The 2025 SGA amount is $1,550 per month

If you receive SSDI, the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount for 2025 is $1,550 per month. This is the income limit Social Security uses to decide whether you are working at a level that counts as "substantial" work. If you earn more than this amount in a month, Social Security may consider you able to work and could reduce or stop your benefits.

The SGA amount changes each year because Social Security ties it to the national average wage. In 2024, it was $1,550 as well. The amount went up from $1,470 in 2023. Social Security announces the new figure in December of the previous year, so you have time to plan if your earnings are close to the limit.

This limit applies to most people on SSDI. There are a few exceptions — people who are blind have a higher limit, and people in certain work incentive programs may have different rules — but for the vast majority of SSDI recipients, $1,550 is the number that matters.

Key Takeaways

  • If you earn more than $1,550 in a single month during 2025, Social Security will count that month as substantial work.
  • One month over the limit does not automatically end your benefits, but a pattern of months over the limit will trigger a review of your case.
  • The SGA amount increases most years because it is tied to national wage growth, so check the current year's figure before you start or increase work.
  • If you are blind, your SGA limit is higher — $2,590 per month in 2025 — so the standard limit does not explore to you.

How Social Security counts your monthly earnings

Social Security counts gross earnings — the money you make before taxes, not what you take home. If you are self-employed, they count your net profit after business expenses. If you work for someone else, they count your wages before deductions.

The month that matters is the month you earn the money, not the month you receive the paycheck. If your employer pays you on the 15th and the 30th, and both paychecks land in the same calendar month, Social Security adds them together for that month's total. If one paycheck lands in December and one in January, they count toward different months.

Certain types of income do not count toward the SGA limit. Unearned income — such as interest, dividends, rental income, or money from family members — does not affect your SGA calculation. Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE), such as the cost of a personal assistant you need because of your disability, can be subtracted from your earnings before Social Security compares them to the SGA amount.

What happens if you earn more than $1,550 in a month

Earning more than $1,550 in one month does not when ready stop your benefits. Social Security calls a month in which you earn over the SGA amount a trial work month. You can have up to nine trial work months in a rolling 60-month period without losing your benefits.

During a trial work month, you keep your full SSDI payment even though you earned over the limit. This is intentional — Social Security wants to see whether you can sustain work before deciding your case. The nine-month window gives you time to test whether you can work consistently.

After you use nine trial work months, Social Security moves into what is called the Extended may be able to access Period. During this period, which lasts 36 months, you can still earn over the SGA amount, but your benefits will be reduced or stopped in any month you earn over the limit. After the 36-month period ends, if you are still earning over the SGA amount, your benefits stop.

The difference between SGA and the trial work period

The SGA amount ($1,550) and the trial work period (nine months) are two separate rules that work together. The SGA amount is the income threshold. The trial work period is the grace period Social Security gives you to test your ability to work.

Think of it this way: the SGA amount tells you when a month counts as a trial work month. The trial work period tells you how many of those months you can have before your benefits change. You could have a month where you earn $2,000 — well over the SGA limit — and it counts as one trial work month. You could have another month where you earn $1,600 — still over the limit — and it counts as a second trial work month. After nine such months, the rules shift.

The trial work months do not have to be consecutive. You could have three trial work months, then several months under the limit, then six more trial work months. As long as they fall within a 60-month rolling window, they all count toward your nine.

SGA limits for people who are blind

If you are blind and receiving SSDI, your SGA limit is $2,590 per month in 2025. This is significantly higher than the standard limit because Social Security recognizes that blindness creates additional work-related costs and barriers.

The definition of blindness for this purpose is specific: your vision must be 20/200 or worse in your better eye with correction, or your visual field must be 20 degrees or less. If you meet this definition, you are may have access to to the higher SGA amount automatically — you do not have to request it or prove it again each year.

Like the standard SGA amount, the blind SGA limit increases each year. In 2024 it was $2,590, and in 2023 it was $2,150. If you are blind, check the current year's figure before you start work or increase your hours.

Work incentive programs that change the SGA rules

Social Security offers several work incentive programs that let you earn more than the standard SGA amount while keeping your benefits. The most common is the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without it counting against your benefits.

Another program is Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE), which lets you deduct the cost of things you need because of your disability — such as a personal assistant, medication, medical equipment, or transportation — from your earnings before Social Security compares them to the SGA amount. If you earn $2,000 but spend $600 on IRWE, Social Security counts only $1,400 toward the SGA limit.

If you think you might benefit from one of these programs, contact your local Social Security office or ask to speak with a work incentive planning counselor. These counselors are free and can help you understand whether a program fits your situation.

Planning your work around the SGA limit

If you are thinking about starting work or increasing your hours, knowing the SGA amount helps you plan. You do not have to stay under $1,550 — the trial work period exists so you can test higher earnings. But if you want to keep your benefits stable without entering the trial work period, staying under the limit is one way to do it.

Some people choose to work part-time and stay under the SGA amount indefinitely. Others use the nine trial work months to test whether they can work full-time, knowing they have a grace period. There is no single right choice — it depends on your health, your job, and your long-term goals.

Before you start work, tell Social Security. You can report your work to your local office, by phone, or online through your my Social Security account. Reporting early prevents surprises later and gives you access to work incentive counselors who can help you plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earn $1,551 one month, do I lose my benefits?

No. One month over the limit counts as a trial work month, but you keep your full benefit that month and for eight more trial work months. Your benefits do not change until you have used all nine trial work months and enter the Extended may be able to access Period.

Does the SGA amount include taxes taken out of my paycheck?

No. Social Security counts gross earnings before taxes. If you earn $1,600 and taxes take out $200, Social Security still counts $1,600 toward the SGA limit.

What if I am self-employed — how do I count my earnings?

For self-employment, Social Security counts your net profit after you subtract business expenses. If you gross $3,000 but spend $1,500 on supplies and overhead, your net is $1,500. That is the figure Social Security uses to compare against the SGA amount.

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

Yes. If you earn under $1,550 every month, you never enter the trial work period and your benefits continue without change. Many people on SSDI work part-time this way indefinitely.

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

No. Only your own earnings count. Your spouse's income, your children's income, and money from other family members do not affect whether you have crossed the SGA threshold.