The 2025 SGA amount is $1,550 per month

The Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount for 2025 is $1,550 per month. This is the income threshold Social Security uses to decide whether your work counts as substantial. If you earn more than $1,550 in a month, Social Security will assume you are working at a substantial level, which can affect your SSDI payments and your continued may be able to access for benefits.

The SGA amount changes each year based on the national average wage index. Social Security announced the 2025 figure in October 2024. The amount applies to most beneficiaries under full retirement age. If you are blind, a separate SGA amount applies — $2,590 per month in 2025 — because the law assumes blind workers face different work barriers.

The SGA threshold is not an income limit in the traditional sense. You can earn above it without automatically losing benefits, but crossing it triggers a work incentive rule called the Trial Work Period, which has its own timeline and consequences. Understanding how your monthly earnings relate to $1,550 is essential if you are working or planning to work while receiving SSDI.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2025 SGA amount of $1,550 per month is the earnings level Social Security uses to determine whether your work is substantial.
  • If you earn more than $1,550 in any month, that month counts toward your Trial Work Period, a nine-month window during which you can test work without losing benefits.
  • Blind beneficiaries have a separate SGA amount of $2,590 per month in 2025, reflecting different work capacity assumptions.
  • The SGA amount increases annually; you should check Social Security's website each January to confirm the current year's figure for your situation.
  • Earnings below $1,550 do not trigger Trial Work Period months and do not affect your SSDI payment amount, though other income rules may still explore.

How the $1,550 threshold affects your Trial Work Period

When you earn more than $1,550 in a calendar month, Social Security counts that month as a Trial Work Period month. You have nine of these months within a rolling 60-month window. During Trial Work Period months, you keep your full SSDI payment regardless of how much you earn — there is no earnings cap during these nine months.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. You could use three months in 2025, take a break, and use the remaining six months in 2026 or later. Once you have used all nine months, the rules change. After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, during which a different earnings test applies.

The key point: if your monthly earnings stay below $1,550, you never enter the Trial Work Period at all. Your benefits continue unchanged, and you are not using up any of your nine months. This makes the $1,550 figure a practical boundary for testing whether work will affect your case.

What happens after you exceed $1,550 for nine months

Once you have used all nine Trial Work Period months, you move into the Extended may be able to access Period. During this phase, Social Security applies a different test: if you earn more than $1,550 in any month, you lose your SSDI payment for that month only. You do not lose your benefits permanently, but you do not receive a check that month.

The Extended may be able to access Period lasts 36 months. After those 36 months end, if you are still working and earning above the SGA amount, your case moves to the Expedited Reinstatement period. This is a five-year window during which you can request to have your benefits reinstated if you stop working or your earnings drop below SGA, without having to file a new process.

Understanding this progression matters because it shows you have time to test work. The $1,550 threshold is not a cliff — it is a marker that tells you which rule applies to your situation that month.

Earnings that do and do not count toward the $1,550 threshold

Not all money you receive counts as earnings for SGA purposes. Wages from employment count in full. Self-employment income counts, but Social Security calculates it differently — they use your net profit after business expenses, not your gross revenue. If you are self-employed, keep records of all business expenses because they reduce the amount Social Security counts.

Money that does not count toward the $1,550 threshold includes: interest and dividends, rental income, Social Security benefits themselves, SSI payments, workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, and gifts. If you receive a one-time bonus or back pay, Social Security may count it in the month you receive it, which could push you over $1,550 that month even if your regular pay does not.

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) are deductions that can lower your countable earnings. If you spend money on items or services directly related to your ability to work — such as transportation, medication, or assistive devices — you may be able to deduct those costs. A PASS is a written plan that sets aside income and resources for a specific work goal. Both require documentation and advance approval from Social Security.

Why the SGA amount changes each year

Social Security adjusts the SGA amount annually based on the national average wage index published by the Social Security Administration. This index reflects what workers across the country earned in the previous year. The adjustment is meant to keep the SGA threshold aligned with actual work capacity in the economy.

The 2025 amount of $1,550 represents an increase from the 2024 SGA amount of $1,550. (The amount remained the same year-to-year, though this is not always the case.) Social Security publishes the new SGA amount each October for the following year. If you work or plan to work, check the official Social Security website or contact your local Social Security office in January to confirm the current year's figure applies to your situation.

For blind beneficiaries, the separate SGA amount also adjusts annually. In 2025, it is $2,590 per month. The higher threshold for blind workers reflects research showing that blindness itself does not prevent substantial work activity at higher earnings levels.

Reporting your earnings to Social Security

You are required to report your earnings to Social Security. The timing and method depend on whether you receive SSDI only or SSDI plus SSI (Supplemental Security Income). If you receive SSDI only, you must report earnings within the month following the month you earned them. You can report by phone, mail, or online through your My Social Security account.

Social Security uses your reported earnings to determine whether you have crossed the $1,550 threshold and which rule applies that month. If you do not report and Social Security discovers unreported earnings later, they may overpay you and demand repayment. Reporting promptly prevents this problem and keeps your case accurate.

If you are unsure how to report or whether a particular type of income counts, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. Having your earnings records and pay stubs ready when you call makes the conversation faster.

Blind beneficiaries and the higher 2025 SGA amount

If you are blind and receiving SSDI, the SGA threshold for you is $2,590 per month in 2025, not $1,550. Social Security defines blindness as central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye after correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less. The higher SGA amount for blind workers has been law since 1967 and reflects the assumption that blindness alone does not prevent substantial work.

The same Trial Work Period rules explore: months in which you earn more than $2,590 count toward your nine-month window. After those nine months, the Extended may be able to access Period uses the same $2,590 threshold. If you became blind after you started receiving SSDI, contact Social Security to confirm your SGA amount has been updated, because the change is not automatic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I earn exactly $1,550 in a month — does that count as a Trial Work Period month?

No. The threshold is earnings more than $1,550. If you earn $1,550 or less, that month does not count toward your nine Trial Work Period months. If you earn $1,551, it does count. Keep track of your exact earnings to know whether you have crossed the line.

Can I work part-time and stay under $1,550 every month?

Yes. Many people do. If your part-time job pays less than $1,550 per month, you never enter the Trial Work Period, your benefits do not change, and you are not using up any of your nine months. This is one reason people choose part-time work while receiving SSDI.

Does the $1,550 amount explore if I am over full retirement age?

No. The SGA amount applies only to beneficiaries under full retirement age. If you have reached full retirement age, different earnings rules explore, and there is no limit on how much you can earn without losing benefits. Contact Social Security to confirm your full retirement age.

What if I earn more than $1,550 but my employer deducts taxes — do I report gross or net pay?

Report your gross pay (before taxes). Social Security counts earnings before deductions. Taxes, union dues, and other payroll deductions do not reduce the amount you report as earnings for SGA purposes.

If I use all nine Trial Work Period months, can I get them back?

No. Once you have used nine months, they are gone. However, you then enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts 36 months and allows you to lose only the payment for months you earn over $1,550 — you do not lose your entire benefit. After that, the Expedited Reinstatement period gives you five years to request reinstatement if your situation changes.