The income limits that affect your SSDI in 2024

SSDI has two income limits that work differently. The first is Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which is the earnings level Social Security uses to decide whether you are still disabled. In 2024, SGA is $1,550 per month if you are blind, and $1,470 per month if you are not blind. If you earn more than these amounts in a month, Social Security may decide you are no longer disabled and stop your benefits.

The second limit is the Trial Work Period (TWP), which lets you test your ability to work without losing benefits. During the TWP, you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI payment. The TWP lasts nine months (not necessarily consecutive) within a rolling 60-month window. After the TWP ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, where you can still work but your benefits stop in any month you earn over the SGA amount.

These numbers change each year because Social Security adjusts them for inflation. The 2024 figures are higher than 2023, but the increase is small — usually between 2 and 4 percent annually.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2024, you can earn $1,470 per month (or $1,550 if blind) without automatically losing SSDI, but earnings above this trigger a medical review.
  • The Trial Work Period lets you earn any amount for nine months within a 60-month window without losing your SSDI payment.
  • After the Trial Work Period ends, you enter Extended may be able to access, where benefits stop only in months you earn over the SGA amount.
  • Social Security adjusts these income limits each year, so the 2024 figures will change in 2025.

How the SGA limit works month to month

The SGA amount is a threshold, not a hard cutoff. If you earn $1,470 or less in a month (and you are not blind), Social Security assumes you are still disabled and pays your full benefit that month. If you earn more than $1,470, Social Security does not automatically stop your benefits — instead, it triggers a medical review to determine whether your condition has improved enough that you are no longer disabled.

This review can take several months. During that time, you may keep receiving benefits. If Social Security concludes you can work at the SGA level, your benefits end, but you have the right to request reconsideration and appeal. The process is separate from the income limit itself.

Work incentives like Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) and Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) can reduce the income Social Security counts toward the SGA limit. For example, if you have work-related medical expenses, IRWE lets you subtract those costs before Social Security measures your earnings against the $1,470 threshold. This is a real tool that can extend your work window, but you must set it up in advance with Social Security.

The Trial Work Period: earning without losing benefits

The Trial Work Period is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount and Social Security will not stop your SSDI payment. The nine months do not have to be consecutive — Social Security counts only months in which you earn $1,050 or more (in 2024). If you earn less than $1,050 in a month, that month does not count toward your nine-month total.

The nine months must fall within a rolling 60-month period. Once you use all nine months, you cannot get another Trial Work Period for at least 60 months, even if you stop working. This is why the timing matters: if you use up your nine months quickly, you will enter Extended may be able to access sooner.

Many people use the Trial Work Period to test whether they can sustain work while managing their condition. If you discover that working makes your disability worse, you can stop and your benefits will continue. If you keep working and earn over SGA after the TWP ends, your benefits will stop in those months, but you can restart them if your earnings drop below SGA later.

Extended may be able to access and the grace period

After your nine Trial Work Period months end, you enter Extended may be able to access. During this phase, which lasts 36 months, you keep your SSDI payment in any month you earn $1,470 or less (or $1,550 if blind). In months you earn more, your benefit stops — but only for that month. The next month, if your earnings drop below the limit, your benefit resumes.

Extended may be able to access gives you a safety net while you adjust to full-time work. Many people use this period to build job skills and income gradually. If you lose your job or your earnings drop, your benefits restart without a new process.

There is also a grace period that applies in the first month you return to work after a period of not working. During this month, your benefits are not affected by earnings, even if you earn over SGA. This one-time grace applies only once per return to work.

What counts as income for SSDI purposes

Social Security counts earned income — wages from a job, self-employment income, and certain other work-related earnings — toward the SGA limit. It does not count unearned income like Social Security retirement benefits, SSI, unemployment, or gifts. This is different from SSI, which counts both earned and unearned income.

Self-employment income is measured differently than wages. Social Security looks at your net profit (income minus business expenses) and divides it by the number of hours you worked to calculate an average hourly rate. This can sometimes result in a lower countable income than your actual profit.

Work incentives like PASS and IRWE reduce the income Social Security counts. IRWE covers costs directly related to your work — medications you need to work, transportation to a job, medical equipment, or therapy sessions that help you stay employed. PASS is a written plan that lets you set aside income and resources for a work goal without losing benefits. Both require advance approval from Social Security.

How 2024 limits compare to previous years

The 2024 SGA limit of $1,470 (non-blind) is an increase from $1,470 in 2023. The blind SGA limit of $1,550 is also an increase from $1,550 in 2023. These adjustments reflect changes in the national average wage index, which Social Security uses to set the limits each year.

The Trial Work Period threshold of $1,050 per month (the amount that counts toward your nine months) also increases annually. In 2024 it is $1,050, compared to $1,050 in 2023. These small year-to-year changes mean your work window does not shift dramatically, but they do matter if you are close to the threshold.

Social Security publishes the new limits each October or November for the following year. If you are working or planning to return to work, it is worth checking the current limits on the official Social Security website before you start, because the limits that applied when you last worked may have changed.

Planning your return to work with these limits in mind

If you are thinking about returning to work, the income limits are just one piece of the picture. Your medical condition, your ability to work consistently, and your long-term goals all matter. Many people find it helpful to contact a Work Incentives Planning and information (WIPA) project or Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program before they start working. These are free services that help you understand how work will affect your benefits.

A work incentives counselor can help you map out a plan that uses the Trial Work Period strategically, set up PASS or IRWE if they would help, and understand what happens to your benefits at each stage. They can also help you understand the difference between the SGA medical review and the income limit itself, which confuses many people.

Keep records of your earnings and report them to Social Security as requested. Social Security uses these reports to track your Trial Work Period months and to determine whether a medical review is needed. Accurate reporting protects your benefits and prevents overpayments that you would have to repay later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I earn over $1,470 in one month?

Earning over the SGA amount triggers a medical review, but you do not automatically lose benefits that month. Social Security will review your condition to decide whether you can still be considered disabled. The review takes time, and you may continue receiving benefits during it. If Social Security decides you are no longer disabled, your benefits end, but you can appeal.

Can I use my Trial Work Period months all at once or do they have to be spread out?

You can use them however you want within the 60-month window. Some people use all nine months in a row; others spread them out over years. The only requirement is that you earn at least $1,050 in a month for it to count as a Trial Work Period month. Months below that threshold do not count.

What is the difference between the Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access?

During the Trial Work Period (nine months), you can earn any amount and keep your full benefit. During Extended may be able to access (36 months after the TWP), you keep your benefit only in months you earn $1,470 or less. After Extended may be able to access ends, you lose benefits in any month you earn over SGA, unless you are using a work incentive like PASS.

Do I have to report my earnings to Social Security?

Yes. Social Security will ask you to report your earnings, usually through a form or online. Accurate reporting is important because Social Security uses it to track your Trial Work Period months and to determine whether you owe back any overpayment. Failing to report can result in loss of benefits and debt.

Can work incentives like PASS help me earn more without losing benefits?

Yes, but only after your Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access end. PASS lets you set aside income toward a work goal (like education or starting a business) without it counting against your benefits. You must have a written plan approved by Social Security before you start. IRWE reduces countable income by subtracting work-related medical expenses.