Last Updated: 9/24/2026
If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and are considering returning to work or have recently done so, you may have questions about how your earnings could affect your benefits. One term that often comes up is Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA).
Understanding how SGA works and when the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers your earnings can help form your expectations when you return to work.
Understanding Substantial Gainful Activity
SGA is one of the ways SSA measures work and earnings. If you are receiving SSDI and return to work, your earnings may affect your benefits after certain work incentives have been used. The good news is that earning above the SGA level does not automatically mean you lose your benefits.
Social Security has several work incentives designed to help individuals test their ability to work while maintaining important protections. For 2026, the SGA amount is $1,690 per month for non-blind beneficiaries and $2,830 per month for blind beneficiaries. These amounts are adjusted yearly by Social Security.
SGA becomes especially important after you complete your Trial Work Period (TWP). At that point, SSA reviews your work activity and earnings to determine whether you are eligible to receive an SSDI payment for a particular month.
An Employment Network (EN) like Allsup Employment Services (AES) can help you understand SGA and how your earnings may affect your benefits as your work situation changes.
SGA And The Trial Work Period
The Trial Work Period gives you an opportunity to test your ability to work while continuing to receive your full SSDI benefit. During the TWP, you can work and earn income while still receiving your full SSDI benefit regardless of how much you earn, as long as you report your work activity to Social Security and continue to have a disabling impairment.
In 2026, earnings of $1,210 or more in a month count as a TWP month. For self-employment, more than 80 hours of work in a month can also count as a TWP month. You can use nine TWP months within a rolling 60-month period, and those months do not have to be consecutive.
It is important to understand that the TWP earnings amount and the SGA amount serve different purposes. The TWP threshold is used to determine whether a month counts toward your nine-month work trial. After the TWP ends, Social Security uses SGA when evaluating your work and whether an SSDI payment is payable for a particular month.
What Happens After The Trial Work Period
After you complete your TWP, you automatically enter a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE).
During the EPE, whether you receive an SSDI payment generally depends on your earnings. If your earnings are below the SGA level, you may receive an SSDI payment for that month. Your cash benefits are paused for months when your earnings are above SGA.
The first time your earnings exceed the SGA level during the EPE is treated differently. Social Security considers that month your cessation month and continues to pay your SSDI benefit for that month and the following two months. This three-month period is known as the grace period.
Factors That Can Affect How Social Security Counts Your Earnings
When determining whether your earnings are at or above SGA level, Social Security may consider more than your gross monthly earnings.
For example, Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) are costs you pay for items or services you need because of your disability in order to work. If approved, Social Security may be able deduct qualifying IRWEs when determining your countable earnings for SGA purposes.
Whether an expense qualifies as an IRWE depends on your individual circumstances and Social Security's rules. Understanding which work incentives may apply can give you a better understanding of how your earnings may affect your SSDI benefits.
An EN can help you learn more about work incentives that may apply to your return-to-work goals. For eligible participants, this support is provided at no cost through the Ticket to Work Program.
Reporting Work And Earnings
When you return to work, it is important to keep Social Security informed about your employment and earnings to determine how your work affects your benefits. This can include:
- Changes in employment.
- Hours worked.
- Self-employment activity.
- Certain disability-related work expenses.
Keeping records of your work activity can make it easier to provide accurate information. Documents such as pay stubs, logs of hours worked and receipts for disability-related work expenses can help provide documentation of your employment and earnings.
Accurate and timely reporting can also help reduce the possibility of overpayments or unexpected changes to your benefits. When Social Security has current information about your work and earnings, it is better able to determine how your employment affects your benefits and ensure payments are accurate.
Returning To Work With Allsup Employment Services
Allsup Employment Services is an SSA-authorized EN for the TTW Program. We have over 12 years of experience helping thousands of individuals return to work. We can help guide you through the SSA’s work incentives as you move forward on your return-to-work journey.
TTW helps you protect your SSA disability benefits, and working with AES you can:
- Earn More. Make as much income as you choose during the Trial Work Period and protect your full SSDI benefits.
- Stress Less. Avoid medical disability reviews and the worry that comes with them.
- Keep Medicare. While working, you can keep Medicare for over seven years.
- Avoid Risk. If you stop working anytime within five years, your SSDI benefits can resume through a reinstatement process.
- Pay Nothing. As a Social Security-authorized Employment Network, our services are provided at no cost.
Choosing AES means working with an EN who’s focused on your goals and will work with you every step of the way.
Get Started With No Cost And No Obligation
You can reach Allsup Employment Services today by calling 866-540-5105 or requesting a call.
