you are working.

The Ticket Program can connect you with service providers who offer a wide variety of employment services to people with disabilities in all stages of their employment journey, including preparing to enter the workforce for the first time. An Employment Network (EN) can also help you find skills tests.

Taking a job skills test to see what type of career you might want to pursue is only the beginning. Connect with a service provider today to find the additional support you may need to help you achieve your goals on the path to financial independence through work.

Learn More

Visit the Choose Work website and use our Find Help Tool to start building your employment team. Or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

As we've discussed in the past, reporting your wages is important to avoid overpayments from Social Security. An overpayment occurs when Social Security sends you a benefit payment higher than what you're eligible to receive. An important aspect of working while also receiving Social Security disability benefits is updating Social Security about your employment status and how much money you are earning. If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you or your representative must promptly report any changes in your work activity.

When to Update Social Security About Wages

You or your representative must tell Social Security right away if any of the following changes happens to your work activity:

• You start or stop work.
• You already reported your work, but your duties, hours, or pay have changed.
• You start paying for expenses that you need for work due to your disability. For more information, refer to Impairment-Related Work Expenses.

How to Report Your Wages

You can report changes in your work activity by phone, fax, mail or by using a my Social Security account. Call the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, or you may call or write to your local Social Security office. You can find your local office by going to the Field Office Locator.

If you receive SSDI or SSI benefits and have a my Social Security account, you may be able to report your wages online. If you receive SSI, Social Security also offers a toll-free automated wage-reporting telephone system and a mobile wage-reporting application. For more information about these electronic wage reporting methods, please visit the Spotlight on Automated Wage Reporting Tools or call the toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) and ask how you can report wages using the system or application.

When you report changes in your work activity, Social Security will give you a receipt to verify that you have properly fulfilled your obligation to report. Save this receipt, along with your paystubs so that Social Security can verify your monthly earnings, and any deductions from allowable earnings.

About Ticket to Work

Social Security's Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits and want to work. The Ticket Program is free and voluntary. The Ticket Program connects you with free employment services to help you decide if working is right for you, prepare for work, find a job or maintain success while you are working.

Learn More

To learn more about the Ticket Program, visit choosework.ssa.gov or call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Ask a representative to send you a list of service providers or find providers on your own with the Ticket Program Find Help tool.

You can also learn more by registering for a free, online Work Incentives Seminar Event webinar. Or, text TICKET to 1-571-489-5292 to receive Ticket Program texts. Standard messaging rates may apply, and you can opt out at any time.