The 2025 income limits for SSDI

SSDI itself has no income limit — you can earn as much as you want and still receive SSDI payments. What matters instead is how much you earn in a single month, because Social Security uses monthly earnings to decide whether you are still disabled and working.

The real threshold is called Substantial Gainful Activity, or SGA. In 2025, if you earn more than $1,550 per month (or $2,590 if you are blind), Social Security assumes you are working at a substantial level and may stop your benefits. This is not a penalty — it is how the program defines whether someone is still unable to work due to disability.

The $1,550 and $2,590 figures change each year because Social Security ties them to national wage trends. They will be different in 2026. If you are close to these amounts, check back each January to see the new year's threshold.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI has no income limit, but earning more than $1,550 per month in 2025 may cause Social Security to review whether you can still work.
  • The SGA threshold is $1,550 for most people and $2,590 for people who are blind, and these amounts increase each January.
  • Earnings are counted by calendar month, not by how many hours you work or what your job title is.
  • You can test your ability to work without losing benefits through a trial work period, which lets you earn any amount for nine months.

How Social Security counts your monthly earnings

Social Security looks at your gross earnings — the money before taxes, not what you take home. If you are self-employed, they count your net profit (revenue minus business expenses), not your total sales.

The month that matters is the month you actually earn the money, not the month you receive the paycheck. If you are paid on the 15th and the 30th, Social Security adds both payments together for that calendar month. If your pay period spans two calendar months, the earnings count in the month you earned them, even if you have not been paid yet.

Certain types of income do not count toward the SGA limit. Unearned income — such as interest, dividends, rental income, or other SSDI and SSI payments — does not affect whether you hit the threshold. Only work earnings count.

The trial work period: testing work without risk

Before Social Security stops your benefits because you are earning too much, you get a trial work period. This is a nine-month window (not necessarily consecutive) during which you can earn any amount without losing a single payment.

The nine months do not have to be in a row. If you work three months, then stop, then work again six months later, both periods count toward your nine-month total. Social Security tracks this for you, but you must report your earnings each month so they know which months to count.

After your nine trial work months end, you enter a different phase. If you are still earning over the SGA limit, your benefits stop — but you keep a safety net called the extended may be able to access period, which lasts 36 months. During this time, you can return to work and stop again without reapplying; Social Security will restart your benefits the month after you drop below SGA.

What happens if you earn over the SGA limit after the trial work period

Once your nine trial work months are used up, earning more than $1,550 per month means your benefits stop for that month. You do not lose SSDI permanently — your benefits pause and restart when your earnings drop below the limit again.

The month your benefits stop depends on when you report your earnings. If you earn $2,000 in March and report it to Social Security in April, your March benefits may still be paid (depending on when Social Security processes the report). Always report earnings as soon as you know the amount, because delays in reporting can create confusion about which month the overpayment occurred.

If you earn over SGA for multiple months in a row, your benefits stop for each of those months. There is no partial payment — either you are under the limit and receive your full check, or you are over it and receive nothing that month.

Self-employment and the SGA limit

If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit — what you make after subtracting business expenses. You report this on your tax return, and Social Security uses those same figures.

Self-employment also triggers a second test called substantial services. Even if your net profit is below $1,550, Social Security may decide you are doing substantial work if you are spending significant time running the business. This is rare and usually applies only to people who own and actively manage a business.

Keep records of your business expenses, hours worked, and net income each month. When you report earnings to Social Security, have these records ready. They help prove that your net profit is what you claim and that you are not working more than your disability allows.

Reporting your earnings to Social Security

You must report your earnings to Social Security, even during your trial work period when they do not affect your benefits. Social Security uses these reports to track your nine trial months and to know when you have crossed the SGA threshold.

You can report earnings by phone, mail, or online through your my Social Security account. The fastest method is usually online, where you can log in and enter your monthly earnings. If you do not have an account, you can create one at ssa.gov.

Report earnings the month you earn them, not the month you are paid. If you are unsure of your final earnings for a month, report what you expect and correct it later if the actual amount is different. Social Security would rather have an estimate on time than an exact figure late.

How the 2025 SGA limit compares to previous years

The SGA limit has risen most years as national wages increase. In 2024, the limit was $1,550 for non-blind workers and $2,590 for blind workers — the same as 2025. In 2023, it was $1,470 and $2,460. In 2022, it was $1,350 and $2,260.

Social Security announces the new SGA limit each December for the year ahead. If you are working and close to the current limit, plan ahead by checking the announcement in December. A small increase might not affect you, but a larger one could change your work strategy.

The limit applies the same way regardless of your age, the type of disability you have, or when you started receiving SSDI. It is the same for everyone except people who are blind, who have a higher threshold to account for the additional costs of blindness-related work supports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my spouse's income count toward my SSDI income limit?

No. SSDI is based on your own work record and your own earnings. Your spouse's income does not affect your SSDI benefits or your SGA limit. If your spouse also receives SSDI, their earnings are counted separately against their own SGA limit.

What if I earn money from a one-time job or bonus?

One-time payments count as earnings in the month you receive them. If you get a $5,000 bonus in June, that counts toward your June earnings and may push you over the SGA limit for that month. Report it to Social Security in the month you receive it, not when you earn it.

Can I work part-time and stay under the SGA limit?

You can, but it depends on your hourly wage and hours worked. If you earn $15 per hour and work 100 hours per month, your earnings are $1,500 — under the 2025 limit of $1,550. But if you work 110 hours, you earn $1,650 and exceed the limit. Track your hours and pay carefully each month.

Do I lose my Medicare if I earn over the SGA limit?

No. Your Medicare coverage continues even if your SSDI benefits stop due to high earnings. You keep Medicare for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after your trial work period ends, even if you are not receiving SSDI payments. This protection is called Medicare continuation.

What if I made a mistake reporting my earnings?

Contact Social Security as soon as you notice the error. You can call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. Correcting an error quickly prevents overpayments and confusion about which months your benefits should have been paid. Social Security can adjust past months if the error was their mistake or yours.