SSDI earnings limit - tracked monthly or annually by Social Security?

SSDI uses a monthly earnings threshold approach, not annual. Each month is evaluated separately against the SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity) limit. If you earn above the SGA amount in any single month, that specific month could be considered as showing ability to perform SGA, which could trigger a continuing disability review or affect benefits for that month. For 2025, the SGA limit is $1,550 for non-blind individuals ($2,590 for blind individuals). So in your example, if you earned $1,700 in one month, that month exceeds SGA. The $800 month doesn't offset it. However, there are some important considerations: 1. There's a Trial Work Period (TWP) where you can test your ability to work for 9 months while keeping full benefits 2. The months don't have to be consecutive 3. During TWP, you can earn any amount without affecting benefits 4. The TWP earning threshold is lower ($1,110 in 2025) I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with a Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) counselor - they can give you free, personalized guidance about working while on SSDI.

its monthly NOT yearly. my brother got caught by this. made to much in december (holiday retail) and lost his check. don't risk it.

I'm in a similar situation with my fibromyalgia. From what I understand, SSDI does it month-by-month, not annually. But there's this thing called a Trial Work Period where you can make more than the limit for 9 months (they don't have to be in a row) and still keep your benefits. After those 9 months are used up, then you have to stay under the SGA limit every month or risk losing benefits for that month. The really tricky part is that the Trial Work Period has a DIFFERENT earnings limit than the regular SGA limit! For 2025, I think any month you earn over $1,110 counts as a Trial Work Month, but the actual SGA limit is $1,550. It's super confusing and the SSA website explanation makes my head spin. Have you considered talking to a benefits counselor? They can explain all this much better than the regular SSA reps.

You definitely need to report your earnings to SSA every month you work, don't wait for them to find out from your employer. They can hit you with overpayments if you don't report and that's a nightmare to deal with.

Have you been trying to call the SSA for help with this? I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone who actually understood the SSDI work rules. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 5 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with explained that monthly earnings matter more than annual, but also walked me through the Trial Work Period rules. Apparently I still had all 9 of my trial work months available, so I could try working above SGA for a while without risking my benefits. Definitely worth talking to someone who can look at your specific record.

As others have mentioned, SSA evaluates SGA on a monthly basis, not annually. Here's a more technical breakdown that might help you: 1. Trial Work Period (TWP): You get 9 months (not necessarily consecutive) where you can earn ANY amount without affecting your SSDI. A month counts as a TWP month when you earn above $1,110 (2025 figure). 2. Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): After your TWP, you enter a 36-month period where benefits are reinstated for months you earn below SGA ($1,550 non-blind, $2,590 blind in 2025) and suspended for months above SGA. 3. Expedited Reinstatement: Even after the EPE, if you can't work due to your disability within 5 years, your benefits can be reinstated without a new application. I recommend tracking your monthly earnings carefully and reporting them to SSA promptly. You might also want to explore work incentives like Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) which can help reduce your countable income for SGA purposes. Consider consulting with a Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) counselor - they provide free specialized guidance about disability benefits and work.

Regarding IRWEs - they must be expenses that: 1. Are related to your disabling condition 2. Are necessary for you to work 3. Are paid by you and not reimbursed by insurance or other sources 4. Are reasonable costs So for your MS expenses, only the portion YOU pay out-of-pocket could potentially count as an IRWE. Things like prescription co-pays, medical devices, specialized transportation costs, home modifications for accessibility, or even service animal expenses could qualify if they meet all the criteria. You need to document these expenses and submit them to SSA for approval as IRWEs. Keep all receipts and be prepared to explain how each expense is necessary for your work activity. When approved, these amounts are deducted from your gross earnings before SSA determines if you've exceeded SGA.

The SSA system is BROKEN!!! I was on SSDI for 3 years and tried working part time. Reported everything correctly every month. They STILL hit me with a $12,000 overpayment notice claiming I was over SGA for 8 months!!! Took me almost a year to get it sorted out. Their own employees don't understand their ridiculous rules. And good luck getting through to anyone helpful on the phone. It's infuriating how they treat disabled people who are just trying to supplement their income a little bit.

I got it mostly waived but had to pay back about $2,000. Had to submit tons of documentation proving my actual work hours and expenses. The worst part was the stress of it all while dealing with my health issues. Just be super careful - document EVERYTHING, keep copies of all your pay stubs, report monthly, and if possible get written confirmation that they received your reports. The system is designed to trip people up, I swear.

Wanted to add one more thing - my doctor wrote a letter supporting my need for flexible part-time work as part of my treatment plan (saying it was good for my mental health but that I couldn't work full-time). I don't know if it really matters officially, but when I had an issue with my benefits, having that letter seemed to help when I talked to the SSA reviewer. Might be worth asking your doctor for something similar since you have MS and your ability to work varies.

Just wanted to add another resource that might help you - the Red Book from SSA is their official guide to employment support for people with disabilities. It's available free online and has detailed explanations of all the work incentives, including TWP, EPE, and IRWEs that others have mentioned. It's written in plain English (mostly) and has examples that make it easier to understand than their regular website. Also, many states have Protection and Advocacy agencies that can help if you run into problems with SSA. They know the system inside and out and can advocate for you if there's an overpayment issue or other dispute. Given your MS diagnosis, you might also want to check if there are any MS-specific work support programs in your area - the National MS Society sometimes has resources for people trying to navigate work and benefits. The key thing is to document everything and report monthly. Keep copies of all your wage statements, your monthly reports to SSA, and any correspondence. It sounds like you're being really thoughtful about this, which is exactly the right approach.

I went through something very similar when I was first diagnosed with lupus and wanted to try working part-time. The monthly vs. annual confusion is so real! What really helped me was calling my local WIPA (Work Incentive Planning and Assistance) office - they assigned me a counselor who walked through my specific situation step by step. One thing that wasn't mentioned yet is that you can actually request a "work incentive seminar" from SSA where they explain all these rules in person. It's free and they're supposed to tailor it to your situation. I found it way more helpful than trying to decode their website or get info over the phone. Also, since you mentioned MS specifically - I learned that if your condition causes "unsuccessful work attempts" (like if you start a job but have to quit within 6 months due to your disability), those periods generally don't count against you for SGA purposes. Something to keep in mind as you navigate this. The documentation advice everyone's giving is spot-on. I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking my monthly earnings, hours worked, and any disability-related work expenses. Takes 5 minutes a month but has saved me so much stress. Good luck with the part-time position - having that flexibility to work on good days while protecting your benefits is exactly what these programs are supposed to help with!

As someone who works with SSDI recipients regularly, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help you navigate this successfully: 1. **Start conservatively**: Since you're unsure about the rules, consider beginning with earnings well below the SGA limit ($1,200-$1,300) for your first few months while you get familiar with the reporting process. 2. **Use SSA's online reporting**: You can report wages online through your my Social Security account, which creates an automatic record and confirmation. This is often faster and more reliable than phone reporting. 3. **Track your Trial Work Period months carefully**: Many people lose track of how many TWP months they've used. Create a simple calendar or use the WIPA calculator tools to monitor this. 4. **Consider "test months"**: You might want to deliberately earn slightly over the TWP threshold ($1,110) for a month or two early on to "activate" your trial work period while staying well below SGA. This gives you more flexibility later. The fact that you're asking these questions upfront shows you're approaching this thoughtfully. With proper planning and documentation, many people successfully work part-time while maintaining their SSDI benefits. Just remember that the rules are complex but designed to help you transition back to work safely, not to trap you.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who's been navigating SSDI and work for about two years now. I have rheumatoid arthritis and was terrified about losing my benefits when I first started working part-time. The monthly tracking is definitely the way SSA does it, but here's something that helped me understand it better: think of it like a safety net with multiple layers. The Trial Work Period is your first safety net - you can test the waters for 9 months without any risk to your benefits. Then the Extended Period of Eligibility gives you another 36 months of flexibility. One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that you can actually call SSA and ask them to check how many TWP months you've used so far. They should be able to tell you this from your record. Also, if you're working with variable hours due to your MS symptoms, keep a detailed log not just of earnings but also of hours and how your condition affected your ability to work each day. This documentation can be invaluable if there are ever questions about your continuing eligibility. The remote work aspect you mentioned is actually great for people with MS - having that flexibility to work on good days is exactly what the work incentive programs are designed to support. Don't let fear keep you from trying if you feel you can handle it. Just be methodical about tracking and reporting everything.

I've been on SSDI for chronic pain for about 3 years now and went through this exact same confusion when I wanted to try working again. The monthly vs annual question really threw me off too! What I learned through trial and error (and a few scary moments) is that SSA definitely evaluates it month by month. But here's what really helped me: I found a local disability law clinic that offered free consultations about work incentives. They walked me through creating what they called a "work plan" - basically mapping out how I could use my Trial Work Period strategically. Since you mentioned your MS symptoms fluctuate, you might want to consider starting with very part-time hours during your better periods and tracking how that affects both your symptoms and your earnings. I started with just 8-10 hours per week and gradually increased when I felt confident about the reporting process and my health stability. One more tip - if your state has a Medicaid Buy-In program, look into that too. Even if you lose SSDI eventually, you might be able to keep health coverage while working, which can be huge when you have ongoing medical needs. The peace of mind about keeping healthcare access made me feel much braver about testing work again. You're smart to ask all these questions upfront. That caution will serve you well as you navigate this process!

I'm also dealing with a chronic condition (fibromyalgia) and have been on SSDI for about a year. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar position where I'm considering part-time work but was terrified about the earnings limits. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my WIPA counselor - if you do end up earning over SGA during your Extended Period of Eligibility and lose benefits for that month, you don't have to reapply from scratch. Your benefits just get suspended for that specific month and automatically resume the next month if your earnings drop back below SGA. This was a huge relief for me to learn because I thought any mistake would mean starting the whole application process over again. Also, for anyone reading this who hasn't started their Trial Work Period yet, I found it really helpful to do a "practice run" - I tracked my theoretical earnings for a few months based on the hours I thought I could work, just to see how close I'd come to the various thresholds. It helped me feel more prepared when I actually started working. Connor, it sounds like you're being incredibly thoughtful about this decision. The fact that you're asking all these questions and planning carefully puts you in a much better position than people who jump in without understanding the rules. Good luck with whatever you decide!

I'm a case worker at a local disability advocacy center, and I see people struggling with these exact questions all the time. You've gotten some excellent advice here already, but I wanted to add a few practical points that might help: First, regarding your MS specifically - the unpredictable nature of your symptoms actually works in your favor with SSA's work incentive programs. The Trial Work Period was designed exactly for situations like yours where you need to test your capacity to work without risking your safety net. One thing I always tell my clients is to create a simple monthly calendar where you track not just earnings, but also symptom severity, work hours, and any accommodations you needed. This creates a clear picture of how your disability affects your work capacity, which can be invaluable if there's ever a review of your case. Also, don't underestimate the importance of building a relationship with a specific SSA representative if possible. When you call to report earnings, ask if you can speak with the same person each time. Having someone familiar with your case can prevent a lot of confusion and miscommunication. The remote work opportunity sounds perfect for someone with MS - being able to work during your better days while resting during flares is exactly what these programs are meant to support. Just remember that consistency in reporting is more important than perfection in predicting your monthly earnings. You're approaching this with exactly the right level of caution and preparation. That mindset will serve you well throughout this process.

I just wanted to chime in as someone who's been successfully working part-time on SSDI for almost two years now. Reading your post brought back so many memories of my own confusion and anxiety when I first started considering work again after my disability determination. Everyone here has given you fantastic advice about the monthly evaluation, Trial Work Period, and all the technical details. What I wanted to add is more of the emotional/practical side - it's completely normal to feel terrified about potentially losing your benefits! I literally lost sleep for weeks before I accepted my first part-time position. Here's what helped me get over that fear: I started by volunteering for a few hours a week at a local nonprofit. No pay, so no SGA concerns, but it helped me gauge how my energy levels and symptoms responded to having a regular commitment again. After a few months of that, I felt much more confident about taking on actual paid work. The remote work aspect you mentioned is such a game-changer for chronic conditions. On my bad days, I can work from bed if needed, or take breaks whenever my symptoms flare. It's allowed me to maintain some income and feel productive while still honoring my body's limitations. You're being so smart by researching all this upfront. That preparation will make all the difference in your success. Trust the process, document everything, and remember that these programs exist specifically to help people like us transition back to work safely. You've got this!