The 2014 SSDI income limits and how they set a pattern

In 2014, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit for non-blind beneficiaries was $1,070 per month. For blind beneficiaries, it was $1,690 per month. These numbers determined whether work counted as "substantial" — if you earned more than the limit in a month, Social Security could view that month as evidence you were no longer disabled and could begin a continuing disability review.

The 2014 limits matter now because they show how the SGA threshold has grown over time. Social Security adjusts these limits annually based on the national average wage index, so understanding what they were in 2014 helps you see the pattern of increases and understand why the current limit is what it is. If you are reviewing old work history or appealing a decision made in 2014, you may also need to know what the rule was at that specific time.

The limits applied to all SSDI beneficiaries regardless of age, as long as they were not blind. Blind beneficiaries have always had a higher SGA threshold because Social Security policy treats blindness differently — the assumption is that blind workers face greater barriers to employment and need more room to work without triggering a review.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2014 SGA limit for non-blind SSDI beneficiaries was $1,070 per month; for blind beneficiaries it was $1,690 per month.
  • These limits determine whether a month of work counts as substantial — earning above the limit can trigger a continuing disability review.
  • Social Security adjusts the SGA limit every January based on the national average wage index, so the 2014 figure is now outdated but useful for understanding historical decisions.
  • The limit applied to gross earnings before taxes, and the same rule applied to all non-blind beneficiaries regardless of age or type of disability.

How the 2014 limit compared to years before and after

The SGA limit has risen steadily since the program began. In 2013, the non-blind SGA limit was $1,040 per month — a $30 increase from 2014. In 2015, it rose to $1,090 per month. The year-to-year changes are small, but over a decade they add up significantly. Someone who was told in 2014 that they could not work more than $1,070 per month would find that threshold had grown to $1,550 by 2024, a 45 percent increase.

The blind SGA limit followed the same upward trend. In 2013 it was $1,640; in 2014 it was $1,690; in 2015 it was $1,820. The gap between the non-blind and blind limits has remained roughly consistent — blind beneficiaries have always been allowed to earn about 58 to 60 percent more before triggering a review.

These increases reflect inflation and wage growth in the economy. Social Security does not choose the new limit each year — the formula is set by law. The agency calculates it by taking the national average wage index from two years prior and multiplying it by a fixed percentage. This means the limit changes automatically and predictably, though the exact dollar amount is not known until Social Security announces it in October or November for the following year.

What the 2014 limit meant for work incentives and trial work periods

The SGA limit was only one part of how Social Security treated work. Even if you earned above $1,070 per month in 2014, you could still use the Trial Work Period (TWP) — a nine-month window during which you could earn any amount without affecting your benefits. The TWP was separate from the SGA limit and was often more valuable to beneficiaries who wanted to test their ability to work.

After the TWP ended, the SGA limit kicked in. If you earned more than $1,070 in any month after your TWP was over, that month counted as a "work month" toward your Extended may be able to access Period (EEP). During the EEP, you could have up to three more work months before benefits stopped. The 2014 limit meant that someone working part-time at minimum wage could easily exceed it — in most states, $1,070 represented roughly 150 to 170 hours of work per month, or about 35 to 40 hours per week.

This structure meant that the SGA limit was less of a barrier for people doing genuine part-time work and more of a checkpoint to identify people whose earnings had grown enough that Social Security should review whether they were still disabled. The limit was not meant to be a hard ceiling on how much you could earn; it was a threshold that triggered administrative review.

How earnings were counted under the 2014 rules

Social Security counted gross earnings toward the SGA limit in 2014, not net earnings after taxes. If you earned $1,100 in a month before taxes and deductions, that $1,100 counted toward the limit, even if you took home less after withholding. This rule applied to wages, self-employment income, and other earned income.

Certain types of income did not count. Unearned income — Social Security benefits, pensions, investment returns, gifts — was ignored for SGA purposes. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) could reduce countable earnings if you spent money on items or services you needed because of your disability. For example, if you paid for a personal care attendant to help you get to work, that cost could be deducted from your gross earnings before checking against the SGA limit.

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) was another tool available in 2014. A PASS allowed you to set aside income and resources for a specific vocational goal without affecting your benefits. If you were saving to start a business or pay for training, a PASS could shelter that money from the SGA calculation. These work incentives existed in 2014 and still exist today, though the rules and the amounts you can set aside change annually.

Why the 2014 limit matters if you are reviewing your work history

If you are appealing a decision made in 2014 or reviewing what happened to your benefits in that year, you need to know what the SGA limit was at that time. Social Security makes decisions based on the rules in effect when the work occurred, not the current rules. If an administrative law judge or Social Security official used the wrong SGA limit in your case, that is grounds for appeal or reconsideration.

You might also need the 2014 limit if you are calculating your own work history to prepare for a hearing. If you earned $1,200 per month in 2014, you can show that you exceeded the SGA limit that year and that Social Security should have reviewed your case. If you earned $900 per month, you can show you stayed under the limit and that your benefits should not have been affected by your work.

The 2014 limit is also useful context if you are comparing your own situation to how the rules have changed. If you are working now and wondering whether your earnings will trigger a review, knowing that the limit was lower in 2014 helps you understand that Social Security has gradually raised the threshold over time — a policy choice that makes it easier for beneficiaries to work more without triggering administrative action.

How to find the SGA limit for any year you need

Social Security publishes the SGA limit for every year on its official website. The limit is announced in October or November for the following calendar year. If you need the 2014 limit for a specific purpose — an appeal, a work incentive calculation, or historical reference — you can find it in Social Security's archives or by contacting your local Social Security office.

The current SGA limit is also available on the Social Security website, along with a table showing historical limits going back many years. If you are working and want to know whether your earnings might trigger a review, you should check the current year's limit, not the 2014 limit. But if you are reviewing what happened in the past, the 2014 figure is the one that applied to your situation at that time.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earned above the 2014 SGA limit, does that mean my benefits were automatically stopped?

No. Earning above the SGA limit triggered a continuing disability review, but it did not automatically stop your benefits. Social Security would review your case to determine whether you were still disabled. You could still be found disabled even if you were working and earning above the limit, depending on the nature of your work and your medical condition.

Does the 2014 SGA limit still explore to any decisions today?

Only if you are appealing a decision made in 2014 or reviewing what happened in that specific year. Current decisions use the current SGA limit. If you are working now, the 2014 limit does not affect you — Social Security uses the limit in effect for the current year.

Was the 2014 SGA limit the same for everyone on SSDI?

No. Blind beneficiaries had a higher limit of $1,690 per month in 2014, compared to $1,070 for non-blind beneficiaries. The limit also did not explore during your Trial Work Period, when you could earn any amount. After the TWP ended, the $1,070 limit applied to most beneficiaries.

How much has the SGA limit increased since 2014?

The non-blind SGA limit has increased from $1,070 in 2014 to higher amounts each year since, with the exact figure depending on the national average wage index. The blind limit has also increased proportionally. You can find the current limit on the Social Security website or by calling your local office.

If I was working in 2014 and earned above the SGA limit, can I still appeal that decision now?

It depends on how long ago the decision was made and what type of decision it was. There are time limits on appeals, but if you have not yet appealed or if your case is still open, you may have options. Contact your local Social Security office or a disability advocate to discuss your specific situation.