How Much You Can Earn While Receiving SSDI

The basic earnings rule: $1,550 a month in 2024

If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you can earn up to a certain amount each month without losing your benefits. For 2024, that limit is $1,550 per month. If you earn more than that in any month, Social Security counts the excess as a reason to stop your benefits for that month.

This limit changes every year because Social Security adjusts it based on national wage increases. The 2025 limit will be slightly higher, but you can always find the current year's amount on the Social Security website or by calling 1-800-772-1213. The earnings limit applies to work you do for pay — whether you're employed by someone else, self-employed, or running a business.

The key thing to understand is that this is a monthly test, not an annual one. You could earn $3,000 in January and $500 in February and still keep your benefits both months. It's the individual month that matters.

Key Takeaways

• You can earn up to $1,550 per month in 2024 without losing SSDI benefits; this amount increases each year.
• The earnings limit is tested month by month, so a high-earning month doesn't affect benefits in lower-earning months.
• You must report your earnings to Social Security within a few days of the end of the month in which you earned them.
• The Trial Work Period lets you test your ability to work for nine months without any earnings limit, though you must report all work.
• After the Trial Work Period ends, you have a 36-month Extended may be able to access period where you can still receive benefits in months you earn under the limit.

What counts as earnings and what doesn't

Social Security counts wages from a job, net profit from self-employment, and bonuses or commissions as earnings. It does not count interest, dividends, rental income, or money from selling something you own. It also does not count gifts, loans, or money from friends or family.

If you're self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit — the money left after you subtract business expenses. You'll need to keep records of what you earned and what you spent to run the business, because Social Security will ask for them. If you have employees, their wages are not your earnings; only the profit that goes to you counts.

Unpaid work — volunteering, helping a family member without pay, or doing household chores — does not count as earnings at all. Neither does sheltered workshop income (work in a program specifically for people with disabilities) if you're in certain programs.

The Trial Work Period: nine months to test your work capacity

When you start working, you enter a Trial Work Period that lasts for nine months. During these nine months, there is no earnings limit. You can earn $5,000 a month, $10,000 a month, or any amount, and you'll still receive your full SSDI benefit check.

The catch is that you must report your work to Social Security. You don't have to report every paycheck, but you do need to tell Social Security which months you worked and how much you earned in each of those months. Social Security uses this information to track your nine-month period.

The nine months don't have to be consecutive. If you work in January, February, and March, then take a break, then work again in June and July, Social Security counts all five of those months toward your nine. You have a rolling 60-month window to use your nine Trial Work months — so you have five years to accumulate nine months of work.

After your ninth month of work ends, you leave the Trial Work Period and the $1,550 monthly limit kicks in.

Extended may be able to access: keeping benefits after the Trial Work Period

Once your nine Trial Work months are over, you enter the Extended may be able to access period, which lasts for 36 months. During this time, you can still receive your SSDI benefit in any month you earn $1,550 or less. You don't lose benefits permanently — you just don't get paid in the months you earn over the limit.

This is different from losing SSDI entirely. Your medical may be able to access stays in place. If you stop working or drop below the earnings limit, your benefits start again without you having to reapply or go through a new medical review.

The Extended may be able to access period gives you three years to see whether you can sustain work. If you find that working is too hard on your condition, you can step back and your benefits resume. If you're able to work consistently and earn over the limit for nine months during the Extended may be able to access period, your case closes and you're no longer considered disabled for Social Security purposes — but you may be able to get Medicare or Medicaid continuation, depending on your state.

How to report your earnings to Social Security

You must report your earnings within a few days of the end of the month in which you earned them. You can report by phone at 1-800-772-1213, through your online Social Security account (ssa.gov), or by mail using Form SSA-777 (the Earnings Report).

If you're self-employed, you'll report your net profit for the month. Keep receipts and records of your business expenses so you can calculate this accurately. Social Security may ask to see these records later.

If you don't report earnings and Social Security finds out later, you may have to repay benefits you weren't supposed to receive. It's better to report even if you're not sure whether you're over the limit — Social Security can tell you whether the month counts against your benefits.

What happens if you earn over the limit

If you earn more than $1,550 in a month (after your Trial Work Period ends), Social Security will not pay you a benefit for that month. You don't lose your benefits permanently. The next month, if you earn under $1,550, your check comes again.

Social Security does not take back money or penalize you for earning over the limit. You simply don't receive a payment that month. This is different from other benefit programs that might reduce your payment by a percentage of your earnings.

If you're in your Extended may be able to access period and you work consistently enough to earn over the limit for nine months (not necessarily consecutive), your SSDI case will close. At that point, you're no longer considered disabled for Social Security purposes. However, you may be able to continue Medicare for a period of time, or switch to Medicaid, depending on your state and income.

Planning your work and keeping track of your benefits

Before you start working, contact Social Security and ask them to explain your specific situation — which month your Trial Work Period will start, when Extended may be able to access will end, and what your current benefit amount is. You can call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office.

Keep a simple record of how much you earn each month. This doesn't have to be fancy — a spreadsheet or notebook works fine. Write down the month, the amount you earned, and whether you reported it to Social Security. This helps you track where you are in your Trial Work Period and Extended may be able to access period.

If you're self-employed, keep all receipts and records of business expenses. Social Security will want to see these if they review your case, and you'll need them for taxes anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my Medicare if I earn over the limit?

No. Earning over the $1,550 limit stops your SSDI cash benefit for that month, but it does not affect your Medicare. You keep Medicare for at least 93 months (about 7.5 years) after your Trial Work Period ends, even if you're earning enough to lose your cash benefit. After 93 months, you can buy into Medicare if you want to keep it.

What if I have a month where I earn a lot but then earn very little the next month?

Each month is counted separately. If you earn $4,000 in January, you don't get a benefit that month. If you earn $800 in February, you get your full benefit in February. There's no averaging across months, and a high-earning month doesn't carry over to affect the next month.

Can I work part-time and still get SSDI?

Yes. Many people on SSDI work part-time and stay under the $1,550 monthly limit. During your nine-month Trial Work Period, you can work as much as you want. After that, as long as you earn $1,550 or less per month, you keep your full benefit.

Do I have to tell my employer I'm on SSDI?

No. Your SSDI status is private information. You don't have to disclose it to your employer. However, if you need workplace accommodations because of your disability, you may choose to tell your employer and request them under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

What if I'm not sure whether something counts as earnings?

Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and describe the income. They can tell you whether it counts as earnings for SSDI purposes. It's better to ask before you report than to report something incorrectly and have to fix it later.