Understanding Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is essential when discussing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SGA can significantly affect a person’s eligibility for disability benefits.
Substantial Gainful Activity is work performed or intended for profit, or a level of work activity and earnings. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses SGA as the minimum monthly wage requirement to determine who is eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. The SSA sets a higher threshold for people who are statutorily blind and annually increases the dollar amount to account for inflation (or rising prices).
Definition of Substantial Gainful Activity
SGA is defined as work that involves significant physical or mental activity, and is performed for pay or profit. The SSA primarily analyzes the SGA the monthly earning threshold when determining whether a person classified as disabled for its benefits programs qualifies for Social Security Disability benefits.
Disability payments are available to those who cannot perform jobs that pay at least the monthly SGA minimum. For its programs, the SSA does not approve disabled individuals capable of engaging in occupations that pay more than the threshold.
There are different threshold amounts are utilized to determine the SGA amount for people who are blind and those who are not blind. The SGA amount is greater for those who match the SSA’s statutory definition of blindness than those who do not.
Thus, those who are blind can often make more money each month before losing their eligibility for disability payments.
What is the Substantial Gainful Activity Limit Per Month?
A cost-of-living adjustment is reviewed annually by the Social Security Administration. The COLA essentially increases monthly Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income payments to account for inflation-driven price increases.
The SSA set the non-blind Substantial Gainful Activity amount for 2025 at $1,620 per month. This means that any person capable of working and making $1,620 or more per month will not be eligible for disability compensation. The SGA threshold for blind people was set by the SSA at $2,700 in 2025.
The threshold for SGA changes yearly, so make sure to review the Social Security Administration to ensure you are not going over the SGA amount.
SSDI vs. SSI: Comparison
The SSA pays benefits to people with a disability through both of these programs. People who have made payroll deduction contributions to the Social Security, are unable to work due to a disability, and have accumulated enough work credits should be eligible for SSDI.
On the other hand, whether they have ever worked, disabled people who meet a specified set of financial eligibility conditions can apply for Supplemental Security Income. The SSA uses the SGA threshold to establish the amount of benefits people should receive.
The SSA does not employ SGA thresholds in its first determination of eligibility for SSI disability payments for blind people.
Once the SSA approves a person’s application for disability benefits, they are allowed to keep receiving benefits until they can work again and earn more than the SGA amount per month. It encourages people with disabilities to look for productive employment and, if possible, return to the workforce in a different position.
Substantial Gainful Activity Meaning
The Social Security Administration describes SGA as a level of work activity and earnings. The SSA uses substantial gainful activity as the minimum monthly wage requirement to determine who is eligible for disability benefits.
If an individual earns income above a certain threshold, it is considered gainful. The SSA sets a higher threshold for people who are statutorily blind and annually increases the dollar amount to account for inflation (or rising prices).
What Is Not Considered SGA?
The Social Security Administration does not take into account income from non-work sources, such as interest income, investment income, or gifts, when determining Substantial Gainful Activity exceptions.
The following are some instances of what the SSA typically deems to be insignificant gainful activity:
- Self-care
- Hobbies
- Unpaid Trainings
- Therapy
- School
- Attending school and engaging in social and or physical treatment
It’s important to understand that the SSA will still view these activities as supporting evidence of your disability, even though they won’t establish SGA for initial eligibility criteria. The SSA may use this information while determining your employment capacity if you can perform some activities outside of work.
What if You Make More Than Substantial Gainful Activity?
You won’t get a benefit check for that month if your income exceeds the threshold level for substantial gainful activity. You will keep receiving benefits once your income falls below the SGA income threshold.
The SSA does not have clear guidelines to distinguish what types of volunteer work are considered SGA, but some volunteer circumstances are likely to convince the SSA that a person is capable of working a full-time job.
Here are several volunteer opportunities that could show the SSA that you are qualified to work at the SGA level:
- If you were to be paid for your volunteer work, your salary would be higher than the SGA level
- You volunteer for more than a few hours each week
- If your volunteer activities’ physical or mental requirements indicate that you might be able to work at the SGA level
- You volunteer at a company that a relative owns
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The Domestic Volunteer Service Act
Work performed as a volunteer for any organizations that are subject to the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 is never regarded as SGA. The programs that are covered are listed below:
- University of Volunteers in Service to America: The year of action
- Programs for Special Volunteers
- Program for Retired Senior Volunteers
- Program for Foster Grandparents
- Active Corps of Executives and the Service Corps of Retired Executives
Conclusion
A key factor in assessing eligibility for SSDI under the Social Security Administration is Substantial Gainful Activity.
For those who are blind and those who are not, the SGA amount varies, and the SSA adjusts it every year. At the same time, specific conditions allow the inclusion of volunteer work to not be counted as SGA. Non-job-related income is not considered. Individuals seeking disability benefits should understand the SGA thresholds in order to navigate the SSA systems efficiently.
