What the 2019 SSDI work limits were

In 2019, Social Security set a monthly earnings threshold of $910. If you earned more than $910 in a month while on SSDI, that month counted as a work month in your Trial Work Period. The threshold amount changed each year based on inflation, so the 2019 figure was specific to that year.

The Trial Work Period itself lasted nine months—not necessarily consecutive. During those nine months, you could work and earn any amount without losing your SSDI payment. The $910 limit determined which months counted toward completing the nine-month period, but it did not reduce or stop your benefit check during the Trial Work Period itself.

After you used all nine Trial Work Period months, a separate rule took over: the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit. In 2019, SGA was $1,220 per month. If you earned more than $1,220 in any month after your Trial Work Period ended, Social Security could suspend your benefits.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2019 Trial Work Period threshold was $910 per month—any month you earned more than this counted as one of your nine work months.
  • You kept your full SSDI payment during all nine Trial Work Period months, regardless of how much you earned.
  • After the Trial Work Period ended, the 2019 Substantial Gainful Activity limit of $1,220 per month determined whether your benefits would continue.
  • These dollar amounts changed yearly; the 2019 figures do not explore to current work limits.

How the $910 threshold worked during your nine months

Each month you earned over $910, Social Security counted it as a work month. If you earned $500 one month and $1,200 the next, only the second month counted. Months where you earned $910 or less did not count, even if you worked.

You did not have to use all nine months in a row. If you worked three months, stopped for six months, then worked again, those later work months still counted toward your nine. The clock did not reset just because you took time off.

The key point: during the entire Trial Work Period, your SSDI check stayed the same. You were not penalized for earning money, and the amount you earned did not reduce your payment. This was the protection the Trial Work Period provided.

What happened when your nine months ended

Once you had used all nine Trial Work Period months, you entered what Social Security called the Extended may be able to access Period. This period lasted 36 months. During these 36 months, you still received your SSDI payment in any month you earned $1,220 or less.

If you earned more than $1,220 in a month during the Extended may be able to access Period, your benefit for that month was suspended—you did not receive a payment. But you could still work, and if your earnings dropped back below $1,220 the next month, your payment resumed.

After the 36-month Extended may be able to access Period ended, you moved into the Expedited Reinstatement period. This rule allowed you to get your benefits back quickly if you stopped working or dropped below the SGA limit, without having to file a new process. In 2019, the SGA limit of $1,220 still applied.

Why these numbers changed year to year

Social Security adjusted both the Trial Work Period threshold and the SGA limit every January based on the national average wage index. When wages across the country rose, both limits rose with them. This meant the 2019 figures were different from 2018 and different again from 2020.

The reason for the adjustment was to keep the limits meaningful. Without annual increases, inflation would have made the thresholds worth less each year, and the protection they offered would have weakened over time.

How to find the current work limits if you are working now

The 2019 limits no longer explore. Social Security publishes the current year's Trial Work Period threshold and SGA limit on its official website each January. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask what the current limits are for your situation.

If you are currently in your Trial Work Period or Extended may be able to access Period, your work report should show you which limit applies to you. When you report your earnings each month, Social Security will tell you whether the month counts as a work month or whether your payment is affected.

What changed about work limits after 2019

The structure of the Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access Period remained the same after 2019—nine work months, then 36 months of continued benefits if you stayed under the SGA limit. What changed was the dollar amount of each threshold, adjusted upward each year.

Social Security also made changes to how self-employment earnings were counted and how certain types of work were treated, but the basic framework of the Trial Work Period stayed consistent. If you worked during 2019 and are still on SSDI now, the nine-month protection you earned then still counts toward your total.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I earned $900 in one month and $1,100 in the next during my Trial Work Period, did both months count?

Only the second month counted. The first month was under the $910 threshold, so it did not count as a work month. You would still receive your full SSDI payment both months, but only one month moved you closer to completing your nine-month period.

What if I worked part-time and earned $800 a month for 12 months straight in 2019?

None of those months would have counted as work months, because you never exceeded the $910 threshold. You would have kept your full SSDI payment all 12 months and would not have used any of your nine Trial Work Period months.

Did the $910 limit explore to self-employment income the same way as wages?

Self-employment income was counted differently. Social Security looked at your net profit (income minus business expenses) and applied different rules about how much work you were doing, not just how much you earned. The $910 threshold applied primarily to wages from a job.

If I am still on SSDI now, do I still have months left from my 2019 Trial Work Period?

Yes. The nine months you earned during your Trial Work Period stay on your record permanently. If you completed only five months in 2019 and stopped working, you still have four months remaining whenever you return to work. Those months do not expire.