The earnings limit that triggers a benefit review

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has a monthly earnings threshold called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 per month for blind beneficiaries. If you earn more than these amounts in a month, Social Security will review whether your disability still prevents you from working at that level.

This is not an absolute cutoff that stops your benefits when ready. Instead, it is a signal to Social Security that your medical condition may have improved enough for you to work. The agency will examine your case, but your benefits do not automatically end the moment you cross the threshold.

These dollar amounts change each year based on national wage trends. You can find the current SGA amount on the Social Security Administration website, and it is worth checking annually if you are working or planning to work.

Key Takeaways

  • Earning more than $1,550 per month (or $2,590 if blind) triggers a benefit review, but does not automatically stop your payments.
  • Work incentive programs like Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access Period allow you to test your ability to work without losing benefits when ready.
  • Your benefits continue during a nine-month Trial Work Period regardless of how much you earn, as long as you report your work to Social Security.
  • After the Trial Work Period ends, you enter Extended may be able to access, during which benefits pause only in months you earn above SGA, then resume when earnings drop.
  • The SGA threshold increases each year; check the current amount before you start working.

Trial Work Period: nine months to test your work capacity

Social Security gives you a Trial Work Period (TWP) of nine months during which you can earn any amount without losing benefits. This period is designed to let you test whether you can actually work and sustain employment while managing your disability.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. A month counts toward your TWP only if you earn $240 or more (in 2024) or work at least 80 hours in self-employment. Months in which you earn less than $240 do not count. This means you can spread your nine trial months across several years if you work part-time or inconsistently.

You must report your work to Social Security. If you do not tell them you are working, they may not count those months toward your TWP, and you could face overpayment issues later. Contact your local Social Security office or your representative payee (if you have one) when you start working.

Extended may be able to access Period: what happens after the trial period ends

Once your nine Trial Work Period months are used up, you enter Extended may be able to access, which lasts 36 months. During this time, your benefits continue but with a condition: you lose benefits only in months when you earn above the SGA threshold.

Here is how it works in practice. If you earn $1,200 in a month, you receive your full SSDI benefit because you stayed under SGA. If you earn $2,000 in the next month, you receive no benefit that month because you exceeded SGA. If you earn $1,400 the following month, your benefit resumes. Your benefits do not end permanently—they pause and resume based on your monthly earnings.

Extended may be able to access gives you a safety net while you work. If your job does not last, or if your condition worsens and you cannot work, your benefits are still active and waiting for you. You do not have to reapply or restart the approval process.

Impairment Related Work Expenses and Plans to Achieve Self-Support

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay because of your disability to work—things like medications, medical equipment, therapy, transportation to treatment, or job coaching. You can subtract IRWE from your gross earnings before Social Security counts them against the SGA threshold.

For example, if you earn $2,000 per month but spend $600 on disability-related work costs, Social Security counts only $1,400 toward SGA. This can keep you under the threshold and preserve your benefits longer.

Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) is a more formal program that lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal—like education, training, or starting a business. Money in a PASS plan does not count against your earnings limit or your resource limit. PASS requires a written plan and Social Security approval, but it can substantially increase how much you can earn while keeping benefits.

What counts as earnings and what does not

Social Security counts wages from employment, net income from self-employment, and certain other payments as earnings. Wages are straightforward: your gross pay before taxes. Self-employment income is your net profit after business expenses.

These do not count as earnings: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), food stamps, housing information, gifts, loans, inheritances, investment income, or interest. Your SSDI benefit itself does not count as earnings. If you receive workers' compensation or other public disability benefits, those are not counted as earnings either, though they may reduce your SSDI payment through a different rule called offset.

Unpaid work—volunteering, helping a family member without pay, or doing household chores—does not count as earnings. Neither does work you do in a sheltered workshop or day program specifically designed for people with disabilities, if the workshop is approved by Social Security.

Reporting your work to Social Security

You are required to report work to Social Security within 30 days of starting a job. You can report by phone, mail, or in person at your local Social Security office. Have your job start date, employer name, and expected monthly earnings ready.

Social Security will ask you to report your earnings each month, usually through a form called the Earnings Report or via an online portal if your state uses one. Some states have automated phone reporting systems. Failing to report work can result in overpayment—you may have to repay benefits you received while working above SGA without reporting it.

If your earnings change—you get a raise, lose hours, or leave the job—report that change too. Keeping Social Security informed protects you from unexpected benefit reductions or overpayment notices later.

How work affects your medical review

Earning above SGA does not automatically mean your benefits will end, but it does trigger a Continuing Disability Review (CDR). Social Security will examine your medical records and may ask you to attend a medical exam to determine whether your condition still prevents substantial work.

If Social Security finds that your condition has improved and you can now work at the SGA level, they may find you no longer disabled and terminate your benefits. However, this decision can be appealed. You have the right to request reconsideration and, if needed, a hearing before an administrative law judge.

The key point: earning above SGA is not a violation. It is a signal that prompts review. Many people work above SGA and keep their benefits because their medical condition still meets the disability standard, even though they are working.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work part-time and keep my full SSDI benefit?

Yes, during your nine-month Trial Work Period you can earn any amount and keep your full benefit. After that, during Extended may be able to access, you keep your full benefit in any month you earn under $1,550 (or $2,590 if blind). In months you earn above that, your benefit pauses but does not end.

What happens if I earn above SGA but do not report it?

Social Security may discover unreported work through tax records or other sources. You could be overpaid—meaning you received benefits you were not may have access to to—and you would have to repay the money. Reporting protects you from this situation.

Do I lose my Medicare or Medicaid if I work?

No. Medicare continues for at least 93 months after your Trial Work Period ends, even if your SSDI benefit stops due to earnings. Medicaid rules vary by state, but many states continue coverage for SSDI beneficiaries who work. Check with your state Medicaid office about your specific situation.

Can I use a Plan to Achieve Self-Support if I am already working?

Yes. PASS can be set up at any time while you are receiving SSDI. You can use it to set aside earnings toward a work goal like education or business startup. The income in your PASS plan does not count against your SGA threshold.

What if my earnings go up and down each month?

Social Security counts each month separately. A high-earning month counts against SGA; a low-earning month does not. You only lose benefits in the months you actually exceed the threshold. This is why reporting each month matters—it ensures your benefits are calculated correctly based on what you actually earned.