The 2017 SGA figure and what it meant that year

In 2017, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount was $1,170 per month for people who were not blind. This meant that if you earned more than $1,170 in a month from work, Social Security could determine you were no longer disabled and stop your SSDI payments — even if you had been receiving benefits for years.

For people who were blind, the 2017 SGA amount was higher: $3,110 per month. The difference exists because Social Security recognizes that blind individuals may need to spend more on work-related expenses like transportation or adaptive equipment.

The SGA amount changes every year on January 1st. It is tied to the national average wage index, so it rises most years but not always by the same amount. If you received SSDI in 2017 and were working, your local Social Security office would have used the $1,170 figure (or $3,110 if blind) to decide whether your earnings affected your benefits that year.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2017 SGA limit was $1,170 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $3,110 for blind beneficiaries.
  • Earning more than the SGA amount in a single month could trigger a work-related review of your disability status.
  • The SGA amount is recalculated every January and has been different in every year before and after 2017.
  • SGA is one factor Social Security considers, but exceeding it does not automatically end your benefits — it starts a review process.

How Social Security used the 2017 SGA amount

Social Security monitored your earnings against the SGA figure each month. If you reported work income above $1,170 in any single month during 2017, it triggered what Social Security calls a "work incentive review." This did not mean your benefits stopped when ready, but it meant Social Security would examine whether you could still be considered disabled.

The review process looked at the type of work you were doing, how many hours you worked, and whether the work showed you had recovered enough to be self-supporting. A single month over the limit did not automatically end your case — Social Security looked at the pattern and the nature of the work.

If you were working and your earnings stayed below $1,170 each month in 2017, Social Security would not have initiated this kind of review based on earnings alone. You could continue receiving SSDI while working, which is one reason the SGA amount matters to people trying to return to work gradually.

Why the 2017 amount was different from other years

The SGA amount in 2017 was $1,170 — but it was $1,130 in 2016 and $1,090 in 2015. It rose to $1,220 in 2018. These year-to-year changes happen because Social Security recalculates SGA based on the national average wage index, which reflects how much American workers earned on average that year.

If you were receiving SSDI across multiple years, you would have had different SGA thresholds to track. This is why it matters to know which year you are asking about — the rules that applied to your earnings in 2017 are not the same as the rules that applied in 2016 or 2018.

Social Security publishes the new SGA amount every December for the year ahead. If you were working and receiving SSDI in 2017, your local office should have told you what the 2017 figure was. If they did not, you could have called 1-800-772-1213 to ask.

Work incentives that let you earn above SGA

Even though $1,170 was the SGA threshold in 2017, Social Security had programs that allowed you to earn more and keep your benefits. The most common was the Trial Work Period (TWP), which gave you nine months in a rolling 60-month window to test your ability to work without any earnings limit.

During a Trial Work Period month in 2017, you could earn any amount — $500, $2,000, $5,000 — and still receive your full SSDI payment. The only requirement was that you report the earnings to Social Security. After your nine TWP months ended, you entered the Extended may be able to access Period, which gave you 36 more months to earn above SGA while still receiving reduced or full benefits depending on your earnings.

Another option was Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which let you subtract certain costs from your earnings before Social Security compared your income to the SGA amount. If you paid for a personal assistant, transportation to work, or medical equipment needed for your job, those costs could be deducted, lowering your countable earnings below the SGA threshold.

What happened if you exceeded SGA in 2017

If your earnings went above $1,170 in a month during 2017 and you were not in a protected work incentive period, Social Security would have sent you a letter asking about your work. They would want to know what kind of work you were doing, how many hours per week, and whether you felt your condition had improved.

The outcome depended on your answers and the details of your case. Some people's benefits continued because Social Security determined the work was temporary or part-time, or because the person still had a severe impairment that limited their ability to work consistently. Others had their benefits suspended or terminated after a medical review.

If you were unsure whether you had exceeded SGA in 2017, you could have asked Social Security to review your earnings record. They keep detailed records of what you reported, and you have the right to see and correct that record.

Finding your own SGA history

If you need to know what the SGA amount was in 2017 for your own records or for a hearing, Social Security publishes a historical list on its website. You can also call 1-800-772-1213 and ask a representative to tell you the 2017 SGA amount and whether your earnings that year triggered any reviews.

Your Social Security statement, which you can view online at ssa.gov, shows your earnings history year by year. If you were working in 2017, your reported earnings for that year should appear there. Comparing your 2017 earnings to the $1,170 SGA amount can help you understand what Social Security saw when they reviewed your case.

If you are preparing for a hearing or appeal and need documentation of the 2017 SGA amount, ask Social Security for a copy of the notice they sent you that year. These notices usually state the current SGA amount and explain how it applies to your benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earned $1,200 in one month in 2017, did my benefits automatically stop?

No. Exceeding SGA in one month triggered a review, but it did not automatically end your benefits. Social Security would have examined your work situation and your medical condition before making any decision. Many people who exceeded SGA kept their benefits after the review.

Does the 2017 SGA amount still matter now?

It matters if you are looking back at your earnings history, preparing for a hearing about work you did in 2017, or trying to understand why Social Security made a decision that year. For current work and benefits, the SGA amount that matters is the one for the current year, which Social Security updates every January.

What if I was in a Trial Work Period in 2017 — did SGA still explore?

No. During Trial Work Period months, there was no earnings limit. You could earn any amount and still receive your full SSDI payment. After your nine TWP months ended, the SGA amount became relevant again for the Extended may be able to access Period that followed.

How do I learn about I used my Trial Work Period in 2017?

Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask them to review your work incentive history. They can tell you which months in 2017 counted toward your Trial Work Period and when your Extended may be able to access Period began.

Can I go back and correct my earnings report from 2017?

Yes, but only within a limited time. You can request a correction to your earnings record, and Social Security will investigate if you have documentation like tax returns or pay stubs. If the correction changes whether you exceeded SGA that year, it could affect any decision Social Security made based on those earnings.