Your earnings limit depends on which SSDI work test you're under
The amount you can earn while on SSDI in 2025 depends on whether you're in your trial work period, extended may be able to access period, or past both of those phases. Social Security does not use a single income cap for all beneficiaries—instead, it tracks your earnings month by month and uses different rules depending on how long you've been working since your benefits started.
The most important number for 2025 is the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold: $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,590 per month for blind beneficiaries. If you earn more than your threshold in any month, Social Security counts that month as a work month. But reaching the SGA threshold does not automatically end your benefits—it depends on which work test phase you're in.
Key Takeaways
- The SGA threshold for 2025 is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries; earnings above this count as work months but do not when ready stop your benefits.
- During your trial work period (nine months over 60 months), you can earn any amount with no effect on your benefit check, as long as you report your earnings.
- After your trial work period ends, you enter extended may be able to access, where months over the SGA threshold reduce or eliminate your benefit check for that month only.
- Once you've had nine work months in your 60-month window, your benefits will stop if you earn over SGA for nine additional months, but you keep Medicare for at least 8.5 more years.
- You must report all earnings to Social Security, even during your trial work period, or you risk overpayment and having to repay benefits.
Trial work period: nine months of unlimited earnings
When you first start working after your SSDI began, you enter a trial work period that lasts nine months. During these nine months, you can earn any amount—$100 a month or $5,000 a month—and your benefit check stays the same. Social Security does not reduce or stop your payment based on earnings during this phase.
The nine months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only months in which you earn $240 or more (in 2025) as trial work months. If you earn $239 in a month, that month does not count toward your nine. This means your trial work period can stretch across several calendar years if you work part-time or have months with very low earnings.
You must still report your earnings to Social Security every month, even though they do not affect your check. If you do not report and Social Security discovers unreported income later, you will owe back the benefits you received during those months, plus potential penalties.
Extended may be able to access: months over SGA reduce your check
After you've used all nine trial work months, you enter extended may be able to access. This phase lasts for 36 months (three years) and uses a different rule: any month in which you earn $1,550 or more counts as a work month, and your benefit check for that month is reduced to zero.
The reduction happens only in the month you earn over the threshold. If you earn $1,600 in January, your January check is zero, but your February check is full if you earn under $1,550 in February. This is different from other benefit programs that look at total annual income—SSDI looks at each calendar month separately.
You still keep your Medicare coverage during extended may be able to access, even in months when your check is zero. This is one of the most valuable parts of the extended may be able to access phase: you can test your ability to work without losing health insurance.
Earnings after extended may be able to access ends
Once your 36-month extended may be able to access period ends, you have used up your work incentives. If you earn $1,550 or more in any month after this point, Social Security will stop your benefits for that month and all following months until you drop below the SGA threshold.
However, your Medicare does not end when ready. You keep Medicare coverage for at least 8.5 more years after your benefits stop, as long as you continue to pay your premiums. This gives you time to test whether you can sustain work without losing health insurance entirely.
If your earnings drop below $1,550 per month later, you can request that your benefits restart. Social Security will not automatically restart them—you have to contact your local office or call 1-800-772-1213 and ask for reinstatement.
How to report your earnings to Social Security
You can report earnings online through your my Social Security account, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. You should report by the 15th of the month following the month you earned the income, though Social Security accepts late reports.
When you report, have ready the amount you earned (gross pay before taxes), the name of your employer, and the dates you worked. If you are self-employed, report your net profit (income minus business expenses). Social Security uses your reports to determine which months count as work months and whether your benefits should be reduced or stopped.
Many people set a calendar reminder on the 10th of each month to report the previous month's earnings. This habit prevents missed reports and keeps your record accurate with Social Security.
What counts as earnings and what does not
Earnings mean wages from a job or net profit from self-employment. This includes regular pay, bonuses, commissions, and tips. It does not include Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, or pension payments.
Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)—costs you pay to work because of your disability, such as a personal assistant, medication, or special equipment—can be deducted from your gross earnings before Social Security counts them. If you have IRWE, ask your local Social Security office how to report them, because they can lower your countable earnings and keep you under the SGA threshold in months when you would otherwise exceed it.
Plan to Work (PPLAN) expenses—costs of items or services you need to work toward self-support—may also be deductible in some cases. These are less common than IRWE, but if you are investing in education, equipment, or a business, ask Social Security whether your costs may have access to.
The 2025 SGA threshold and how it changes
The SGA threshold for 2025 is $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries. For blind beneficiaries, the threshold is $2,590 per month. These numbers change each year in January based on the national average wage index from two years prior.
Social Security publishes the new SGA threshold in December of the prior year. If you receive notices or letters from Social Security, they will include the current threshold. You can also find it on the Social Security website or by calling 1-800-772-1213.
The threshold has increased most years, but the amount of increase varies. Planning your work hours around the threshold is difficult because you cannot predict future increases. Instead, focus on reporting your actual earnings accurately each month and understanding which phase of the work incentive you are in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I earn $1,549 per month forever without losing benefits?
Only during your trial work period and extended may be able to access. Once extended may be able to access ends, any month you earn $1,550 or more will stop your benefits for that month and all following months. Staying just under the threshold is a strategy some people use, but it requires consistent earnings and careful tracking.
What happens if I earn over SGA but forget to report it?
Social Security will eventually discover the unreported earnings through tax records or employer reports. When they do, you will owe back the benefits you received in those months. The overpayment can be large, and Social Security may deduct it from future benefits or require a repayment plan. Always report, even if you think the amount is small.
Do I lose Medicare if my benefits stop because I earned too much?
No. After your benefits stop due to work, you keep Medicare for at least 8.5 more years as long as you pay your premiums. This is one of the strongest work incentives SSDI offers. You can work and earn without losing health insurance during this period.
Can I restart my benefits if I stop working?
Yes, but you must request reinstatement. If your earnings drop below $1,550 per month after your benefits have stopped, contact Social Security and ask for a reinstatement of benefits. They will not restart automatically. Reinstatement can take several months to process.
Does my spouse's income count toward my SGA threshold?
No. Social Security looks only at your own earnings. Your spouse's income, your household income, or your family's total income does not affect your SGA calculation or your benefits. Only your individual earnings matter.