The fear of losing Social Security benefits can often deter beneficiaries from maximizing their potential in the workplace. Unfortunately, there is a lot of information that gets shared that isn’t always 100% accurate or may not apply the same from one person to a next, depending on their situation. The good news is that utilizing a benefit planner as a part of your team can help to identify strategies and options that allow a person to successfully engage in work, earn a good wage, and often maintain key benefits. In this session, Benefit U’s Angela Dirk and Dan Rutten will share information about when benefit planning should be considered, how help avoid common pitfalls, and share information about key Work Incentives that employment providers can consider when setting up or continuing to advocate for opportunities for their customers.

Dan Rutten 

Angela Dirk

Angela Dirk is a Cornell University certified Benefits Planner who has worked for over a decade in the non-profit field.  Prior to becoming the Senior Benefits Planner at Wise, Angela worked as a benefits planner in Thurston and Mason Counties as a contracted Benefits Planner through Benefit U.

Angela spent several years on the Trust Management team for the Developmental Disabilities Endowment Trust Fund, a statewide pooled Special Needs Trust Program.  Her background also includes working with program managers to track outcomes and budgets for multiple statewide programs for The Arc of Washington State.  She holds a BA in Business Administration from Saint Martin’s University.  When Angela is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends and her two dogs and perfecting her salsa recipe.