How Much Can I Earn While on Social Security Disability in 2025?

If you receive Social Security disability benefits in 2025, you should learn the new income limits. Disability benefit recipients are only permitted to earn a certain amount in additional income each month, on top of their checks from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The earning limits for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit recipients have recently increased for 2025. The current limit is $2,700 per month for blind individuals and $1,620 for non-blind individuals. Recipients must also be aware of the monthly income amounts that might trigger a trial work period (TWP). In 2025, that amount is $1,160, just under the general SGA limit. Consistently earning over the allowed amounts can result in a loss of SSDI benefits for recipients. To ensure this doesn’t happen, contact our lawyers to learn more about managing your finances while receiving SSDI benefits and what to do if your benefits are threatened.

For a free case evaluation with the Pennsylvania disability attorneys at Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates, call today at (215) 515-2954 or (609) 557-3081.

What Are the Earning Limits for Social Security Disability Recipients in 2025?

As a recipient of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, any additional income you earn will be monitored and limited. Recipients can only earn a certain amount in additional income each month, or they could lose their SSDI payments.

Disability recipients must adhere to the Social Security Administration’s substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit for additional earned income. In 2025, the SGA limit for blind recipients is $2,700 per month, while the SGA limit for non-blind recipients is $1,620 per month. This limit refers to any outside income you receive apart from your monthly SSDI check. So, if you maintain a part-time job while on SSDI, the SGA will monitor your income in case it surpasses the SGA limit.

The SGA limit is not the only way the SSA tracks benefit recipients’ income. While you may be able to earn up to the SGA limit in additional income each month, do so too often, and you will enter a trial work period. In 2025, the trigger for a trial work period is earning over $1,160 in additional income in a month. This can be confusing for SSDI recipients, who might be unsure which income limit to follow. Our Philadelphia disability attorneys can assess your monthly income as an SSDI recipient to ensure you follow the appropriate limits and do not jeopardize your access to benefits.

Why Can I Only Earn So Much While on Social Security Disability in 2025?

You might wonder why SSDI recipients can only earn a certain amount in additional income each month, lest they risk their access to benefits. That is because a key element of one’s eligibility for disability benefits is that their injury, illness, or disability is severe enough to prevent them from financially supporting themselves.

Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are for those who have worked for a considerable time but are no longer able to because of a qualifying injury, disability, or illness. Essentially, when you cannot earn a sufficient income because of a medical condition, SSDI benefits can help support you and your family.

Suppose recipients earn over the SGA limit or the limit to trigger a TWP. In that case, such activity indicates to the Social Security Administration that recipients may actually be able to work and that their condition no longer prevents them from earning a livable wage. Generally, SSDI recipients can only work a part-time job if they wish to earn additional income, remain under the SGA limit, and not trigger trial work periods.

The SGA limit for disability recipients typically increases each year to account for inflation and other factors. If you need help adjusting to the recent increase in the SGA limit, reach out to our Bucks County disability attorneys. Staying up to date on the current additional income limits for SSDI benefit recipients is important so that you can keep your finances in order and maintain access to benefits. In addition to SGA and TWP limits increasing annually, your benefit amount should change to account for cost of living adjustments, so tell our lawyers if your monthly check has stayed the same each year since approval.

What if I Earn Too Much in 2025 While on Social Security Disability?

If you earn too much while on SSDI benefits consistently or even in one month, your access to benefits may be threatened. Earning over a certain amount in a month can trigger a trial work period, which might result in a loss of benefits if left unchecked. Earning over the SGA limit might also result in a loss of benefits for the months you had too much additional income in 2025, and may make you liable to pay taxes on your benefits.

Entering Trial Work Periods

As mentioned, TWPs are automatically triggered when SSDI recipients earn over $1,160 in a month in 2025. Trial work periods last for nine months, after which the SSA might consider your condition removed. These nine months do not necessarily have to be consecutive but must exist within a rolling 60-month period. So, if you earn over $1,160 over nine months, the SSA might revoke your SSDI benefits following a 36-month extended period of eligibility, also known as the SSA’s grace period.

This can be frustrating for recipients, as TWP months do not have to be consecutive and are automatically triggered, often without recipients’ knowledge. Our Quakertown disability attorneys can identify trial work periods and prevent you from losing access to your benefits during a grace period by offering medical records confirming your continued disability.

Losing SSDI Benefits

You may lose access to your benefits if you earn over the SGA limit for SSDI recipients in 2025. Earning over $2,700 in a month as a blind recipient or $1,620 as a non-blind recipient will most likely mean that you do not receive your SSDI benefit check for that month. Consistently earning over the SGA limit might result in a loss of benefits entirely.

It is important to be aware of the current SGA limits for disability recipients, as the SSA takes earning over the allowed amount very seriously. Doing so might indicate that you can work and earn a sufficient income, which might cause your monthly SSDI benefit checks to cease. A Chester County disability lawyer can advocate for your disability benefits to be re-instated if they are lost.

What to Do if You Are Ready to Try Returning to Work While Receiving SSDI Benefits

Many people who receive SSDI benefits do not want to stay dependent on them forever. Most hope to one day recover enough to be able to work again and live independently. However, knowing whether you are ready to go back to work or not is not always simple. You may want to begin working again, but you should avoid jumping back into full-time employment right away.

First, you should contact your attorney and discuss the subject of returning to work. Your lawyer can explain how to begin a Trial Work Period and how much money you can earn before you risk losing your SSDI benefits. Remember, Trial Work Period may be triggered automatically if you begin working and earn more than $1,160.

If you begin working, check in with your lawyer about when you start and when you plan to stop. Remember, a TWP may last for 9 months within a 60-month period, but they do not have to be consecutive. If you work for one month but not the next one, your attorney can help you keep track of how many months of a TWP you have used. You might work for several months before deciding that you are not ready, or you might use up all 9 months of the TWP and begin your transition back to the workforce.

Keep track of the income you earn while working in a Trial Work Period. Record keeping is extremely important in case the SSA decides to review your case and possibly terminate your benefits. It is not unusual for people to work during a TWP and discover that they can earn money, but doing so takes too big of a physical toll. Unfortunately, the SSA might see that year earned more than the limit and decide you must not be disabled anymore. Your lawyer can help you protect your benefits.

Can I Receive Income That is Not Substantial Gainful Activity While Receiving SSDI Benefits?

You might not be ready to try working again, but you might have some other income streams coming in. Depending on where this income is coming from and what you are doing to receive it, you may or may not be able to continue receiving SSDI benefits. If you have any other forms of income from something other than your job, our disability lawyers can review it and determine if it puts your SSDI benefits at risk.

Eligibility for SSDI benefits is not based on economic needs. You might have a lot of money in the bank or none at all and still be eligible as long as you have a qualifying disability that stops you from working. As long as you have a sufficient history of working, a qualifying disability, and you are unable to perform substantial gainful activity, you may be eligible for SSDI benefits. Your financial need is not a factor. If you have other sources of income, you may continue to enjoy them as long as they do not come from anything that could be considered substantial gainful activity.

Where might other sources of income come from? Perhaps you have some investments that sometimes pay dividends. Maybe friends or family members give you monetary gifts. Another possibility is that you win some money. Winnings are considered income but they do not come from substantial gainful activity.

Are you receiving other forms of benefits? If you are, talk to your lawyer about them. Depending on what kind of benefits you receive and why you receive them, you might not be able to also collect SSDI benefits. Generally, the government will not provide multiple forms of benefits at the same time for the same reason.

Earning Income That Does Not Trigger a Trial Work Period for SSDI Benefits

Recipients of SSDI benefits are not prohibited from working. However, as you now know, a recipient of these benefits may only earn so much money before they enter a Trial Work Period. At the end of this period, the government may reconsider and possibly terminate your benefits. As such, you must be careful about how much money you earn, and you should keep your lawyer updated about any attempts to work and supplement your benefits.

In 2025, the maximum amount of money a person may earn in a single month before entering a Trial Work Period is $1,160. As long as your earnings are less than this threshold, you likely will not run into any trouble. However, if your earnings are pretty close to this number, you should talk to your lawyer about it. If you are consistently earning only slightly less than the TWP threshold, the government might become suspicious. They might accuse you of being able to work but simply choosing to work less so you can continue collecting benefits. If this happens, your lawyer can help you.

Many SSDI recipients often work odd-jobs or work more sparingly to supplement their benefits without triggering a Trial Work Period. This is especially true for those who might not have other sources of income or have little savings to fall back on if they encounter unexpected expenses. If your work earns you a few hundred extra dollars per month, you should be fine, but still keep your lawyer clued in.

What Not to Do When Earning Income and Receiving SSDI Benefits

If you are in a TWP or working some small odd jobs on the side to help build a financial nest egg, you should always keep records of your earnings and report them on your taxes. Being paid “under the table” might come back to haunt you later. If the SSA believes you are earning extra money and not disclosing it, they might suspect you do not need your SSDI benefits.

Do not try working without consulting a lawyer first. Working could trigger a TWP whether you realize it or not. If you use up all your TWP time, your case might be reevaluated by the SSA, and suddenly your benefits might be in jeopardy.

Do not try working again without talking to your doctor first. Many people are eager to return to work after being diagnosed with a disability. However, some people try to return to work too quickly. Get advice from your doctor about your condition and whether you are in any shape to work. If you try to work too soon, you might accidentally make your condition worse.

Call Our Attorneys About Your Social Security Disability Claim Today

For a free case evaluation from the disability attorneys at Young, Marr, Mallis & Associates, call today at (215) 515-2954 or (609) 557-3081.