SSDI Earnings Limit Checker
Can I work and still get SSDI? Enter your monthly pay and see if it may be over the earnings limit.
Free · No account needed · Private · About 1 minute
How it works
- 1
Tell us about your work
Share whether you work now and about how much you earn each month.
- 2
We compare it to the limit
We check your pay against the 2027 SSDI earnings limits.
- 3
See what it may mean
Get a plain-language result and next steps to consider.
What you get
- How your pay compares to the 2027 earnings limit
- What the trial work period is and how it may apply
- Questions to ask before you take on more hours
- Links to learn more about work and SSDI
What this tool does
- • Explains how SSA looks at work and earnings
- • Uses the 2027 SSDI earnings limits
- • Helps you plan questions before changing your work
What this tool does not do
- • Does not decide if you qualify
- • Does not replace guidance from Social Security
- • Does not tell you to stop working
Can I work and still get SSDI?
Yes, you may be able to work some and still get SSDI. Social Security (SSA) looks at whether your work counts as substantial gainful activity, or SGA. In 2027, gross pay over $1,770 a month generally counts as SGA. If you are blind, the limit is $2,950 a month.
If you already get SSDI, you may have a trial work period. Any month you earn over $1,270 in 2027 counts as a trial work month. You can have up to nine of these months and keep your full benefit while you test your ability to work.
SSA also looks at more than pay, like your hours and job duties. Always report work to SSA. This checker gives you a starting point, not a decision.
Common questions
Keep going
Last updated October 2026. For general information only, not legal or medical advice.
Sources: SSA: Substantial Gainful Activity · SSA: Working While Disabled
How the SGA Work Checker calculates your earnings result
SGA stands for substantial gainful activity. It is the monthly pay level Social Security uses to decide whether your work is too much for disability benefits. This checker does no math on your paycheck. It sorts your answers into one of four results by comparing your monthly earnings with that line.
For 2027, the line is $1,770 a month for most people and $2,950 a month for people who are blind. Through December 31, 2026, it is $1,690, or $2,830 if blind. The checker uses the 2027 figures.
If you say you are not working, the result is "likely under the limit". Your work history and medical records still get reviewed, but current pay is not a barrier.
If you are working, your monthly pay band decides the result. Nothing or under $1,000 lands under the limit. $1,000 to $1,500 is getting close, so expect SSA to look at your job more carefully. $1,500 to $1,770 is right at the line. Over $1,770 is likely over, though a short work attempt that failed, or extra help from your employer, can lower what counts.
If you are not sure what you earn, the checker says it cannot tell rather than guessing.
Your type of work adds notes but never changes the band. Self-employed people get a note because SSA values business income differently than wages. Limited work done because of your condition gets its own note too.
A worked example: Marcus works part time and grosses $1,600 in a typical 2027 month. That falls in the $1,500 to $1,770 band, so his result is near the limit, $170 below the $1,770 line. If Marcus were blind, $1,600 would sit $1,350 under the $2,950 limit for blind workers.
What you'll need before you start
Whether you are doing any paid work right now, including gig work or cash jobs.
Your gross monthly pay, meaning the amount before taxes and deductions. Take it from your last two or three pay stubs and average them. If you are paid weekly, multiply one week by 4.33 to get a month.
How you work: as an employee, self-employed, or in a reduced or limited role. Self-employed people can start from the net profit on last year's Schedule C.
If you pay for things you need because of your disability in order to work, like a special ride or a device, note those costs too. SSA may subtract some of them.
Social Security sets and updates the SGA dollar limits each year on its Substantial Gainful Activity page.
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