The 2025 SGA threshold is $1,550 per month for non-blind workers and $2,590 for blind workers

The Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount is the monthly earnings limit Social Security uses to decide whether you are working at a level that counts as substantial work. If you earn more than the SGA amount in a month, Social Security assumes you are capable of substantial work, which can affect your SSDI benefits. The 2025 figure is $1,550 for most disabled workers and $2,590 for workers who are blind.

These amounts change once per year, usually in December, based on the national average wage index from two years prior. The 2025 amounts represent a $110 increase for non-blind workers and a $180 increase for blind workers compared to 2024. Social Security publishes the new SGA amount each year on its official website and notifies current beneficiaries by mail.

The SGA amount applies to your gross earnings — the money you earn before taxes or deductions. It does not matter whether you work full-time or part-time, for one employer or several, or whether you are self-employed. What matters is whether your monthly earnings cross the threshold.

Key Takeaways

  • If you earn $1,550 or more per month in 2025, Social Security will presume you are doing substantial work, which can lead to a benefit suspension or termination.
  • The SGA amount for blind workers is $2,590 in 2025 because the law recognizes that blindness creates additional work-related costs.
  • Earnings are counted in the month you earn them, not the month you receive payment, so timing of paychecks matters.
  • Exceeding SGA once does not automatically end your benefits; Social Security looks at whether the high earnings are expected to continue.
  • Work incentive programs like the Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access Period allow you to test work without when ready benefit loss, even if you exceed SGA.

How Social Security counts your monthly earnings

Social Security counts earnings in the month you earn them, not when you receive the paycheck. If you are paid on the 15th and the last day of each month, both payments count toward the month in which they were earned. If you receive a bonus or back pay, it counts in the month you earned it, not the month it was paid.

For salaried workers, Social Security divides your annual salary by 12 to find your monthly earnings. For hourly workers, it counts the hours you worked and the rate you were paid in each calendar month. If you are self-employed, you report net earnings (income minus business expenses) for the month.

Social Security does not count certain types of income toward SGA. Unearned income — such as interest, dividends, rental income, or other benefits — does not count. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE), such as the cost of a personal assistant or specialized equipment you need to work, are subtracted from your gross earnings before the SGA comparison.

What happens if you exceed the SGA amount

Exceeding SGA in a single month does not automatically stop your benefits. Social Security first looks at whether the high earnings are a one-time event or a pattern you are expected to continue. If you earn $2,000 in one month but typically earn $1,200, Social Security may not treat this as substantial work.

If your earnings are high enough and frequent enough that Social Security concludes you are performing substantial work, your benefits can be suspended. The suspension does not happen when ready — you remain on benefits through the month in which you exceed SGA and through the following month. Starting with the third month after the month you exceeded SGA, your benefits stop if the high earnings are expected to continue.

If you are in your Trial Work Period (the first nine months of work after your benefits begin), exceeding SGA does not cause a suspension at all. The Trial Work Period is specifically designed to let you test your ability to work without risking your benefits. After the Trial Work Period ends, the Extended may be able to access Period gives you three additional months of benefits even if you exceed SGA, as long as you remain disabled.

The difference between SGA and the Trial Work Period

The Trial Work Period and the SGA amount are two separate rules that work together but measure different things. The SGA amount is a monthly earnings threshold. The Trial Work Period is a nine-month window during which you can earn any amount without affecting your benefits, regardless of whether you exceed SGA.

During your Trial Work Period, you can earn $5,000 per month or $500 per month — it makes no difference to your SSDI benefits. Social Security counts a month as part of your Trial Work Period if you earn $240 or more in that month (in 2025). Once you have used nine Trial Work Period months, the SGA amount becomes the rule that governs whether your benefits continue.

After your Trial Work Period ends, you enter the Extended may be able to access Period, which lasts three months. During these three months, you keep your full benefit even if you exceed SGA. Once the Extended may be able to access Period ends, if your earnings remain above SGA and Social Security determines you are performing substantial work, your benefits suspend.

Why the SGA amount is higher for blind workers

Federal law sets a separate, higher SGA amount for workers who are blind because blindness creates documented additional costs of work. Blind workers often need a reader, transportation information, specialized equipment, or other supports that sighted workers do not. The higher threshold ($2,590 in 2025 versus $1,550) acknowledges that a blind worker earning $2,000 per month may have less actual income available after work-related expenses than a sighted worker earning the same amount.

To use the blind SGA amount, you must be receiving SSDI based on blindness. If you are receiving SSDI for a different disabling condition and you happen to be blind, you use the standard SGA amount unless you request a change in your primary impairment. The definition of blindness for this purpose is the same as for SSI: central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.

Planning your work around the SGA amount

If you are working and your earnings are approaching the SGA threshold, you have several options. You can reduce your hours to stay below SGA, which keeps your benefits unaffected. You can use your remaining Trial Work Period months (if you have not used all nine) to earn above SGA without consequences. You can also explore Impairment-Related Work Expenses to reduce your countable earnings.

Some workers choose to exceed SGA intentionally because they are earning enough to replace their SSDI benefit. Once your earnings are high enough and stable enough that Social Security concludes you are performing substantial work, your benefits suspend. If your work does not last or your earnings drop, you can request reinstatement of benefits within five years without going through the full process process again.

If you are self-employed, you can plan your business expenses strategically. Legitimate business costs — rent for office space, equipment, supplies, wages for employees — reduce your net self-employment income. Keeping careful records of these expenses helps you stay below SGA if that is your goal, or it documents your actual income if you exceed it.

How the SGA amount affects Medicare and Medicaid

Exceeding SGA can affect your health coverage, but not when ready. If your SSDI benefits suspend because of substantial work, you remain covered by Medicare for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after the month your benefits end, even if you have no income. This is called Extended Medicare Coverage, and it is one of the strongest work incentives in the program.

Medicaid coverage depends on your state. Some states tie Medicaid to SSDI, so if your SSDI ends, your Medicaid ends too. Other states have separate Medicaid programs for workers with disabilities that let you keep coverage even after SSDI stops. A few states use the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) to let you set aside income and resources for work goals without losing Medicaid. Your state Medicaid office can tell you which rules explore where you live.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earn exactly $1,550 in 2025, do I lose my benefits?

Not automatically. Earning exactly the SGA amount in one month does not trigger a benefit suspension. Social Security looks at whether your earnings show a pattern of substantial work. If you earn $1,550 once and then return to lower earnings, you likely will not lose benefits. If you earn $1,550 or more consistently, Social Security will conclude you are performing substantial work and your benefits will suspend.

Does the SGA amount change during the year?

No. The SGA amount for 2025 is $1,550 for non-blind workers and $2,590 for blind workers for all 12 months. A new amount takes effect each January. Social Security announces the new amount in December of the prior year.

What if I get a raise that pushes me over SGA?

If your raise is permanent and your new earnings will stay above SGA, Social Security will eventually suspend your benefits. However, you have a grace period: benefits continue through the month you exceed SGA and one additional month. If you are still in your Trial Work Period, the raise does not matter at all. If you are in your Extended may be able to access Period, you have three months of benefits remaining regardless of earnings.

Can I use work incentives to stay on benefits while earning above SGA?

Yes, if you have not used your Trial Work Period or Extended may be able to access Period yet. You can also use Impairment-Related Work Expenses to reduce your countable earnings. Some workers use a PASS to set aside income for a specific work goal. Each of these tools lets you earn above the raw SGA amount while keeping benefits.

If my benefits suspend because of SGA, can I get them back?

Yes. If your earnings drop below SGA and stay there for a full month, you can request reinstatement. If you have been off benefits for five years or less, you can request expedited reinstatement without a new medical review. After five years, you would need to reapply and go through the full evaluation process again.