Social Security Disability Earnings Limit - When does it change at FRA?

Thank you so much for explaining! So to confirm - at $1,250/month she should be fine for now since it's below the $1,550 SGA limit? And then once December 2025 hits, she can work as much as she wants? This is such a relief to know.

While it's true that SSA considers factors beyond just earnings (like subsidies, special conditions, and impairment-related work expenses), they aren't trying to "kick people off disability." For the original poster: It would be wise to report the change in work hours/earnings to SSA. Also, keep documentation of any special accommodations your wife receives at work, as these might be considered subsidies that don't count toward SGA.

The Trial Work Period is exactly what I was going to suggest! In 2025, any month where you earn over $1,110 counts as a TWP month. You get 9 of these (they don't have to be consecutive) while still receiving full SSDI benefits. After that, you enter the 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility where benefits are paid in months earnings are below SGA. One thing though - if she's been working part-time for 3 years already, she might have used some or all of her TWP months. You can call SSA to check how many TWP months she has left.

I had the same issue trying to reach SSA about work limits! After getting disconnected three times, I tried Claimyr.com and got through to a real person in under 10 minutes. They have a service that basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU With something as important as SSDI work limits, it's worth getting the official answer directly from SSA rather than risking benefits.

Great question! SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) are two different programs: - SSDI is based on your work history and paying into Social Security. Work limits are based on the SGA amount ($1,550/month in 2025). - SSI is needs-based for people with limited income/resources. For SSI, ANY income can reduce benefits (after the first $85 in earnings, benefits are reduced $1 for every $2 earned). They have completely different rules and limits, so the situation for your cousin would be different than for the original poster's wife who's on SSDI.

Early morning (right when they open) on Wednesdays and Thursdays tends to have the shortest wait times in my experience. Mondays and the day after holidays are usually the worst. Also, the national number (1-800-772-1213) sometimes has shorter wait times than local offices, and they can answer questions about earnings limits.

Generally, the payment amount stays exactly the same when SSDI converts to retirement benefits at FRA. It's basically just an administrative change in how SSA categorizes the benefit. The only difference is that after conversion, the work restrictions go away. However, if she's been earning enough to increase her Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) since she started receiving disability, there's a possibility of a slight increase. But that's not common and would typically be a small amount.

That's great news! Remember to keep track of her earnings each month just to be safe. We set up a simple spreadsheet for my husband's work hours that was super helpful when we had to verify things with SSA later.