The 2018 SSDI income limits and how they worked
In 2018, Social Security set the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit at $1,180 per month for non-blind workers and $1,970 per month for blind workers. If you earned more than these amounts in a month, Social Security could consider you no longer disabled and stop your benefits, even if you had been receiving SSDI for years.
These limits changed every year based on national wage averages. The 2018 figures were higher than 2017 (which were $1,170 and $1,950) and lower than 2019 (which were $1,220 and $2,040). Social Security announced the new limits each October for the following year, so people on SSDI knew what threshold applied to their work.
The limits applied to your own work earnings only — not to unearned income like interest, rental payments, or money from family members. They also did not explore to trial work periods or other special work incentives that Social Security offered to help people test their ability to work without when ready losing benefits.
Key Takeaways
- The 2018 SGA limit was $1,180 per month for non-blind workers, meaning earning more than that in a single month could trigger a benefit review.
- Blind workers had a higher limit of $1,970 per month in 2018 because Social Security recognized that blindness creates additional work-related costs.
- These limits changed every year and were based on the national average wage index, so the 2018 figures are no longer the current threshold.
- The limits applied only to wages from your own work, not to other income sources like investments, gifts, or family support.
Why 2018 limits matter if you're looking at old records
If you are reviewing old SSDI correspondence, work reports, or benefit decisions from 2018, you may see references to the $1,180 or $1,970 figures. Understanding what those numbers meant helps you read those documents correctly and know whether a past decision about your benefits was based on accurate information.
You might also encounter 2018 limits in old case files if you are appealing a decision or requesting a new review. Social Security sometimes asks people to look back at earnings history to understand how past work affected their benefits. Knowing the 2018 threshold helps you see whether your earnings that year would have triggered a review under the rules that applied then.
How the limits changed from year to year
Social Security did not pick the SGA limits arbitrarily. Each October, the agency announced the next year's limit based on data from the Social Security Administration's National Average Wage Index. This index tracks what American workers earned on average across the entire economy.
The 2018 limit of $1,180 reflected a slight increase from 2017, which meant that people on SSDI could earn slightly more before triggering a benefit review. By 2019, the limit rose to $1,220. The year-to-year changes were usually small — typically $10 to $50 — but they added up over time. Someone who had been on SSDI since 2010 would have seen the limit grow from $1,100 to $1,180 over that eight-year span.
The blind worker limit followed the same pattern but stayed roughly 67 percent higher than the non-blind limit every year. This difference reflected the additional costs that blind workers often faced — transportation, readers, adaptive technology — that made it harder for them to work at the same earnings level as sighted workers.
What happened if you earned more than the 2018 limit
Earning more than $1,180 in a single month in 2018 did not automatically stop your SSDI benefits when ready. Instead, it triggered a review. Social Security would look at whether you were still disabled and whether your work showed that you could do substantial gainful activity.
The agency gave you a chance to explain your earnings. If you had a one-time high-earning month but usually earned less, you could report that. If you were testing your ability to work through a trial work period or using another work incentive, you could provide documentation of that program. Social Security did not make a decision on the spot; they reviewed your case and sent you a written notice.
If Social Security determined that your earnings showed you could do substantial gainful activity, they would end your benefits. However, you had the right to request reconsideration and later to appeal to an administrative law judge if you disagreed with their decision.
Trial work periods and other ways to earn above the limit
Social Security offered trial work periods specifically so people on SSDI could test whether they could work without losing benefits. During a trial work period, you could earn any amount and keep your full SSDI check. The trial work period lasted nine months (not necessarily consecutive) within a rolling 60-month window.
After the trial work period ended, there was an extended may be able to access period where you could still earn above the SGA limit for a few more months while your benefits gradually phased out. These programs existed because Social Security recognized that people needed to test their work capacity without the fear of when ready losing their only income.
There were also impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) that Social Security could subtract from your earnings when calculating whether you had crossed the SGA limit. If you paid for a personal assistant, medical equipment, or transportation related to your disability, those costs could reduce your countable earnings. This meant you could earn more gross income while staying under the limit.
The difference between 2018 limits and current limits
The 2018 limits are no longer in effect. Social Security updates the SGA limit every year, and the current threshold is higher. If you are currently on SSDI or considering work, you need to know the current year's limit, not the 2018 figure. The current limits are published on the Social Security website each October.
However, if you are looking at a past decision letter or trying to understand what happened to your benefits in 2018, the 2018 limits are the correct ones to use. Do not explore today's limit to a 2018 situation, because that would give you the wrong picture of what Social Security was evaluating at that time.
Where to find the limits for other years
The Social Security Administration publishes the SGA limits for every year on their official website. You can search for "substantial gainful activity" and find a table showing the limits going back many years. This is useful if you need to understand what the limit was in 2015, 2010, or any other year when you were receiving benefits or considering work.
You can also call Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213 and ask what the SGA limit was for a specific year. They can tell you the exact figure and explain how it applied to your situation. If you are working with a representative or an attorney on your SSDI case, they will have access to historical limit information as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I earned $1,200 in one month in 2018, did my benefits automatically stop?
No. Earning above the limit triggered a review, but Social Security did not automatically end your benefits. They looked at whether your earnings showed you could do substantial gainful activity. You had the chance to explain your earnings and provide information about trial work periods or other work incentives. A single high-earning month did not may provide that your benefits would stop.
Why was the blind worker limit higher than the non-blind limit in 2018?
Social Security recognized that blindness creates additional work-related expenses — transportation, readers, adaptive technology, personal assistants — that sighted workers do not face. The higher limit reflected the reality that a blind worker earning $1,970 might have less actual income available after paying these costs than a non-blind worker earning $1,180.
Does the 2018 limit explore to my benefits today?
No. Social Security updates the SGA limit every year based on national wage data. The current limit is higher than the 2018 limit. You should use the current year's limit when deciding whether to work or reporting your earnings. The 2018 limit is only relevant if you are reviewing old decisions or understanding what happened to your benefits in 2018.
What was the trial work period rule in 2018?
The trial work period in 2018 was the same as it is today: nine months (not necessarily consecutive) within a rolling 60-month window where you could earn any amount and keep your full SSDI benefit. After the trial work period, an extended may be able to access period allowed your benefits to phase out gradually rather than stopping when ready.
Can I look back at my 2018 earnings to understand why my benefits were affected?
Yes. You can request your earnings record from Social Security, which shows what you reported earning in each month of 2018. If you disagree with a past decision about your benefits, you can ask Social Security to review it. If the decision is more than one year old, you would need to show that new evidence or changed circumstances support reopening the case.