What the 2025 SGA amount is and why it matters

The Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount for 2025 is $1,550 per month for people receiving SSDI who are not blind. This is the income limit Social Security uses to decide whether you are still considered disabled and able to keep your benefits.

If you earn more than $1,550 per month from work, Social Security may assume you are no longer disabled and can stop your benefits. The amount changes each year because of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is why the 2025 figure is different from 2024.

This threshold applies only to your work income — not to other money you receive like pensions, investments, or family support. It also does not explore if you are blind; blind recipients have a separate, higher SGA amount.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2025 SGA amount is $1,550 per month for non-blind SSDI recipients, and earning more than this can trigger a work incentive review or benefit suspension.
  • SGA is based on your gross monthly earnings from work, not your net pay after taxes or expenses.
  • You can earn up to the SGA amount and keep your full benefits during the trial work period and grace year, which are separate protections.
  • The SGA amount increases each January when Social Security announces the new COLA, so you should check the current year's figure before taking a job.
  • Reporting your work income to Social Security is required, even if you think you are under the limit, to avoid overpayment and benefit suspension.

How Social Security counts your work income

Social Security counts gross monthly earnings — the money you earn before taxes, deductions, or expenses are taken out. If you are self-employed, they count your net profit after business expenses, not your total revenue.

The way Social Security measures your income depends on how you are paid. If you receive a salary or hourly wages, they look at your average monthly earnings over the past 12 months. If your income varies month to month, a single high-earning month does not automatically end your benefits, but a pattern of earning over $1,550 will trigger a review.

Certain types of income do not count toward the SGA limit: Social Security benefits themselves, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), food stamps, housing information, or money from family members. Irregular or one-time payments — like a tax refund or a gift — also do not count as work income.

The trial work period and grace year protect you

Even if you earn over $1,550 per month, you have built-in protections before Social Security stops your benefits. The trial work period allows you to earn any amount for nine months without affecting your benefits at all. These nine months do not have to be consecutive, and you can use them over a rolling 60-month window.

After your trial work period ends, you enter the grace year (also called the adjustment period). During this time, you keep your full benefit for any month in which you earn $1,550 or less. Months in which you earn more than $1,550 result in a benefit reduction or suspension for that month only.

Once the grace year ends, the standard SGA rule takes over: if your average monthly earnings stay above $1,550, Social Security will assume you are no longer disabled and will stop your benefits. You can request a new trial work period if your circumstances change, but Social Security must approve it.

What happens if you earn over the SGA amount

If you consistently earn more than $1,550 per month after your trial work period and grace year end, Social Security will send you a notice that your benefits are stopping. This does not happen when ready — the agency reviews your earnings over several months before making a final decision.

You have the right to request reconsideration or appeal if you disagree with their decision. You can also ask Social Security to continue your benefits if your work situation changes (for example, if you lose your job or your hours are cut).

If Social Security stops your benefits and you later earn less than $1,550 per month, you can request that benefits restart. However, there may be a waiting period, and you will need to show that your medical condition has not improved — straightforward earning less is not enough to automatically restore benefits.

How the SGA amount changes each year

The SGA amount is tied to the national average wage index, which means it increases most years when Social Security announces the annual COLA. In 2024, the non-blind SGA amount was $1,470 per month, so the 2025 increase to $1,550 reflects a $80 monthly increase.

Social Security publishes the new SGA amount in November of the prior year, so you have time to plan before the change takes effect on January 1. If you are working or thinking about taking a job, checking the current year's SGA amount before you start is important to understand how your earnings will affect your benefits.

The SGA amount for blind recipients is higher — in 2025 it is $2,590 per month — because Social Security recognizes that blind individuals may have higher work-related expenses. If your vision status changes, you can ask Social Security to recalculate your SGA limit.

Reporting your work income to Social Security

You are required to report your work income to Social Security, even if you believe you are under the SGA limit. The best way to report is through your online My Social Security account, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or by mail using Form SSA-777 (Statement Regarding Your Work).

Reporting protects you from overpayment. If you do not report earnings and Social Security later discovers you earned over the SGA amount, you may have to repay benefits you received. The agency can recover overpayments by reducing your future benefits or asking you to repay the money directly.

You should report your income within 30 days of the end of the month in which you earned it. If your job situation changes — you get a raise, lose hours, or stop working — report that change as well, because it affects how Social Security calculates your ongoing benefits.

Work incentives beyond the SGA amount

The trial work period and grace year are not the only ways Social Security helps you test work. The Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program lets you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal without losing benefits. For example, you could use PASS to save money for education or equipment while continuing to receive SSDI.

The Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) deduction lets you subtract certain work-related costs from your earnings before Social Security counts them toward the SGA limit. If you need a personal assistant, special transportation, or medical equipment to work, those costs may reduce your countable income.

These programs have their own rules and limits, and not everyone qualifies. Your local Social Security office or a Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) project can explain whether these options fit your situation. WIPA services are free and confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I earn exactly $1,550 and keep my benefits?

Yes. The SGA amount is the threshold, so earning $1,550 or less keeps your benefits intact (after your trial work period and grace year end). Once you consistently earn more than $1,550, Social Security reviews your case for benefit suspension.

Do I have to report a one-time bonus or irregular payment?

One-time payments like bonuses, tax refunds, or gifts do not count as work income for SGA purposes. However, if a bonus is part of your regular pay structure, Social Security counts it. When in doubt, report it and let Social Security determine whether it counts.

What if I work part-time and earn under $1,550 but my employer says I am working substantial hours?

Social Security uses earnings, not hours worked, to measure substantial gainful activity. You could work 40 hours per week at minimum wage and still be under the SGA limit. The dollar amount is what matters for SSDI.

Can the SGA amount go down if the cost of living decreases?

The SGA amount is based on the national average wage index, which typically rises each year. It has not decreased in recent history, but if the index fell, the SGA amount could theoretically decrease. Social Security would announce any change in November.

If I am blind, how do I know my SGA amount?

Blind SSDI recipients have a separate SGA amount, which is $2,590 per month in 2025. Social Security determines blindness status based on vision tests and medical records. If your vision status changes, contact Social Security to request a recalculation of your SGA limit.