You can work and keep your SSDI benefits, but the amount you earn matters

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not automatically stop when you work. Instead, Social Security tracks your monthly earnings against a threshold called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). If you stay below that threshold, you keep your full benefit. If you cross it, your benefits pause — but they can restart when your earnings drop again.

The key is understanding what counts as earnings, how Social Security measures them, and what happens at each income level. You do not have to choose between work and benefits; you have to know the rules that let you do both.

Key Takeaways

  • Your SSDI benefits continue as long as your monthly earnings stay below the SGA threshold, which changes each year and is currently $1,550 per month for non-blind beneficiaries.
  • Social Security counts only your net earnings — what you actually take home after taxes and legitimate business expenses — not your gross pay.
  • You have a nine-month trial work period during which you can earn any amount without losing benefits, but you must report your work to Social Security.
  • If you earn above SGA for nine months (not necessarily consecutive), your benefits will stop, but they restart automatically if you drop below SGA again.
  • Self-employment, part-time work, and remote jobs all count the same way — what matters is the net amount you earn each month.

The SGA threshold and how it affects your benefits

The SGA amount is set by Social Security each year and applies to most beneficiaries. For 2024, the threshold is $1,550 per month. If you earn $1,550 or less in a month, your benefits for that month are not affected. If you earn more, Social Security counts that month as a month of SGA, and after nine such months, your benefits stop.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive. You could earn above SGA in January, stay below in February and March, then earn above SGA again in April. Social Security counts both January and April toward your nine-month limit. Once you hit nine months of earnings above SGA, your benefits pause starting the month after the ninth month ends.

The threshold varies slightly for beneficiaries who are blind — currently $2,590 per month — but the mechanics are the same. Check the Social Security website each January for the current year's SGA amount, as it changes annually.

What counts as earnings and what does not

Social Security counts only money you earn from work. This includes wages from a job, net profit from self-employment, and payments for services you provide. It does not include interest, dividends, rental income, or money from investments. It also does not include gifts, loans, or money from family members.

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net earnings — the money left after you subtract legitimate business expenses. Keep records of what you spend on supplies, equipment, rent, or other costs directly tied to your business. If you have a business loss in a month, that month counts as zero earnings, not a negative number.

Unpaid work does not count. Volunteering, helping a family member without pay, or doing chores at home have no effect on your benefits. Work-related services — like job coaching or vocational rehabilitation — also do not count as earnings.

The trial work period and how to use it

When you start working, you enter a nine-month trial work period automatically. During these nine months, you can earn any amount without losing benefits. This period exists to let you test whether you can work without when ready losing your income support.

The nine months do not have to be consecutive, and they do not have to be nine calendar months. Social Security counts any nine months in which you earn $1,000 or more (the threshold is lower during the trial work period). Once you complete nine trial work months, the extended earnings period begins.

You must report your work to Social Security during the trial work period. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office to report that you have started working. Provide your job title, employer name, expected hours per week, and expected monthly earnings. Social Security uses this information to track your trial work months.

What happens after your trial work period ends

After you complete nine trial work months, you enter the extended earnings period. This period lasts 36 months and gives you a cushion: you can have some months where you earn above SGA without when ready losing benefits. However, once you have nine months of earnings above SGA during the extended earnings period, your benefits stop.

The extended earnings period is not a second free pass — it is a gradual transition. If you earn above SGA in months 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 of your work attempt, your benefits stop in month 19. The nine months do not have to be consecutive, just like in the trial work period.

After your benefits stop, they do not disappear forever. If you drop below SGA in a later month, your benefits restart automatically. You do not have to reapply or contact Social Security — the restart happens on its own once your earnings fall below the threshold.

Reporting your earnings to Social Security

You are responsible for telling Social Security about your work. You can report earnings by phone at 1-800-772-1213, online through your my Social Security account, or in person at your local office. Social Security also sends you a form each year to report your expected earnings.

Report your earnings as soon as you start working, not at the end of the year. Social Security needs to know your current earnings to count your trial work months and extended earnings period months correctly. If you do not report and Social Security finds out later through other records, you may owe back benefits.

Keep pay stubs, tax records, and business expense receipts for at least three years. If Social Security questions your earnings, you will need to show proof of what you actually earned and what expenses you deducted.

How work affects Medicare and Medicaid while on SSDI

Working does not automatically end your Medicare coverage. If you are receiving SSDI, you have Medicare regardless of your work status. You keep Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) as long as you remain on the SSDI rolls, even if your benefits are paused due to high earnings.

Medicaid works differently and depends on your state. Some states tie Medicaid to SSDI status — if your benefits stop, Medicaid stops. Other states have work incentive programs that let you keep Medicaid even after your SSDI benefits pause. Contact your state Medicaid office or your local Social Security office to learn your state's rules before you start working.

Social Security also offers work incentive programs like Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) that can help you deduct certain costs from your earnings. These programs reduce the amount Social Security counts as income, which can let you work more without hitting the SGA threshold. Ask Social Security about these options when you report your work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I earn above SGA one month but below it the next month?

Both months count toward your nine-month limit if you earned above SGA in the first month. The months do not have to be consecutive. Once you reach nine months of earnings above SGA, your benefits stop the following month, but they restart automatically if you later drop below SGA.

Do I have to tell my employer I am on SSDI?

No. Your SSDI status is private information. You do not have to disclose it to your employer. However, you must report your work and earnings to Social Security — that is separate from what you tell your employer.

Can I work part-time and keep my benefits?

Yes, as long as your monthly earnings stay below SGA. Part-time work counts the same way as full-time work — Social Security looks at your net monthly earnings, not your hours. You could work 10 hours a week or 40 hours a week; what matters is how much you earn.

What happens if I earn above SGA but then my hours get cut?

Your benefits do not restart when ready. Once you reach nine months of earnings above SGA, your benefits stop. They restart only after a full month in which you earn below SGA. If your hours are cut in month 10, your benefits restart in month 11 (assuming you stay below SGA in month 10).

Do I lose my trial work period if I stop working for a few months?

No. Your trial work period stays open for 60 months from when you first report work to Social Security. If you work in January, take a break in February and March, then return to work in April, you still have the same trial work period. You can use all nine trial work months within that 60-month window.