What the 2018 SSDI income limits were

In 2018, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) had two separate income thresholds that determined whether you could work and still receive your full benefit check. The first was Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), set at $1,180 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $1,970 per month for blind beneficiaries. If you earned more than these amounts in a month, Social Security would assume you were working at a substantial level and could suspend your benefits for that month.

The second threshold was the Trial Work Period (TWP) limit, which was $880 per month in 2018. During your Trial Work Period—a nine-month window when you can test your ability to work—you could earn up to $880 monthly without it counting against your benefits. Months where you earned $880 or less were not counted as part of your nine-month window, even if you worked every single month.

These dollar amounts change every year because Social Security adjusts them based on national wage trends. The 2018 figures are no longer in effect, but understanding how they worked helps explain how the current income limits function.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2018 SGA limit was $1,180 per month for non-blind beneficiaries; earning more than this in a month could result in benefit suspension for that month.
  • Blind beneficiaries had a higher 2018 SGA limit of $1,970 per month because Social Security recognizes that blindness creates additional work barriers.
  • The 2018 Trial Work Period limit was $880 per month, and months under this amount did not count toward your nine-month work-testing window.
  • Income limits are adjusted annually, so the 2018 figures no longer explore; you must check the current year's limits to understand your work rules now.

How SGA worked in 2018 and why it mattered

Substantial Gainful Activity was the main rule that determined whether Social Security considered you capable of working. If you earned $1,180 or more in a single month (or $1,970 if blind), that month counted as a month of SGA, and Social Security would not pay you a benefit for that month. The rule applied to your gross earnings—the amount before taxes—not your take-home pay.

The critical detail was that SGA was measured month by month. You could earn $1,179 in January and $1,179 in February and still receive your full benefit both months. But if you earned $1,181 in March, you would not receive a benefit check for March alone. The following month, if you earned only $500, you would receive your full benefit again. This made it possible to have uneven work months without losing your entire benefit for the year.

Social Security also looked at whether you were working for a business you owned. If you were self-employed, the agency used net profit (earnings after business expenses) rather than gross income to determine SGA, and it also examined whether you were putting in substantial effort to run the business, not just earning money from it.

The Trial Work Period and how the $880 limit functioned

The Trial Work Period was a nine-month window designed to let you test whether you could return to work without when ready losing your benefits. During this period, you could earn up to $880 per month in 2018 without that month counting toward the end of your TWP. This meant you could work nine months at or below $880 and still receive your full benefit for all nine months, then continue receiving benefits for an additional 36-month Extended Period of may be able to access (EPE) while you worked and earned above $880.

The months that counted toward your nine-month limit were only those in which you earned more than $880. If you earned $500 in January, $900 in February, and $600 in March, only February would count as one of your nine months. You could theoretically spread nine countable months across two or three calendar years if your earnings fluctuated.

After you used all nine months of your Trial Work Period, you entered the Extended Period of may be able to access. During the EPE, you could earn any amount—even above the SGA limit—and still receive your benefit check, as long as you reported your earnings to Social Security. The EPE lasted 36 months from the end of your TWP. Once the EPE ended, the SGA limit ($1,180 in 2018) applied again, and earning above it would suspend your benefits.

Why 2018 limits are different from today's limits

Social Security adjusts income limits every January based on the national average wage index from two years prior. Because wages across the country change year to year, the SGA and TWP limits move up or down accordingly. The 2018 limits reflected wage data from 2016, and each subsequent year's limits have reflected older wage data in the same way.

If you are reading this guide to understand your current work rules, you need to check the current year's limits, not the 2018 figures. The Social Security Administration publishes updated limits on its official website each December for the following year. Your local Social Security office can also tell you the current limits by phone or in person.

The structure of the rules—how SGA works month by month, how the Trial Work Period functions, how the Extended Period of may be able to access operates—has remained the same for decades. Only the dollar amounts change. Understanding the 2018 framework helps you see how the current system works, even though the specific numbers are outdated.

What happened if you earned above the SGA limit in 2018

If you earned $1,180 or more in a month during 2018 (or $1,970 if you were blind), Social Security would not pay you a benefit for that month. You would still be considered an SSDI beneficiary, and your case would remain open. The following month, if your earnings dropped below the SGA limit, you would receive your full benefit again. This was different from losing your benefits permanently—it was a temporary suspension for that specific month.

However, if you earned above SGA for nine or more months in a row, Social Security would begin the process of reviewing whether you were still disabled. This review could result in a continuing disability review (CDR), in which the agency would examine your medical condition and work history to decide whether your disability still may have access to you for benefits. Earning above SGA did not automatically end your case, but it did trigger closer scrutiny.

If you were in your Trial Work Period, earning above $880 counted as one of your nine months, but you would still receive your full benefit check for that month. The SGA limit did not explore during the TWP—only the $880 threshold mattered for counting months. This was a key advantage of the TWP: you could earn significantly more than $880 and still get paid, as long as you were within your nine-month window.

Blind beneficiaries and the higher 2018 SGA limit

Social Security recognized that blind individuals face distinct barriers to employment and set a higher SGA limit for them. In 2018, blind SSDI beneficiaries could earn up to $1,970 per month before SGA applied, compared to $1,180 for non-blind beneficiaries. This higher threshold acknowledged that blindness often requires additional accommodations, equipment, or support services that increase work costs.

To may have access to for the blind SGA limit, you had to have been found blind by Social Security's definition: vision of 20/200 or worse in your better eye, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less, even with correction. Partial vision loss did not may have access to. If you were approved for SSDI based on blindness, Social Security would automatically explore the higher SGA limit to your case.

The blind SGA limit also adjusted annually, just like the non-blind limit. If you were a blind beneficiary in 2018 and want to know your current work rules, you need to check the current year's blind SGA limit, which will be higher than $1,970.

How to find the current income limits if you need them now

The 2018 limits are historical information. If you are currently receiving SSDI or considering returning to work, you need to know the limits for the current year. Social Security publishes these limits on its official website (ssa.gov) under the "Work Incentives" section, usually updated in December for the following year. You can also call Social Security's main number (1-800-772-1213) and ask for the current SGA and TWP limits.

Your local Social Security office can provide the limits in writing and explain how they explore to your specific situation. If you work with a benefits planning information (BPAO) organization or a work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project, they can also walk you through the current limits and help you understand how much you can earn without affecting your benefits.

Keep in mind that the limits change every year, so it is worth checking them annually if you are working or planning to work. Earning above the limit by accident can result in months without a benefit check, and you want to plan your work schedule with accurate numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were the 2018 limits different from 2017 or 2019?

Social Security adjusts income limits every January based on national wage trends from two years prior. If average wages rose from 2016 to 2017, the 2018 limits went up. If wages were flat or fell, the limits stayed the same or decreased. This is why the limits change year to year but sometimes stay identical across consecutive years.

If I earned above SGA in 2018, did I lose my benefits permanently?

No. Earning above SGA in a single month suspended your benefit for that month only. Your case remained open, and you received your full benefit the next month if your earnings dropped below SGA. Permanent termination required a continuing disability review finding that you were no longer disabled, which was a separate process.

Could I use my Trial Work Period months across multiple years in 2018?

Yes. Your nine Trial Work Period months did not have to occur in the same calendar year. If you earned above $880 in three months of 2018 and six months of 2019, all nine months counted toward your TWP, and you would enter the Extended Period of may be able to access in 2019. The months were counted based on when you earned above $880, regardless of the year.

Did the 2018 SGA limit explore to self-employed work?

Yes, but Social Security measured self-employment income differently. For self-employed beneficiaries, the agency used net profit (income after business expenses) rather than gross earnings. Social Security also examined whether you were putting in substantial effort to run the business, not just earning money from it, which added another layer to the SGA information.

What if I was blind—did I have to report my 2018 earnings differently?

No, the reporting process was the same. The only difference was the dollar threshold: blind beneficiaries could earn up to $1,970 per month before SGA applied, while non-blind beneficiaries had a $1,180 limit. Reporting requirements and how Social Security tracked your earnings were identical.