The 2018 SGA threshold and how it affected your work earnings

In 2018, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold for Social Security Disability Insurance was $1,180 per month. This meant that if you earned more than $1,180 in a single month, Social Security could decide you were working at a substantial level and review whether you still met the medical criteria for SSDI. The threshold applied to non-blind beneficiaries; blind beneficiaries had a separate, higher threshold of $1,970 per month that year.

The 2018 figure was not arbitrary. Social Security adjusts the SGA threshold each January based on changes in the national average wage index from two years prior. Because average wages rose between 2015 and 2016, the 2018 threshold was higher than 2017's $1,170. Understanding what the threshold was in the year you were working matters because Social Security uses the threshold from the year the earnings occurred, not the current year, when reviewing your work history.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2018 SGA threshold was $1,180 per month for non-blind SSDI beneficiaries, meaning earnings above that amount could trigger a work capacity review.
  • Blind beneficiaries had a separate 2018 SGA threshold of $1,970 per month, reflecting the assumption that blindness creates greater work barriers.
  • Social Security uses the SGA threshold from the year you earned the money, not the current year, when deciding whether to continue your benefits.
  • Earning below the threshold in a month did not may provide your benefits would continue; Social Security also looked at whether the work showed you could do substantial work over time.

Why 2018's threshold mattered for ongoing SSDI status

If you were receiving SSDI in 2018 and earned more than $1,180 in any single month that year, you entered what Social Security calls a "trial work period" or faced a work capacity review. This did not automatically end your benefits, but it flagged your case for closer examination. Social Security would look at whether the work you were doing, combined with the earnings, showed you could sustain substantial gainful activity over time.

The threshold also mattered for people who had stopped working and were trying to understand whether they could return to work without losing benefits when ready. If you were considering a job that would pay $1,200 per month in 2018, you would have been over the threshold and needed to understand the consequences. Social Security's rules allowed a trial work period of nine months (not necessarily consecutive) during which you could earn above the threshold without losing benefits, but only if you reported the work and met other conditions.

How the 2018 threshold compared to other years

The 2018 SGA threshold of $1,180 was slightly higher than 2017's $1,170, reflecting modest wage growth. In 2019, it rose to $1,220. Looking backward, the 2016 threshold was $1,130, and the 2015 threshold was $1,090. These year-to-year changes were small in dollar terms but mattered for people whose earnings hovered near the line.

If you worked in multiple years and Social Security reviewed your case, they would have applied the correct threshold for each year. This is why keeping records of when you earned money—not just how much—helps if you need to dispute a decision about your work capacity. A month where you earned $1,150 in 2017 would have been under that year's threshold, but the same earnings in 2018 would have been under that year's threshold as well. The year matters because the threshold changes.

What happened if you earned above the 2018 threshold

Earning above $1,180 in a month during 2018 did not automatically stop your SSDI payments. Instead, Social Security would count that month toward your nine-month trial work period if you had not already used it. During the trial work period, you could earn any amount and keep your full SSDI check. After the trial work period ended, Social Security would look at your average monthly earnings over the next 36 months. If your average was above the SGA threshold, they would assume you could do substantial work and could stop your benefits.

The key distinction was between a single high-earning month and a pattern of work. You could have one month in 2018 where you earned $2,000 and still keep your benefits if the rest of your months were low-earning or non-working. But if you earned above the threshold in most months, Social Security would conclude you had returned to work and would end your SSDI.

The difference between the 2018 threshold and the trial work period

Many people confused the SGA threshold with the trial work period, but they are separate rules. The SGA threshold ($1,180 in 2018) is the earnings level that triggers a review of your work capacity. The trial work period is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount without losing benefits, regardless of the threshold. You could use your trial work period in 2018 even if you earned $5,000 per month, as long as you reported the work to Social Security and met the other conditions.

After your trial work period ended, the SGA threshold became the measure that mattered. If your average earnings over the next 36 months stayed below $1,180 (using 2018 figures), Social Security would assume you were not doing substantial work and would continue your benefits. If your average went above the threshold, they would assume you had returned to work and could stop your benefits, even if you had not used your full trial work period yet.

How to find the correct threshold for your work year

If you worked in 2018 and need to know how Social Security evaluated your earnings, the 2018 threshold of $1,180 (or $1,970 if you are blind) is the figure they used. Social Security publishes the SGA threshold for each year on their website and updates it every January. If you worked in a different year, you would need to find that year's threshold to understand how your case was reviewed.

Your Social Security statement or any notice you received about your work capacity should reference the threshold they used. If it does not, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask what threshold applied to the year in question. Having this information is useful if you are trying to understand a decision about your benefits or planning whether you can return to work without losing SSDI.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earned $1,180 exactly in one month in 2018, did I lose my SSDI?

No. Earning exactly at the threshold or slightly above it in a single month did not automatically end your benefits. Social Security would count that month toward your trial work period if you had not used it yet, and you would keep your full check. The threshold is a trigger for review, not an automatic cutoff.

Does the 2018 SGA threshold still explore to my case today?

No. Social Security uses the threshold from the year you earned the money when reviewing your work history. If you worked in 2018, they applied the 2018 threshold ($1,180) to that year's earnings. If you are working now, the current year's threshold applies. Your past earnings are evaluated using the past year's threshold.

What if I was blind in 2018—was my threshold different?

Yes. Blind SSDI beneficiaries had a separate 2018 SGA threshold of $1,970 per month, significantly higher than the $1,180 for non-blind beneficiaries. This reflects Social Security's assumption that blindness creates greater barriers to work. If you were blind and earned up to $1,970 in 2018, the threshold rules applied differently to your case.

Can I appeal a decision about my 2018 work if I think Social Security used the wrong threshold?

Yes. If you believe Social Security applied the wrong threshold to your 2018 earnings, you can request reconsideration or appeal. Bring documentation of your earnings from 2018 and ask Social Security to confirm they used the correct threshold ($1,180 for non-blind beneficiaries). An error in explore the threshold is a valid reason to reopen a case.