The 2025 SSDI Earnings Limit

In 2025, you can earn up to $1,550 per month and still receive your full SSDI payment. This is the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold — the dollar amount Social Security uses to decide whether you are working at a level that counts as "substantial work."

If you earn more than $1,550 in a month, that month does not count toward your work history for SSDI purposes, and you may lose your benefit for that month. The threshold changes each year because Social Security adjusts it for wage inflation. In 2024, the limit was $1,550; in 2023 it was $1,470. Social Security announces the new figure in December of the prior year.

This limit applies to all SSDI beneficiaries — whether you are working part-time, self-employed, or in a trial work period. The only exception is the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), a separate program that lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without losing benefits.

Key Takeaways

  • You can earn up to $1,550 per month in 2025 without losing your SSDI payment for that month.
  • Any month you earn more than $1,550 counts as a month of substantial work and may result in benefit loss.
  • The earnings limit changes each January and is based on the national average wage index from two years prior.
  • A PASS plan lets you set aside income toward a work goal and keep benefits even if you earn above the SGA limit.
  • Earnings are counted differently depending on whether you are an employee or self-employed.

How Social Security Counts Your Earnings

Social Security counts gross income — the money you earn before taxes, not what you take home. If you are an employee, this is your wages or salary. If you are self-employed, it is your net profit from the business after business expenses, but before income tax.

The month you earn the money is the month that counts, not the month you receive the payment. If your employer pays you on the 15th and the 30th, both payments count in the month they were earned, even if one arrives after the month ends.

Certain types of income do not count toward the SGA limit. These include Social Security benefits themselves, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), veterans benefits, workers' compensation, and some types of impairment-related work expenses. If you are unsure whether a specific income source counts, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213.

What Happens When You Earn Over the Limit

If you earn more than $1,550 in a single month, Social Security does not automatically stop your benefits that month. Instead, the month is flagged as a month of substantial work. You keep your benefit for that month, but the month counts against your trial work period or your ongoing work incentive tracking.

After you use up your trial work period (nine months of earnings over the SGA limit within a rolling 60-month window), Social Security enters a grace period. During the grace period, you can earn any amount without losing benefits, but only for the months you actually work. Once the grace period ends, any month you earn over $1,550 results in benefit suspension for that month.

You will receive a notice explaining what happened and when your benefits resume. If you disagree with how Social Security counted your earnings, you can request a reconsideration within 60 days of the notice.

Self-Employment and the SGA Limit

If you own a business, Social Security counts your net profit — revenue minus ordinary and necessary business expenses. You do not count the cost of goods sold, depreciation, or capital improvements in the same way a tax return does. Social Security has specific rules for what counts as a business expense for SGA purposes.

Self-employed earnings are counted in the month you earn them, not the month you are paid. If you invoice a client in January but receive payment in March, the income counts in January. This can make self-employment harder to track than a regular paycheck.

If your business is very new or you are not sure how to calculate net profit for Social Security purposes, ask your local Social Security office for a Work Incentive Planning and information (WIPA) counselor. These counselors are free and can help you understand how your specific business income will be counted.

Using a PASS Plan to Earn More

A Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) is a written agreement between you and Social Security that lets you set aside income and resources toward a specific work goal — like starting a business, getting a degree, or buying equipment — without losing your SSDI benefits. While you are following the PASS plan, income you set aside does not count toward the SGA limit.

To set up a PASS, you work with a PASS planner (usually at a WIPA agency or your state vocational rehabilitation office) to write a detailed plan that includes your work goal, how much money you need, how long the plan will run, and how you will use the money. The plan must be realistic and directly related to your goal.

Once Social Security approves your PASS, you can earn above the SGA limit and still receive benefits, as long as the extra income goes toward your plan goal. PASS plans typically last 18 to 36 months, though they can be extended. You will need to report your progress to Social Security regularly.

Reporting Your Earnings to Social Security

You are required to report your earnings to Social Security, even if you earn less than $1,550 per month. How you report depends on whether you are already receiving benefits or are in a trial work period.

If you are receiving SSDI and working, you must report your earnings within the month you earn them or by the 15th of the following month — whichever is earlier. You can report by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. Social Security will use your report to decide whether you lose benefits that month.

If you do not report earnings and Social Security finds out later, you may have to repay benefits you were not supposed to receive. This is called an overpayment. You can request a waiver of the overpayment if you can show you were not at fault, but it is easier to report on time.

The Trial Work Period Explained

When you return to work while on SSDI, you enter a trial work period. During this period, you can earn any amount in up to nine months without losing your SSDI payment. The nine months do not have to be consecutive — they are counted within a rolling 60-month window.

Once you have used nine months of trial work (any month you earn over $1,550), the trial work period ends. You then enter a grace period lasting up to 15 months. During the grace period, you keep your full benefit for any month you do not work, even if you earned over the SGA limit in other months.

After the grace period ends, the SGA limit applies in full. Any month you earn over $1,550 results in benefit suspension for that month. Understanding where you are in this timeline is important for planning your work and managing your benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the $1,550 limit include bonuses or tips?

Yes. Any money you earn for work counts toward the SGA limit, including bonuses, tips, commissions, and overtime pay. The only exception is money you set aside in an approved PASS plan. If you receive a large bonus in one month, that month may push you over the limit.

What if I work part of a month and then stop?

Social Security counts the entire month as a month of work if you earn any amount over the SGA limit in that month. It does not matter if you worked only one week — if you earned more than $1,550 that month, it counts as substantial work for that month.

Can I earn money from a hobby without it counting toward the SGA limit?

Only if it is truly a hobby with no profit motive. If you regularly earn money from an activity and it looks like a business, Social Security will count it as self-employment income. The difference comes down to whether you intend to make a profit and whether you actually do.

What happens if I go over the limit by just $50?

Going over by any amount counts as substantial work for that month. There is no grace amount — if you earn $1,551, that month counts the same as if you earned $3,000. This is why tracking your earnings carefully matters, especially if you are close to the limit.

Do I have to report earnings if I am in my trial work period?

Yes. You must report all earnings during your trial work period, even though you will not lose benefits. Social Security uses your reports to track which months count toward your nine-month limit. If you do not report, Social Security may count months incorrectly and end your trial work period early.