When you are on benefits, it’s always important to keep all of your benefits information and records organized. When you get a job, you also have to keep your work records organized. Here’s a list of things you need to keep track of:

• All letters from government agencies, such as Social Security or the Department of Economic Security’s (DES) Family Assistance Administration (FAA)
• Receipts for medical expenses or for expenses related to your job
• A list of any phone conversations you’ve had with your benefits program
• All of your pay stubs from work
• Documentation of any assistance or accommodations you get on the job

Here we are going to present 3 ideas for how you can document these:

1. Get Help from an Expert
2. Create a Benefits and Work Binder
3. Keep Records on Your Computer

1. Get Help from an Expert

If you have a job coach or an employment support services person, they may be able to help you keep organized. That person can give you advice and even help make copies of your pay stubs and send them to the appropriate agencies for you.

For more information, you can check with the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (AZRSA) or the community organization that is helping you with employment. You can also talk to a Work Incentive Consultant.

2. Create a Benefits and Work Binder

An excellent way for you to keep your information organized on your own is to create a Benefits and Work Binder.

To do this, buy a 3-ring binder and a 3-hole punch. Then, every time you have an important document that you need to save, use the hole puncher and put the document in your binder. You should also get some plastic sheets for binders that have pockets so that you can put smaller things into your binder, like receipts.

These are the types of documents you need to keep in your binder:

• Pay stubs
• Letters from government agencies
• Fact sheets explaining benefits programs
• Copies of letters you send to these agencies, including when you reported your income
• Receipts for out-of-pocket health care expenses
• Documentation of any assistance or accommodations you get on your job
• Fax confirmation sheets and receipts if you give something in person to Social Security

It’s also a good idea to buy a 3-hole spiral notebook to add to your binder. This way, you can write notes about anything you do that is related to your benefits. Here are some of the things that you could write notes about:

• When you mail in a copy of your pay stub, write down the date.
  • For example, “1/3/2025: I sent copies of my pay stubs to Social Security by mail.” Include the address, or if you faxed it, include the number you faxed it to.
• When you talk to somebody at an agency, write down the date, the name of the person, and the issue you talked about.
  • For example, “On 1/9/2025, I met with Mr. Smith at Social Security and he said he hadn’t gotten my pay stubs. I took my binder with me and had copies of the pay stubs there, so I gave him another copy in person of my December, 2024 stubs.”

The Benefits and Work Binder will help you stay organized over time. You will have all your important letters and papers in one place, if you need to look up something. You can bring your binder with you when you have appointments to talk about your benefits.

3. Keep Records on Your Computer

You can also keep track of all of your benefits information on your computer. You need to keep track of the same documents that you would put into your binder. The difference is that you’ll be able to look at your documents on your screen, print out new copies, or even email information to people, such as a Work Incentive Consultant.

The main way you’ll have to put information into your computer is by scanning documents, such as your pay stubs and letters from benefits programs, and putting them into an organized Benefits and Work folder on your computer. In your Benefits and Work folder, you can create subfolders, called “Letters,” “Pay Stubs,” and “Notes,” where you’ll place all of your scanned files.

You can also create new documents using Microsoft Word or LibreOffice (a free program that’s very similar to Word) and type in notes, like when you sent in your letters and what you talked about over the phone with your DES social worker.

You can buy a scanner for about $50. Many printers also come with built-in scanners. You may also be able to use a scanner at an office supply store for a small fee or use one for free at some organizations, such as One-Stop Job Centers.

If You Are Self-Employed

If you are self-employed, it can be especially complicated to keep track of your income and report it to benefits agencies. Keeping good business records is just as important as keeping track of your benefits.

Make sure you speak with the agency you are reporting to so you can learn exactly how you should report your self-employment income and keep receipts for any work-related expenses that you may want to claim. Keep the receipts even if someone else paid for the expense. Also, keep records of any hours worked by volunteers or unpaid help you get from others.

You also must make sure to keep copies of your tax return in your Work and Benefits Binder so that you’ll have them ready and you can show your benefits provider how much you earned last year with your business.

If you’re on public benefits, one of the things you have to do first when you get a job or change jobs is notify any government agency that supplies you with assistance that you are working. That means that if you get benefits, like Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) coverage, or Nutrition Assistance (NA), you have to tell the agencies that supply these benefits about your new job.

The agency supplying you with assistance might be Social Security, your DES/Family Assistance Administration office, or your local housing authority. Here, we’ll explain exactly what information you need to supply and how to report it.

Reporting to Social Security

If you get SSI or SSDI benefits and you have a job, you have to tell Social Security your income each month.

You must report your income from one month within the first 10 days of the following month. For example, you have to report how much you made in January by February 10. If you stop working, you also have to tell Social Security. It may help to get a letter from your former employer confirming your last day of employment.

Don’t forget to keep copies of all of your pay stubs and written communications with Social Security and to take notes after meeting with Social Security employees or talking to them on the phone. Keep this information in your Benefits and Work Binder or on your computer.

Here we’ll explain what documents you need to give to these programs and how to send that information to Social Security.

What You Need to Report for SSI or SSDI

If you get SSI or SSDI benefits and you get a new job, you’ll have to contact Social Security and tell them:

• The date when you started your job
• How many hours you work per week
• How much you earn each month
• Your job title

If you already had this job, you don’t need to repeat all of this information every time you report your income. You will have to tell them every month:

• Your name, address, phone number, and Social Security number
• The type of Social Security benefits you are getting
• The name, address, and phone number of the company that employs you
• The name of your direct supervisor
• The dates of the pay stubs you are enclosing
• How much you made at work or from self-employment (including things you get instead of wages, like room and board)
• If you got married or divorced
• If your address changed
• If you got any other disability benefits, such as Workers' Compensation
• If you had any expenses you pay that are related to both your disability and your work. These expenses are known as Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)
• If there are any work incentives that you want to use

Additional Reporting Requirements for SSI

Because SSI is limited to people with low resources, you are required to report more things to Social Security to keep getting this benefit. In addition to the information listed above, if you get SSI, you must also tell Social Security:

• If you got unearned income such as SSDI, child support payments, alimony, unemployment insurance, or any other cash you got that is not wages from work
• If you got food and shelter from someone else
• If your living arrangement changed (if you live with different people now)
• The amount of savings you have, including cash (keep all of your bank statements)
• Any other resources that you have that could put you over SSI's $2,000 resource limit for a single person ($3,000 for a couple).

You can learn more about SSI reporting requirements in Social Security's Spotlight on Reporting Your Earnings, Rights and Responsibilities, and Reporting Responsibilities.

If you have questions about SSI or SSDI reporting requirements, talk to a Work Incentive Consultant.

If You Are Self-Employed

Reporting income that you earn from self-employment can be complicated, so keeping good business records is very important.

If you are self-employed, make sure you speak with the agency you are reporting to, to learn exactly how you should report your income. If you are using any work incentives, make sure you keep receipts for any work-related expenses that you may want to claim.

Income from self-employment under the SSI and SSDI programs is counted differently than income from an employer. For example, Social Security will look at your net earnings from self-employment (your profit after all business expenses are deducted). You will need to submit this information on your tax return to Social Security each year.

Preparing Your Information for Social Security

You can fill out these reporting letter templates each month when it’s time to report your earnings to Social Security:

• SSI Monthly Report of Earnings Template
• SSDI Wage Reporting Template

You can either print out these forms and fill them out by hand or you can type in your answers and then print them out and sign them. If you choose not to use these forms, make sure you supply all of the required information in your own letter.

Delivering Your Report to Social Security

There are different ways to deliver your report to Social Security:

1. You can go to your local Social Security office and personally give the letter, copies of your pay stubs, and other required information to a representative. Be sure to get a receipt when you submit the copies to the representative.
2. You can put the letter, copies of your pay stubs, and other required information in an envelope and drop them off at your local Social Security office without waiting to see a representative.
3. You can also mail copies of your pay stubs to your local Social Security office. It is important to write either “Attention: SSI” or “Attention: SSDI” on the envelope to ensure that the correct Social Security department gets the letter.
4. For SSI, you can also check with Social Security if you can report earnings during the first six days of the month by using the SSI Telephone Wage Reporting System at 1-866-772-0953, the my Social Security online wage reporting tool, or the SSI Mobile Wage Reporting Application available in the Google Play or Apple App stores.

If you have questions about the best way to report your earnings, ask a representative at your local Social Security office or talk to a Work Incentive Consultant.

The Department of Economic Security’s (DES) Family Assistance Administration (FAA) decides if you are eligible for Nutrition Assistance (NA), Cash Assistance (CA), and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). If you have health insurance through Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, you will have to report your income whenever it changes and every 6 months, even if it doesn’t change. Here we’ll explain these rules in greater detail and tell you how to report.

Reporting for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)

There are several ways to qualify for health coverage through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). How you qualify for AHCCCS will establish what information you need to report and which agency you need to report to.

If You Get AHCCCS Automatically Because You also Get SSI

The most common way for people with disabilities to qualify for AHCCCS is by getting it automatically when they get SSI. If you get AHCCCS automatically because of your SSI, you may not have to report your income to AHCCCS. You may be able to just report your income to Social Security. Ask your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office when you need to report your income if you get SSI.

If You Get AHCCCS but Don’t Get SSI

Many people who don’t qualify for SSI still qualify for health coverage through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).

If you have AHCCCS coverage but don’t get SSI, you will have to supply information about your income when you apply for AHCCCS coverage, because to qualify for AHCCCS, you must make less than the income limit. You can read more about applying for coverage in the DB101 article on AHCCCS.

Once you’ve been approved for AHCCCS coverage, you will have to report any changes in your income or family situation within 10 days of the change. Here is a list of the things you need to report:

• Your address
• If anybody has moved in or out of your household
• If you got married or divorced
• How much you make from work
• How much you get in unearned income
• A change in school attendance for young people under age 22

There are several different ways of reporting these:

1. If you get your AHCCCS coverage through the Department of Economic Security (DES), you can:
   • Report online using either Health-e-Arizona Plus or MyFamilyBenefits
   • Call your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office and report over the phone
   • Call 1-855-777-8590 and report over the phone
   • Download the Change Report form and submit it in person, or mail or fax it to local DES/Family Assistance Administration office
2. If you have AHCCCS Freedom to Work coverage, update your information on Health-e-Arizona Plus or call 1-855-432-7587 or 1-602-417-5010 and ask how to report your income.
3. If you get services from the Arizona Long-Term Care System (ALTCS), contact your local ALTCS office.

For a detailed chart listing what you need to report, click here. For additional help, contact your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office or talk to a Work Incentive Consultant.

Renewing Your Eligibility

Even if your income doesn’t change, once you’re on AHCCCS, you have to submit a renewal application at least once every 12 months to keep your benefits. When you submit the renewal application, you will have to supply current information and any proof needed to see if you still qualify for AHCCCS. You may need to supply information more often than once a year – this will depend on which programs you are enrolled in.

The easiest way to renew your eligibility is by using Health-e-Arizona Plus. You can also download an application, fill it out, and submit it to your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office.

AHCCCS Freedom to Work

Another program that can help you keep your AHCCCS coverage when you work is called AHCCCS Freedom to Work. If you have a disability, it lets you make more money and still get AHCCCS coverage. The only difference is that you’ll have to pay a small monthly premium. The maximum premium is $35 per month.

Like AHCCCS, AHCCCS Freedom to Work has an income limit ($3,260 per month) and you’ll have to report your income in the same way you’d have to report it for standard AHCCCS. Note that AHCCCS only counts about half of the money you make at work. That means that you might qualify for AHCCCS Freedom to Work even if you make $4,000 per month or more.

If you begin to work and have questions about your eligibility for AHCCCS, talk to a Work Incentive Consultant.

To learn more about these programs, read the DB101 articles on AHCCCS and AHCCCS Freedom to Work.

Reporting for Nutrition Assistance (NA) and Cash Assistance (CA)

For Nutrition Assistance (NA) and Cash Assistance (CA), as a general rule, you need to report changes in your income or family situation within 10 days. However, some people on these programs will not have to report as often. Contact your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office if you have questions about when you need to report. Click here for a detailed chart listing everything you need to report.

There are several different ways of reporting:

1. You can report online using either Health-e-Arizona Plus or MyFamilyBenefits.
2. You can call your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office and report over the phone.
3. You can call 1-855-777-8590 and report over the phone.
4. You can download the Change Report form and submit it in person or mail it to your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office.

Renewing Your Eligibility

Even if your income doesn’t change, you need to renew your eligibility regularly, generally every 6 months, to continue getting benefits. When you renew your eligibility, you will have to report any changes in your income or family situation.

You can renew online using Health-e-Arizona Plus.

For additional help, contact your local DES/Family Assistance Administration office or talk to a Work Incentive Consultant.