1. Understanding Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)

For SSDI, income limits are based on the concept of Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). If your monthly earnings exceed the SGA limit, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may determine that you are capable of performing gainful work and therefore not eligible for benefits.

2. 2025 SGA Limits

For 2025, the SGA income limits are:

• $1,620 per month for non-blind individuals
• $2,700 per month for individuals who are legally blind

If you earn above these amounts through work activity, SSA generally considers you ineligible for SSDI. This limit applies nationwide, including in Colorado.

3. What Counts Toward the SGA Limit

Income that counts toward SGA includes:

• Gross wages or salary before taxes and deductions
• Net earnings from self-employment
• Commissions, tips, and bonuses

However, SSA may deduct Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs)—costs related to your disability that allow you to work—from your countable income, potentially lowering it below the SGA threshold.

4. Work Incentive Programs

If you’re receiving SSDI and want to attempt returning to work, SSA offers programs to protect your benefits:

• Trial Work Period (TWP): Allows you to work and earn any amount for up to nine months within a rolling 60-month period without losing SSDI benefits.
• Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE): After TWP ends, you enter a 36-month window where you can continue receiving benefits for any month your earnings fall below SGA limits.

5. Risks of Exceeding SGA

If you consistently earn above the SGA limit after completing TWP and EPE periods:

• Your SSDI benefits can be suspended or terminated
• You will no longer be considered disabled under SSA’s rules due to your ability to perform substantial work