What You Can Earn in 2025 Without Losing Benefits
During your Trial Work Period, Social Security lets you earn up to a set dollar amount each month without reducing your benefit payment. For 2025, that amount is $1,110 per month. This is the threshold Social Security uses to count a month toward your nine-month Trial Work Period — if you earn $1,110 or less in a calendar month, that month does not count against your nine months, and you keep your full benefit check.
The $1,110 figure changes each year because Social Security adjusts it based on national wage trends. This means the amount you see in 2025 will be different from 2024 or 2026. Social Security announces the new amount in October or November of the prior year, so you will know the threshold well before the year begins.
One critical detail: this is a monthly threshold, not an annual one. You do not have a total of $9,990 to spread across the year ($1,110 × 9 months). Instead, Social Security looks at each calendar month separately. If you earn $1,110 or less in January, that is one month. If you earn $1,111 or more in January, that is also one month — and it counts the same way.
Key Takeaways
- The 2025 Trial Work Period threshold is $1,110 per month; any month you earn this amount or less does not count toward your nine-month limit.
- The threshold applies to each calendar month separately, not to your total earnings across the year.
- Earnings above $1,110 in a single month still count as a Trial Work Period month, even if you earn less in other months.
- After your nine Trial Work Period months end, Social Security uses a different rule (the Substantial Gainful Activity test) to decide whether you keep your benefits.
- You must report your earnings to Social Security each month so they can accurately count your Trial Work Period months.
How Social Security Counts Your Earnings Each Month
Social Security counts a month toward your Trial Work Period based on how much you earn, not on how many hours you work or whether you are employed. If you earn $1,110 or less in a calendar month (January 1 through the last day of the month), that month does not count. If you earn $1,111 or more, that month counts — regardless of whether you earned $1,111 or $5,000.
This means you could work full-time in one month and earn $2,500, and that single month would count as one of your nine. You could then work part-time in the next month and earn $800, and that month would not count at all. The system is based entirely on the dollar amount, not the hours or the job type.
Self-employment earnings count the same way. If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net earnings (income minus business expenses) toward the $1,110 threshold. The rules for what counts as a business expense are the same as for income tax purposes.
What Happens When You Reach Nine Trial Work Period Months
Once you have used all nine of your Trial Work Period months, your benefits do not stop automatically. Instead, Social Security switches to a different earnings test called Substantial Gainful Activity, or SGA. For 2025, the SGA threshold is $1,550 per month (this amount also changes yearly).
After your Trial Work Period ends, if you earn $1,550 or more per month, Social Security will suspend your benefits for that month. If you earn less than $1,550, you keep your full benefit. This is a stricter test than the Trial Work Period, which is why the Trial Work Period exists — it gives you a window to test your ability to work without when ready losing benefits.
The nine-month Trial Work Period is a one-time benefit. You cannot use it again later, even if you stop working and reapply for benefits. Once those nine months are gone, the SGA rule applies for the rest of your life on SSDI.
How to Report Your Earnings to Social Security
You are required to report your earnings to Social Security each month. The way you report depends on whether you have a my Social Security account online. If you do, you can log in and report your earnings directly through the website. If you do not have an account, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and report over the phone, or visit your local Social Security office in person.
Social Security may also contact your employer directly to verify your earnings, especially if you work for a large company. This does not require your permission — it is part of their standard verification process. You do not need to wait for them to ask; reporting on your own keeps the process moving and prevents delays in your benefit payments.
If you do not report your earnings and Social Security finds out you earned more than you said, they can overpay you and then ask for the money back. Reporting accurately and on time protects you from this situation.
Earnings That Do Not Count Toward the Threshold
Not all money you receive counts as earnings for the Trial Work Period. Social Security excludes certain types of income from the $1,110 threshold. These include:
- Unearned income such as interest, dividends, rental income, or pension payments
- Gifts or loans from family or friends
- Tax refunds or rebates
- Inheritances
- Retroactive benefit payments from other programs
- Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) — costs you pay to work because of your disability, such as special equipment or transportation
- Plans to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) — money you set aside under an approved plan to reach a work goal
The key distinction is that Social Security counts only earned income — money you receive in exchange for work you perform. If you are unsure whether a specific payment counts, ask Social Security directly before you report it, so you have a clear answer.
Planning Your Work During the Trial Work Period
Because the threshold is monthly and not annual, you have flexibility in how you structure your work. Some people work more in months when they feel able and less in other months, keeping each month under $1,110 to preserve their Trial Work Period months. Others work full-time and use up their nine months quickly, then reassess whether they can continue working under the stricter SGA rule.
There is no "right" strategy — it depends on your health, your job, and your financial situation. Some people use the Trial Work Period to test whether they can sustain full-time work. Others use it to work part-time while keeping their benefits as a safety net. The Trial Work Period is designed to give you room to experiment without the when ready risk of losing your entire benefit.
If you are considering a job or increase in hours, it can help to do the math first. If the job would pay you more than $1,110 per month, that month will count toward your nine. If you have already used several months, you may want to know how many you have left before the SGA rule takes over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the $1,110 amount include taxes taken out of my paycheck?
No. Social Security counts your gross earnings — the amount before taxes, Social Security withholding, or other deductions. If your paycheck is $1,200 but $150 is withheld for taxes, Social Security counts the full $1,200 toward the threshold.
What if I earn $1,110 exactly in a month?
If you earn exactly $1,110, that month does not count toward your nine. The threshold is $1,110 or less. You have to earn $1,111 or more for the month to count.
Can I use my Trial Work Period months in any order, or do they have to be consecutive?
Your Trial Work Period months do not have to be consecutive. You can have months where you earn under $1,110 (which do not count) mixed in with months where you earn over $1,110 (which do count). You have 60 months (five years) from the month you first earn over $1,110 to complete your nine Trial Work Period months.
If I am self-employed, how do I calculate my net earnings?
For self-employment, Social Security counts your net profit — the money left after you subtract ordinary and necessary business expenses. This follows the same rules as your income tax return. Keep records of your income and expenses so you can report accurately to Social Security.
What happens to my benefits in the month I reach my ninth Trial Work Period month?
You receive your full benefit for that month, even if you earned over $1,110. The month counts toward your nine, but you are not penalized for it. Starting the month after your ninth Trial Work Period month ends, the SGA rule ($1,550 for 2025) applies instead.