The 2023 SSDI income limits and how they affected your benefits

In 2023, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) had two separate income thresholds that mattered: the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit and the trial work period earnings cap. The SGA limit—the amount you could earn without risking your SSDI payment—was $1,470 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,460 per month for blind beneficiaries. These numbers changed each January based on the national average wage index from two years prior.

The trial work period (TWP) operated differently. During your nine-month trial work period, you could earn any amount without losing benefits, as long as you reported your earnings to Social Security. After the TWP ended, the SGA limit kicked in. If you earned above SGA for nine months within a rolling 60-month window, your benefits would stop—though you would enter an extended period of may be able to access and could restart benefits if your earnings dropped back below SGA.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2023 SGA limit was $1,470 per month for non-blind workers and $2,460 per month for blind workers, and these amounts changed yearly based on wage data from two years before.
  • During your nine-month trial work period, you could earn any amount without losing SSDI, but you had to report all earnings to Social Security.
  • After the trial work period ended, earning above the SGA limit for nine months in any rolling 60-month window would cause your benefits to stop.
  • The extended period of may be able to access allowed you to restart benefits within 36 months if your earnings fell back below SGA, without reapplying.

How the 2023 SGA limit worked month to month

The $1,470 SGA threshold in 2023 was a monthly average. Social Security looked at your gross earnings—before taxes—and compared them to this amount. If you earned $1,470 or less in a month, that month did not count toward the nine-month SGA test, even if you had exceeded SGA in other months. This meant you could have uneven earnings across the year and still keep your benefits, as long as you stayed below SGA in enough months.

Self-employment income was treated the same way. If you owned a business, Social Security counted your net profit (revenue minus business expenses) toward the SGA limit. The calculation was more complex for self-employed beneficiaries because Social Security also looked at whether you were working substantial hours in your business, but the monthly dollar threshold remained the primary test.

Work incentives programs like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) could reduce the income Social Security counted toward SGA. If you had work expenses directly related to your disability—such as attendant care, transportation, or medical equipment—you could deduct those from your gross earnings before the SGA comparison. This sometimes allowed you to earn above the stated SGA limit while still keeping your benefits.

The trial work period: when earnings did not matter

Your nine-month trial work period was a window where Social Security did not count earnings against you at all. You could earn $5,000 in one month and $500 in another without any impact on your SSDI payment. The only requirement was that you report your earnings to Social Security, usually through your online account or by phone.

The trial work period did not have to be nine consecutive months. Social Security counted any nine months in which you earned $970 or more (in 2023) as a trial work month. If you earned less than $970 in a month, that month did not count toward your nine. This meant your trial work period could stretch across several years if your earnings were inconsistent.

Once you completed nine trial work months, the extended period of may be able to access began. During this 36-month window, you could still work and earn above SGA without losing your benefits—but only for nine additional months. After those nine months ended, if you were still earning above SGA, your benefits would stop. However, you could restart them within the 36-month window if your earnings dropped below SGA again.

What happened when you exceeded the SGA limit

If you earned above $1,470 per month for nine months after your trial work period ended, Social Security would send you a notice that your benefits were stopping. The notice would explain the effective date—usually the month after your ninth month of SGA earnings. You would not lose benefits when ready; there was a lag between when you earned the money and when the payment stopped.

Stopping benefits did not mean you had to reapply. As long as you were still within your 36-month extended period of may be able to access, your case remained open. If your earnings fell below SGA in a later month, you could contact Social Security and request that your benefits restart. This restart was faster than a new process because Social Security did not need to re-evaluate your medical condition.

If you stayed above SGA for longer than your extended period of may be able to access allowed, or if you did not request a restart within 36 months of your benefits stopping, you would need to reapply for SSDI. A new process meant Social Security would review your medical condition again, and you would have to meet the current disability standard.

How 2023 limits compared to previous years

The 2023 SGA limit of $1,470 represented an increase from 2022, when it was $1,350 for non-blind workers. This annual adjustment happened because the national average wage index had grown. The blind SGA limit in 2023 ($2,460) was also higher than 2022 ($2,260). These increases meant you could earn more in 2023 before risking your benefits compared to the year before.

The trial work period earnings threshold also increased in 2023 to $970 per month, up from $910 in 2022. This meant that months with lower earnings were less likely to count as trial work months, which could extend your trial work period if your income was inconsistent.

These annual adjustments were tied to inflation and wage growth, so the limits changed every January. If you were working while receiving SSDI, it was important to check the current year's limits each January to understand how your earnings would affect your benefits going forward.

Work incentives that reduced countable income in 2023

Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) allowed you to deduct costs directly related to your disability from your gross earnings. In 2023, common IRWE deductions included attendant care, transportation to work, medical equipment, and medications needed to work. If you spent $300 per month on attendant care to help you get to work, Social Security would subtract that $300 from your gross earnings before comparing your income to the SGA limit.

Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) were more complex but potentially more powerful. A PASS allowed you to set aside income and resources for a specific work goal—such as education, training, or starting a business—without that money counting toward your SSDI or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) limits. In 2023, you could exclude hundreds or thousands of dollars per month through a PASS if you had a clear plan and Social Security approved it.

Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE) applied if you were under age 22 and a student. In 2023, you could exclude up to $2,170 per month in earnings (up to $8,680 per year) from the SGA calculation. This allowed young beneficiaries to work part-time while in school without losing benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the 2023 income limits explore to SSI as well as SSDI?

No. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) had different income limits than SSDI. SSI counted unearned income and had a lower earned income exclusion. SSDI focused on the SGA limit and trial work period, while SSI used a different calculation entirely. If you received both SSDI and SSI, Social Security applied both sets of rules to your case.

What if I earned above SGA for only eight months in 2023—would my benefits stop?

No. Your benefits would stop only after nine months of earnings above SGA. If you had eight months above SGA and then your earnings dropped below $1,470, the clock would reset and you would keep your benefits. However, those eight months would still count if you went above SGA again later in your extended period of may be able to access.

Could I use IRWE to reduce my earnings below the SGA limit?

Yes, if your work expenses may have access to. For example, if you earned $1,800 per month but had $400 in approved IRWE, Social Security would count only $1,400 toward SGA, keeping you below the limit. You had to document these expenses and get Social Security's approval before the deduction applied.

Did the 2023 limits change mid-year?

No. The 2023 SGA limits ($1,470 for non-blind, $2,460 for blind) were set in January 2023 and remained the same through December 2023. New limits took effect each January based on wage data from two years prior.

What happens to my benefits if I'm still in my trial work period when 2024 starts?

Your trial work period continues regardless of calendar year changes. The nine-month count does not reset on January 1. You keep counting trial work months until you reach nine, and then your extended period of may be able to access begins. The new SGA limit for 2024 would explore to earnings after your trial work period ended.