The main changes to SSDI in 2019

In 2019, Social Security made several changes that affected how much money people on SSDI received and how the program worked. The most visible change was the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which increased monthly payments by 2.8 percent starting in January 2019. This meant that if you were receiving SSDI benefits, your monthly check went up by that percentage.

Beyond the payment increase, Social Security also updated the substantial gainful activity (SGA) threshold — the amount of money you can earn per month while still receiving SSDI. In 2019, this limit rose to $1,220 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,040 per month for blind individuals. If you earned more than these amounts, it could affect your benefits.

The agency also made changes to how it counted income for people trying to return to work through programs like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS). These programs help people test their ability to work without when ready losing all their benefits, and the rules around what counts as an expense shifted in 2019.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI payments increased by 2.8 percent in January 2019 due to the annual cost-of-living adjustment.
  • The earnings limit for non-blind beneficiaries rose to $1,220 per month in 2019, meaning you could earn that much and still receive full benefits.
  • The earnings limit for blind beneficiaries increased to $2,040 per month in 2019.
  • Work incentive programs like IRWE and PASS had updated rules in 2019 that changed how certain expenses were counted against your earnings.

How the 2019 payment increase worked

The 2.8 percent increase applied to everyone receiving SSDI in January 2019, whether you had been on the program for decades or had recently been approved. You did not have to do anything to receive the increase — Social Security added it automatically to your monthly payment.

The size of the increase depended on your current benefit amount. Someone receiving $1,000 per month would see an increase of about $28 per month. Someone receiving $1,500 per month would see an increase of about $42 per month. The exact amount varied slightly depending on how Social Security rounded the calculation.

What the earnings limit change meant for people working

The substantial gainful activity threshold is the line Social Security uses to decide whether you are working at a level that means you should not be receiving disability benefits. In 2019, this line moved up to $1,220 per month for non-blind workers.

This change mattered most for people in the trial work period — a nine-month window where you can test whether you can work without losing benefits. During this period, you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI payment. After the trial work period ends, if you earn more than the SGA threshold, Social Security may decide you are no longer disabled and stop your benefits.

For blind beneficiaries, the higher threshold of $2,040 per month reflected the fact that blind workers often face higher costs related to their work — transportation, readers, or specialized equipment. The higher limit gave blind workers more room to earn before their benefits were affected.

Changes to work incentive programs in 2019

Social Security offers programs that let you work and still receive benefits while you test your ability to earn. Two of the most common are Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS).

IRWE lets you deduct certain costs from your earnings before Social Security counts the money against your benefits. For example, if you need a personal assistant at work because of your disability, the cost of that assistant can be subtracted from your gross earnings. In 2019, the rules around which expenses counted were refined, and some beneficiaries found they could deduct more than they had been able to in previous years.

PASS is a written plan that lets you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal — like finishing a degree or starting a business — without losing benefits. The program has strict rules about what money can be set aside and what the goal must be. In 2019, Social Security updated guidance on how PASS plans were reviewed and approved, though the basic structure of the program remained the same.

Whether these changes affected your current benefits

If you were already receiving SSDI in January 2019, the payment increase happened automatically. You received the higher amount starting with your January check, and you did not need to contact Social Security or provide any new information.

The earnings limit changes affected you only if you were working or planning to work. If you were not working, the new SGA threshold did not change anything about your benefits. If you were working and your earnings were below the new threshold, you were unaffected. The change only mattered if you were earning close to the old limit and the increase gave you more room to work without triggering a benefit reduction.

How to learn about 2019 changes affected your specific situation

The easiest way to see what your current benefit amount is and whether any work incentives explore to you is to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. This account shows your current payment amount, your earnings record, and whether you are in a trial work period or have other work incentives active.

If you were working in 2019 and want to know whether the higher SGA threshold affected your case, you can contact Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213. Have your Social Security number ready and be prepared to explain that you want to know about your earnings and how they affected your benefits that year.

If you were using IRWE or PASS in 2019, your work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project — a free counseling service in your state — can explain how the 2019 changes applied to your plan. You can find your local WIPA project through the Benefits.gov website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did everyone on SSDI get the same 2.8 percent increase in 2019?

Yes, everyone receiving SSDI in January 2019 received the 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment. The increase was automatic and applied to all beneficiaries regardless of age, how long they had been on the program, or the reason for their disability.

What happens if I earned more than $1,220 per month in 2019?

If you earned more than the SGA threshold and you were no longer in your trial work period, Social Security would have reviewed your case to determine whether you were still disabled. Earning above the threshold does not automatically end your benefits, but it triggers a review. The outcome depends on your specific situation and whether you were in a work incentive program like IRWE.

Can I go back and claim the 2019 increase if I did not receive it?

If you were receiving SSDI in January 2019 and did not receive the increase, contact Social Security when ready at 1-800-772-1213. Errors in explore the COLA are rare but do happen, and Social Security can correct them and pay you any back payments owed.

Did the 2019 changes affect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as well?

The cost-of-living adjustment applied to SSI as well as SSDI. However, SSI has different earnings limits and rules than SSDI, so the SGA threshold changes did not affect SSI beneficiaries in the same way. If you receive SSI, contact Social Security to learn how the 2019 changes applied to your specific benefits.