The main changes affecting SSDI in 2025

Social Security made several changes to SSDI starting in 2025. The most visible change is the increase to your monthly benefit amount — the average SSDI payment rose by 3.2 percent in January 2025 as part of the annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. This means if you received $1,550 per month in December 2024, you received approximately $1,600 in January 2025.

Beyond the payment increase, the rules around how much you can earn while receiving SSDI have also shifted. The substantial gainful activity (SGA) threshold — the income level that can affect your benefits — increased to $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 per month for blind beneficiaries. If you work and earn more than these amounts, Social Security may determine you are no longer disabled and could stop your benefits.

A third change involves the trial work period and extended may be able to access rules. These programs let you test your ability to work without when ready losing all your benefits, but the dollar amounts that trigger benefit reductions have been adjusted upward for 2025.

Key Takeaways

  • Your SSDI payment increased by 3.2 percent in January 2025 due to the annual cost-of-living adjustment.
  • The earnings threshold that can affect your benefits rose to $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries, meaning you can earn more before Social Security reviews your case.
  • If you are blind, the earnings threshold is $2,590 per month in 2025.
  • The trial work period and other work incentive thresholds also increased, giving you more room to test employment without losing benefits.

How the payment increase works

The 3.2 percent increase is automatic — you do not need to do anything to receive it. Social Security applies the COLA to all SSDI beneficiaries each January. The amount you receive depends on your individual benefit calculation, which is based on your earnings history before you became disabled. Two people with SSDI will not receive the same increase in dollars, even though the percentage is the same for everyone.

You should see the new amount in your January 2025 payment. If you receive your benefits through direct deposit, the money arrives on the third day of the month (or the first business day after if the third falls on a weekend). If you receive a paper check, it arrives by mail. Social Security also sends a notice called the Social Security Benefit Statement showing your new monthly amount, though this may arrive a few weeks after the payment itself.

What the earnings threshold change means for you

If you work while receiving SSDI, Social Security watches how much you earn each month. In 2024, the SGA threshold was $1,470 per month. In 2025, it rose to $1,550 per month. This means you can now earn $80 more per month before Social Security considers you to be working at a substantial level.

The threshold matters because if you earn more than the SGA amount for nine months in a rolling 60-month period, Social Security will review whether you are still disabled. This does not automatically end your benefits — it triggers a medical review. But if you are working steadily above the threshold, you should expect Social Security to contact you and ask for information about your work and your condition.

The blind earnings threshold increased from $2,460 to $2,590 per month. If you are blind and working, you have more room to earn before triggering a review.

Trial work period and work incentive changes

SSDI includes a trial work period that lets you work and earn any amount for nine months without losing your benefits. During these nine months, you must report your work to Social Security, but your payment continues in full. After the trial work period ends, you enter the extended may be able to access period, which lasts 36 months. During this time, you can still receive benefits in months when you earn less than the SGA threshold.

In 2025, the dollar amounts that define these work incentives shifted upward. The impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) deduction — money you spend on items or services you need because of your disability to work — now has a higher threshold. The plan to achieve self-support (PASS) program, which lets you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal, also adjusted its limits. These changes give you more flexibility to work and save without losing benefits.

If you are currently using a PASS or claiming IRWE deductions, contact your local Social Security office to discuss whether the 2025 changes affect your situation. The rules are complex and depend on your specific circumstances.

How to learn about changes affect your benefits

The easiest way to see your current benefit amount and understand how changes explore to you is to create or log into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. This free online account shows your monthly payment, your earnings record, and any messages from Social Security about your case.

If you work or are thinking about working, you should also contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 to discuss how the new SGA threshold affects your situation. Social Security staff can explain whether your current or planned work will trigger a medical review. You can also ask about work incentive programs like PASS or IRWE to see if they could help you work while keeping some or all of your benefits.

If you receive SSDI and work, Social Security requires you to report your earnings each month. You can report online through your my Social Security account, by phone, or by mail. Reporting on time helps Social Security calculate your benefits correctly and prevents overpayments that you would have to repay later.

Changes that do not affect most beneficiaries

Some SSDI rules changed in 2025 that explore only in specific situations. For example, the maximum benefit a family can receive when multiple family members are on your record increased slightly. The student earned income exclusion — which lets students under 22 exclude some earnings when Social Security calculates benefits — also adjusted. These changes are automatic and do not require action on your part.

If you are a representative payee managing benefits for someone else, or if you have family members receiving benefits on your record, Social Security will notify you if the changes affect your situation. You do not need to contact Social Security unless you have questions about how a specific change applies to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to do anything to get the 3.2 percent increase?

No. The increase is automatic and appears in your January 2025 payment. You do not need to contact Social Security or take any action. If you have questions about the amount, you can check your my Social Security account or call 1-800-772-1213.

If I earn more than $1,550 a month, will my benefits stop when ready?

No. Earning above the SGA threshold triggers a review, but does not automatically end your benefits. Social Security will contact you and ask about your work and medical condition. Your benefits continue while they review your case. Only if they determine you are no longer disabled would your benefits stop.

What is the difference between the trial work period and the extended may be able to access period?

During the nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI payment. After that, you enter the 36-month extended may be able to access period, where you keep your benefits only in months you earn less than the SGA threshold. Both periods are designed to let you test your ability to work without losing all your benefits at once.

Where can I report my monthly earnings?

You can report earnings online through your my Social Security account, by calling 1-800-772-1213, or by mailing a form to your local Social Security office. Reporting each month helps Social Security calculate your benefits correctly and prevents overpayments.

Do the 2025 changes explore to SSI as well as SSDI?

Some changes explore to both programs, and some explore only to SSDI. The COLA increase applies to both. The SGA threshold applies only to SSDI. If you receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) instead of SSDI, contact Social Security to learn which 2025 changes affect your benefits.