The 2022 SGA amount was $1,350 per month

In 2022, Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) for non-blind SSDI recipients was defined as earning $1,350 or more per month. This figure is the threshold Social Security uses to decide whether you are working at a level that counts as substantial work. If you earned less than $1,350 in a month, that month did not count against your work incentive period, even if you were working.

For blind SSDI recipients, the SGA threshold was higher: $3,570 per month in 2022. The difference exists because Social Security recognizes that blind workers often face higher work-related expenses — adaptive technology, readers, transportation — and therefore sets a higher earnings bar before work is considered substantial.

These amounts change each year based on the national average wage index. The 2022 figures applied to work you did between January 1 and December 31, 2022. If you worked in 2023 or later, different SGA amounts applied to those years.

Key Takeaways

  • If you earned less than $1,350 per month in 2022 (or $3,570 if blind), Social Security did not count that month as substantial work.
  • SGA is a monthly threshold, not an annual one — you could earn $1,349 in January and $1,349 in February without triggering a work-related review, even though your annual earnings were substantial.
  • The SGA amount for 2022 was set in advance and did not change during the year, so you could plan around it.
  • Earnings below SGA still count toward the Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access Period, so low-wage work still has consequences for your benefits over time.

How SGA affected your benefits month to month

Social Security checks your earnings each month. If you earned $1,350 or more in a single month during 2022, that month counted as a month of substantial work. Once you had nine months of substantial work within a rolling 60-month period, your Trial Work Period ended and your benefits entered a different phase.

The key point: SGA is measured month by month, not averaged across the year. You could earn $2,000 in January and $500 in February. January would count as substantial work; February would not. This matters because it means you have some control over when months count, if you can manage your work hours or schedule.

If you were self-employed, Social Security counted your net profit (income minus business expenses) against the SGA threshold. If you were an employee, they counted your gross wages before taxes.

SGA and the Trial Work Period

The Trial Work Period is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount without losing benefits. But those nine months only count if you earned $1,350 or more per month in 2022. Months below SGA did not count toward the nine-month total.

This created a practical advantage: if you worked part-time or had variable income, you could stretch your Trial Work Period across more calendar months. For example, if you earned $1,350 in January, $800 in February, and $1,350 in March, only January and March counted. Your Trial Work Period would not end until you accumulated nine months of $1,350+ earnings, which might take 12 or 15 calendar months instead of nine.

Once your nine months of substantial work were used up, you entered the Extended may be able to access Period (also called the Grace Period), during which you could still work and earn above SGA without losing benefits — but only for that month. The month after you earned above SGA, your benefits stopped.

What changed from 2021 to 2022

The SGA amount for 2022 was $1,350 per month for non-blind workers. In 2021, it had been $1,310. The increase of $40 per month reflected the rise in the national average wage index.

This annual adjustment means that if you were working in 2021 and continued into 2022, your earnings threshold shifted upward on January 1. Work that counted as substantial in December 2021 at the $1,310 level would be measured against $1,350 starting in January 2022. For most workers, this small increase did not change their situation — if you were earning well above SGA, the threshold change did not matter; if you were earning well below it, the change did not matter either.

But for workers earning between $1,310 and $1,350, the change meant that some months that would have counted as substantial work in 2021 no longer counted in 2022.

SGA for self-employed and gig workers in 2022

If you were self-employed or did gig work (delivery, rideshare, freelance), Social Security counted your net profit — not your gross revenue — against the $1,350 threshold. Net profit means income after you subtract legitimate business expenses.

For example, if you earned $2,000 in delivery fees but spent $700 on vehicle maintenance and fuel, your net profit was $1,300. That month would not count as substantial work because $1,300 is below $1,350.

Tracking expenses is critical. Keep receipts for equipment, supplies, vehicle costs, and any other direct business expenses. When you report your earnings to Social Security, you will need to show how you calculated net profit. If you file taxes as self-employed, your tax return is the document Social Security will ask to see.

How to report 2022 earnings to Social Security

You are required to report your work and earnings to Social Security. The timing and method depend on whether you are in your Trial Work Period, Extended may be able to access Period, or past both.

During the Trial Work Period, you must report earnings within the month you earn them or by the 15th of the following month. You can report by phone, mail, or online through your My Social Security account. Social Security will tell you whether that month counted as substantial work.

If you miss a reporting important date, Social Security may overpay you benefits and then ask you to repay the difference. It is better to report late than not to report at all, but reporting on time prevents confusion and overpayment.

Keep your own records of hours worked and pay stubs. If there is a discrepancy between what you reported and what Social Security received from your employer, your records will help you correct it.

SGA and Medicare continuation

Reaching SGA and losing SSDI benefits does not automatically end your Medicare coverage. Most SSDI recipients who work and lose cash benefits can continue Medicare for a period called Extended Medicare Coverage. In 2022, you could work and earn above SGA while keeping Medicare for up to 93 months (about 7.75 years) after your benefits stopped, as long as you paid the premiums.

This is one of the most valuable work incentives available. It means you can test your ability to work at a substantial level without losing health insurance when ready. However, you must continue to pay your Medicare premiums — they do not stop automatically when your benefits do.

If you lose track of your premium payments, your coverage will lapse. Set up automatic payments or calendar reminders to avoid a gap.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earned $1,349 in 2022, did that month count as substantial work?

No. The SGA threshold for 2022 was $1,350 per month for non-blind workers. Any month you earned $1,349 or less did not count as a month of substantial work, even if you were working full-time at a low wage.

Does SGA explore to my Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits?

No. SGA applies only to SSDI. SSI has its own earnings rules and exclusions. If you receive both SSDI and SSI, your SSDI work incentives are separate from your SSI work incentives.

What if I earned above SGA for one month in 2022 but then stopped working?

One month of earnings above SGA counts as one month of substantial work. If you only had one such month, you still had eight months left in your Trial Work Period. You could return to work later and use those remaining months without losing benefits.

Can I appeal if Social Security says I earned above SGA when I think I earned below it?

Yes. Request a reconsideration and provide your pay stubs, tax records, or other documentation of your actual earnings. If you were self-employed, submit records showing your business expenses so Social Security can recalculate your net profit.

Does the SGA amount change during the year?

No. The SGA amount for 2022 was set on January 1, 2022, and remained $1,350 per month for all of 2022. It changed only on January 1, 2023, when a new annual amount took effect.