The 2024 SGA amount and what it means for your work

For 2024, Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is defined as earning $1,550 per month or more if you are blind, or $1,470 per month or more if you are not blind. These are the thresholds Social Security uses to decide whether your work counts as substantial. If you earn less than these amounts, Social Security treats your work as non-substantial, even if you work full-time hours.

The SGA amount changes each year because it is tied to the national average wage index. Social Security announced the 2024 figures in October 2023. The threshold for non-blind beneficiaries rose from $1,470 in 2023—it stayed the same—while the blind threshold rose from $2,460 in 2023 to $2,590 in 2024. These increases reflect changes in the economy and wages across the country.

What matters most is that SGA is a monthly figure. You do not have to average your earnings across the year. If you earn below the threshold in some months and above it in others, Social Security looks at each month separately to decide whether you were doing substantial work that month.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2024, earning less than $1,470 per month (or $2,590 if you are blind) means your work does not count as substantial, regardless of how many hours you work.
  • The SGA threshold is checked month by month, not averaged across the year, so a high-earning month can trigger a work suspension even if other months are low.
  • Self-employment income counts toward SGA using net profit after business expenses, not gross revenue.
  • Exceeding SGA does not automatically end your benefits; it starts a nine-month trial work period if you have not used one recently, during which you keep your full benefit check.
  • The SGA amount increases most years because it follows the national average wage index, so you should check the current threshold each January.

How Social Security calculates your monthly earnings

Social Security counts wages, self-employment income, and certain other forms of payment toward SGA. For W-2 employees, they use your gross wages before taxes. For self-employed people, they subtract ordinary and necessary business expenses from your gross revenue to get net profit—that net profit is what counts.

If you receive irregular income—such as a bonus, commission, or seasonal work—Social Security divides the total by the number of months you earned it over. For example, if you received a $3,000 bonus spread across six months of work, Social Security counts $500 per month toward SGA during those months. This can matter if you are close to the threshold.

Certain payments do not count toward SGA: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, food stamps, housing information, impairment-related work expenses (IRWE), and Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) expenses. If you use a work incentive like IRWE or PASS, those reduce the amount of your earnings that count, which can keep you below SGA even if your gross pay is higher.

What happens when you exceed the SGA threshold

Exceeding SGA does not when ready stop your SSDI check. Instead, it triggers the Trial Work Period (TWP) if you have not used one in the past 60 months. During the nine-month trial work period, you keep your full SSDI benefit check every month, no matter how much you earn. This is true even if you earn well above SGA.

The trial work period lasts nine months, but those months do not have to be consecutive. Social Security counts only the months in which you earn $1,050 or more (in 2024) as trial work months. If you earn less than $1,050 in a given month, that month does not count toward the nine-month total. This means a trial work period can stretch across more than nine calendar months.

After your nine trial work months end, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period (EPE), which lasts 36 months. During EPE, you can still work and still receive a benefit check in any month you earn below SGA. Once you have a month where you earn SGA or more, your benefit stops that month—but you can still work and earn above SGA without losing your benefits permanently. If your earnings drop below SGA again, your benefits restart automatically the next month.

Self-employment and SGA in 2024

If you are self-employed, Social Security looks at your net profit—what you keep after paying ordinary business expenses. Expenses include rent for your workspace, supplies, equipment, wages you pay to employees, and professional services. Personal expenses, taxes, and loan repayment do not count as business expenses.

Self-employed people also have a second test called the Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA). If you try to work for yourself and stop within three months because of your impairment, Social Security may not count that work toward SGA at all, even if you earned above the threshold during those months. This is a safety valve for people who attempt work but cannot sustain it.

If you are unsure whether an expense counts, bring your business records and tax returns to your local Social Security office or ask your representative. Social Security has detailed rules about what qualifies, and getting this right can mean the difference between staying below SGA and triggering your trial work period.

Work incentives that reduce your countable earnings

Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) let you subtract costs directly caused by your disability—such as attendant care, medical devices, transportation to work, or medication needed to work—from your gross earnings before SGA is calculated. If you earn $2,000 per month but spend $600 on disability-related work costs, only $1,400 counts toward SGA.

Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without it counting against your benefits. If you are saving to start a business or pay for training, a PASS plan can exclude that money from your earnings calculation. PASS plans must be in writing and approved by Social Security before you start setting money aside.

Both IRWE and PASS require documentation. For IRWE, keep receipts and records showing the expense was necessary for you to work. For PASS, you work with a PASS planner (often at a vocational rehabilitation agency) to write a plan that Social Security approves. These tools are most useful if you are close to SGA or if your disability-related costs are substantial.

How the 2024 SGA threshold compares to recent years

The non-blind SGA threshold has been $1,470 since 2023 and remained unchanged for 2024. The blind threshold rose from $2,460 in 2023 to $2,590 in 2024. These thresholds are lower than they were in the early 2020s because wage growth slowed during that period. In 2022, the non-blind threshold was $1,470 and the blind threshold was $2,460.

Because SGA is tied to the national average wage index, it does not always increase every year. Some years it stays flat; other years it rises. Social Security announces the new threshold each October for the following year. If you are working and close to the threshold, check the announcement each fall to see whether the number will change.

The threshold matters most if you are in your trial work period or extended may be able to access period. Once you have used your trial work period and are past your extended may be able to access period, SGA no longer affects your benefits—you can earn any amount without losing your check. However, if you stop working and later return to work, you may be able to use work incentives again.

Reporting your work and earnings to Social Security

You are required to report your work and earnings to Social Security. The exact reporting method depends on your state and situation. Some beneficiaries report through a phone line; others use an online portal or mail in a form. Ask your local Social Security office which method applies to you.

Report your earnings in the month you earn them, not when you receive the payment. If you are paid monthly, report in the month of work. If you are paid weekly or biweekly, add up the payments received in each calendar month and report that total. Self-employed people report their net profit for the month.

Failing to report work can result in an overpayment—Social Security will ask you to repay benefits you were not may have access to to. Reporting promptly and accurately protects your benefits and prevents debt. If you are unsure how much to report or how to report it, contact your local office before the important date.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earn $1,500 in one month, do I lose my benefits that month?

Not automatically. If you are in your trial work period, you keep your full benefit check even though you earned above SGA. If you are past your trial work period and in extended may be able to access, your benefit stops that month because you earned above SGA. However, if your earnings drop below SGA the next month, your benefits restart.

Does my spouse's income count toward my SGA?

No. SGA is based only on your own earnings. Your spouse's income does not affect whether you have done substantial work. However, if you are on SSI (not SSDI), your spouse's income does affect your SSI payment amount.

What if I work part-time and earn $800 per month—do I need to report it?

Yes, you must report all work and earnings to Social Security, even if you are below SGA. Reporting does not affect your benefits if you are below the threshold, but failing to report can create problems later. Report it in the month you earn it.

Can I use IRWE to bring my earnings below SGA if I earn $2,000 per month?

Yes, if your disability-related work expenses are at least $530 per month. IRWE is subtracted from your gross earnings before SGA is calculated. You must document the expenses and they must be directly caused by your disability and necessary for you to work.

If I have not worked in five years, can I use the trial work period again?

Yes. The trial work period can be used once every 60 months. If your last trial work period ended more than five years ago, you are may be able to access to use a new one if you return to work and exceed SGA.