What the 2023 SGA amount was and why it matters

In 2023, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount was $1,470 per month for most people receiving SSDI. This is the income threshold Social Security uses to decide whether you are working enough to lose your benefits. If you earned more than $1,470 in a month, Social Security counted that month as a month of work, even if you only worked part of the month.

The SGA amount changes every year because Social Security ties it to the national average wage index. The 2023 figure was higher than 2022's $1,350, which is typical — it usually goes up. Knowing the exact amount that applied in 2023 matters if you are reviewing past work history, calculating back pay, or understanding why your benefits stopped or continued during that year.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2023 SGA threshold was $1,470 per month for non-blind beneficiaries, meaning earning more than this amount in a single month counted as a month of work.
  • A separate, higher SGA amount of $3,822 per month applied in 2023 to people who are blind and receiving SSDI.
  • The SGA amount increases most years because it is tied to national wage trends, so the 2024 and 2025 amounts are different.
  • Earning below the SGA amount does not automatically protect your benefits — you must also pass the trial work period and other work rules.

How the 2023 SGA amount was used to count work months

Social Security used the $1,470 figure as a bright line: if your gross earnings (before taxes) in any single month reached or exceeded $1,470, that month counted as a work month. You did not have to work the whole month or earn it all at once. A single paycheck of $1,470 or more in any calendar month triggered the count.

This matters because SSDI includes a trial work period — nine months in a rolling 60-month window when you can earn any amount without losing benefits. Once you used up your nine trial work months, Social Security began the extended period of may be able to access (EPE), which lasted 36 months. During the EPE, any month you earned $1,470 or more in 2023 was a month you did not receive a benefit check, even though you were still technically may have access to.

After the EPE ended, the rules changed again: you entered the permanent reinstatement period, where you could return to benefits without reapplying if your earnings dropped below SGA. Understanding which period you were in during 2023 explains why your benefits may have stopped or continued.

The different SGA amount for people who are blind

If you were blind and receiving SSDI in 2023, your SGA threshold was much higher: $3,822 per month. Social Security has always set a separate, higher limit for blind beneficiaries because blindness creates additional work-related costs — adaptive equipment, readers, transportation — that reduce net earnings.

This higher threshold meant you could earn significantly more than non-blind beneficiaries before a month counted as a work month. The same trial work period and extended period of may be able to access rules applied, but the income trigger was different. If you are blind and your 2023 earnings were between $1,470 and $3,822, you were not in a work month under the blind rules, even though you would have been under the standard rules.

Why the 2023 SGA amount was different from other years

The SGA amount for 2023 was $1,470 because Social Security calculated it based on the national average wage index from two years prior (2021). In 2021, the average wage was higher than in 2020, so the 2023 SGA went up from $1,350 in 2022. This annual adjustment is automatic — Congress does not vote on it, and Social Security does not have discretion to change it.

The year-to-year change means that if you were working in both 2022 and 2023, the threshold that applied to your earnings changed mid-stream. A month where you earned $1,400 would not have been a work month in 2022 (threshold $1,350) but would have been in 2023 (threshold $1,470). This is why reviewing your work history requires knowing which SGA amount applied in which year.

How to find the SGA amount that applied to your specific situation

If you need to know the SGA amount for a year other than 2023, Social Security publishes the current and past amounts on its official website. The amounts are listed by year and by category (non-blind, blind, and for a small group called "statutorily blind"). You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask what the SGA amount was in any specific year.

Your Social Security statement or benefit letter may also reference the SGA amount that applied when your benefits were evaluated. If you received a notice that your benefits stopped because of work, that notice should state the SGA amount Social Security used to make that decision. Keeping these notices helps you track your work history and understand the decisions made about your case.

What happens if you earned more than the 2023 SGA amount

If you earned $1,470 or more in any month during 2023, that month counted as a work month, but it did not automatically end your benefits. What happened next depended on where you were in the work rules. If you were still in your nine-month trial work period, you kept your full benefit check. If you were in the extended period of may be able to access, you did not receive a check for that month, but you remained may have access to and could return to benefits later if earnings dropped.

If you had already exhausted your extended period of may be able to access and were no longer in permanent reinstatement, earning over SGA could have triggered a continuing disability review. Social Security might have concluded that your ability to earn $1,470 or more suggested your condition had improved enough that you were no longer disabled. This is a separate decision from the SGA threshold itself — earning over SGA does not automatically mean you lose benefits, but it can prompt Social Security to review whether you still meet the definition of disabled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does earning less than the 2023 SGA amount mean my benefits are safe?

Earning below $1,470 in 2023 meant that month did not count as a work month, but it does not may provide your benefits continue. You must also pass other tests: the trial work period rules, the extended period of may be able to access rules, and the medical review. Staying under SGA is necessary but not sufficient.

What if I earned over the 2023 SGA amount for only one month?

One month of earnings at or above $1,470 counted as one work month. If you were in your trial work period, you kept your benefit. If you were in the extended period of may be able to access, you did not receive a check for that month but remained may have access to. The impact depended on which work period you were in.

Is the 2023 SGA amount still used now?

No. Social Security uses the SGA amount that was in effect in the year you earned the money. If you are reviewing 2023 earnings, the 2023 amount ($1,470) applies. For current work, the current year's SGA amount applies. Each year has its own threshold.

Why is the SGA amount different for people who are blind?

Social Security recognizes that blindness creates extra costs related to work — readers, transportation, adaptive technology. The higher threshold ($3,822 in 2023) accounts for these expenses and gives blind workers more room to earn before a month counts as work.

Can I find out what my specific work months were in 2023?

Yes. Contact Social Security and ask for a detailed work history report for 2023. They can tell you which months counted as work months based on your actual earnings and the SGA amount that applied. Your benefit statement may also show this information.