SSDI payments rise automatically with cost-of-living adjustments, but you can also earn more by working within the program's rules

Your SSDI payment amount is set by the Social Security Administration based on your earnings record, not by a choice you make. However, the amount you receive is not fixed forever. Your monthly check increases each year if Social Security announces a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). You can also increase your total lifetime benefit by working while on SSDI, because the program allows you to earn money without losing your entire check — and in some cases, working now can raise your future benefit amount.

The most common way payments grow is through COLA, which happens automatically. The second way is through the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold and work incentives, which let you test your ability to work without an when ready loss of benefits. A third, less common path is to request a new benefit calculation if your earnings record has changed since you were approved.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI payments increase each January when Social Security announces a cost-of-living adjustment, which varies year to year and is not may provide.
  • You can work and earn money while on SSDI without losing your entire benefit, as long as you stay below the monthly SGA threshold, which is $1,550 per month in 2024 (this amount changes yearly).
  • The Trial Work Period lets you test work for nine months without any benefit reduction, and you can use this time to see if you can earn more than the SGA threshold.
  • If you return to work and your earnings rise above SGA, your benefits pause but do not end — you may restart them later if your earnings drop again.
  • You can request a new benefit calculation if your earnings record has been updated since your approval, which may raise your monthly amount.

How cost-of-living adjustments work and when they happen

Every January, Social Security announces whether your SSDI payment will increase. This increase is called a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. The amount varies from year to year. In recent years, COLA has ranged from 0% (no increase) to 8.7%, but these numbers change based on inflation. Social Security calculates COLA using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which measures price changes for goods and services.

The COLA is applied to your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the base number Social Security uses to calculate your benefit. If you receive SSDI, your payment increases by the same percentage as the COLA. For example, if COLA is 3.2% and your current payment is $1,200, your new payment would be approximately $1,238. The increase appears in your January payment, and you do not have to do anything to receive it.

COLA is not may provide every year. If inflation is flat or negative, Social Security may announce a 0% COLA, meaning your payment stays the same. This has happened in the past and can happen again. You can find the current year's COLA announcement on the Social Security website each October.

Working while on SSDI without losing your full benefit

SSDI has a built-in work incentive called the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold. If your monthly earnings stay below this threshold, you keep your full SSDI payment. In 2024, the SGA threshold is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 for blind beneficiaries. These amounts increase each year. The key word is "earnings" — this means your gross income from work, not your net pay after taxes.

If you earn below the SGA threshold in a given month, Social Security counts that month as a non-work month. You can have as many non-work months as you want without losing benefits. This means you can work part-time, earn under the threshold, and keep your full SSDI check indefinitely. Many people on SSDI use this approach to test whether they can work without triggering a benefit loss.

If you earn above the SGA threshold in a month, Social Security counts that as a work month. One or two work months do not end your benefits when ready. However, if you have nine or more work months in a rolling 60-month period, your benefits will stop. This is where the Trial Work Period becomes important.

The Trial Work Period: nine months to test your work capacity

The Trial Work Period (TWP) is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount without losing your SSDI benefit. You do not have to earn below the SGA threshold during the TWP — you can earn $5,000 a month, $10,000 a month, or more, and your full SSDI payment continues. This period is designed to let you test whether you can work without triggering a benefit loss.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts any month in which you earn $240 or more (in 2024) as a trial work month. Once you have used nine trial work months, the TWP ends. After the TWP ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period (EPP), which lasts 36 months. During the EPP, if you earn above the SGA threshold in a month, your benefits pause for that month only — you do not lose them permanently.

For example: you start your TWP in January 2024. You work and earn above SGA in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September — that is nine trial work months. Your TWP ends in September. In October, you earn $2,000 (above SGA). Your October benefit is withheld, but your November benefit is paid in full if you earn below SGA in November. This continues through your EPP, which runs through September 2027.

What happens to your benefits after you earn above SGA

If you work and earn above the SGA threshold after your Trial Work Period ends, your benefits do not disappear — they pause. Social Security withholds your benefit for any month in which you earn above SGA, but the benefit is not lost. If your earnings drop below SGA in a later month, your benefit resumes.

This is different from losing benefits permanently. You can move in and out of work, earning above and below SGA, and your benefits will pause and resume accordingly. This continues through your Extended may be able to access Period (36 months after your TWP ends). After the EPP ends, if you are still earning above SGA, your benefits will stop, but you may be able to restart them later if your earnings drop.

If you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA after your EPP ends, you can request that Social Security restart your benefits. There is a process for this, and you will need to show that your earnings have fallen below SGA. The restart is not automatic, so you must contact Social Security to begin it.

Requesting a new benefit calculation if your earnings record changed

Your SSDI payment is based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is calculated from your earnings record at the time you were approved. If your earnings record has been updated since then — for example, if you worked and earned income that was not yet included in your record — you can request that Social Security recalculate your benefit.

This is uncommon and applies mainly to people who returned to work after approval and had earnings added to their record. To request a recalculation, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. You will need to explain that your earnings record has changed and ask for a new PIA calculation. Social Security will review your record and tell you whether a recalculation is possible.

A recalculation takes several weeks. Social Security will send you a notice explaining the new amount, if any. If the recalculation results in a higher benefit, your payment will increase. If it results in a lower benefit, your payment will decrease — though Social Security has rules that prevent your benefit from dropping below what you were receiving before the recalculation in most cases.

How to track COLA announcements and plan for changes

Social Security announces the annual COLA in October for the following January. You can find the announcement on the official Social Security website (ssa.gov) or by calling 1-800-772-1213. The announcement includes the percentage increase and the new average benefit amount, though your personal increase will depend on your specific PIA.

You can also create a my Social Security account online to view your current benefit amount and see when changes take effect. This account shows your payment history, your earnings record, and any notices Social Security has sent you. Checking your account once or twice a year helps you catch errors or unexpected changes early.

If you are working and using the Trial Work Period or Extended may be able to access Period, keep records of your monthly earnings. Social Security uses these records to determine whether you have exceeded the SGA threshold in any given month. If you disagree with Social Security's calculation of your work months or benefit withholding, you can request a reconsideration or appeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I earn money while on SSDI without losing my benefit?

Yes. If you earn below the SGA threshold (currently $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries in 2024), you keep your full benefit. You can work part-time indefinitely as long as you stay below this amount. If you earn above SGA, you have a nine-month Trial Work Period during which you lose nothing, then a 36-month Extended may be able to access Period during which your benefit is withheld only in months you earn above SGA.

Will my SSDI payment increase every year?

Your payment increases each January if Social Security announces a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). COLA is not may provide and varies year to year based on inflation. In some years, COLA may be 0%, meaning no increase. You can find the current year's COLA announcement on the Social Security website each October.

What happens if I work and earn a lot of money?

If you earn above the SGA threshold, your benefits pause in months you earn above that amount, but they do not end permanently. During your Trial Work Period (nine months), you can earn any amount with no benefit loss. After that, during your Extended may be able to access Period (36 months), your benefit is withheld only in months you earn above SGA. After the EPP ends, benefits stop if you are still earning above SGA, but you can request a restart if your earnings drop later.

How do I know if my earnings record has been updated?

You can view your earnings record in your my Social Security account online or by requesting a Statement of Earnings from Social Security. If you worked after your SSDI approval and reported those earnings to the IRS, they should appear on your record within one to two years. If you believe your record is incomplete or incorrect, contact your local Social Security office to request a correction.

Can I request a higher SSDI payment?

You cannot request a higher payment directly. However, if your earnings record has been updated since your approval, you can ask Social Security to recalculate your benefit, which may result in a higher amount. Additionally, working while on SSDI and using the Trial Work Period does not increase your current benefit, but it may affect your future benefits if you return to work later. Contact Social Security to discuss your specific situation.