Substantial gainful activity is the SSA’s bright line — $1,690/month in 2026. What counts, what deducts, and how the line works before and after approval.
The SGA 2026 numbers
Substantial gainful activity for 2026 is $1,690 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,830 for statutorily blind individuals, adjusted annually with the national average wage index — current figures live in the SSA Red Book.
Gross earnings, with deductions
SGA is measured on gross wages, but impairment-related work expenses (IRWE) — costs you incur to be able to work, like specialized transportation or medical devices — can be deducted before comparing to the limit. Employer subsidies for reduced productivity can also reduce countable earnings.
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Request your free case review →Before approval: a gatekeeper
At application, earning above SGA denies the claim at step 1 regardless of medical severity. Claimants reducing to part-time work should understand exactly where their gross lands relative to the line.
After approval: the test that follows the TWP
Once your trial work period is exhausted, months above SGA during the Extended Period of Eligibility suspend benefits, and months below restore them. A three-month grace period applies when benefits first cease.
SSI counts income differently
SGA gates SSI at application, but after approval SSI uses an income formula instead: payments reduce gradually as countable income rises against the federal benefit rate ($994/month for an individual in 2026, per the SSA’s SSI pages) — a different machine entirely, which is why program-specific advice matters.
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