SGA — Substantial Gainful Activity
The earnings threshold used by the SSA to determine whether a person is engaging in work that disqualifies them from SSDI or SSI benefits.
Official source: ssa.gov
SGA stands for Substantial Gainful Activity — it's the monthly earnings threshold Social Security uses to decide whether you're working too much to qualify for disability benefits. If you earn above this amount, SSA may decide you're not disabled enough to receive SSDI.
**2026 SGA thresholds:** - **$1,690/month** for most people - **$2,830/month** for people who are blind
**What counts toward SGA:** Gross wages from employment. Self-employment income (calculated differently, based on the value of your services to the business). SSA looks at average monthly earnings over a period of time, not just one good month.
**What can lower your countable income:** - Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) — costs you pay because of your disability in order to work (medications, transportation, equipment) are deducted before comparing earnings to SGA - Subsidies and special conditions — if your employer gives you special accommodations or more support than a non-disabled worker would get, the value of those extras can be subtracted
**Testing your ability to work — Trial Work Period:** If you're already receiving SSDI, you can test whether you can work without immediately losing benefits. During a Trial Work Period of up to 9 months, you can earn any amount without your benefits being affected. After the Trial Work Period, the SGA threshold kicks in.
SGA does not apply to SSI in the same way — SSI uses a different income-counting formula rather than a hard monthly cutoff.
In real life
- A person who earns more than the SGA amount each month may not be able to get disability benefits.
- Someone who works a little bit but stays under the SGA limit can still receive their disability payments.
- A veteran receiving disability benefits needs to be careful not to earn over the SGA amount from a job.
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Frequently asked questions about SGA
What is Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)?+
The earnings threshold used by the SSA to determine whether a person is engaging in work that disqualifies them from SSDI or SSI benefits. 2025 SGA threshold: $1,620/month for non-blind individuals; $2,700/month for blind individuals.
Who qualifies for SGA?+
Adults under full retirement age who have a qualifying medical condition expected to last 12+ months and who have earned enough recent work credits.
How do I apply for SGA?+
Apply online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. There's no cost to apply.
Where can I get help?+
Run the SSDI Filing Success Score to check your readiness, then the SSDI Benefit Estimator to size up your monthly payment. Local Social Security field offices can also help you apply at no cost.
Source: ssa.gov