Direct answer
What is substantial gainful activity?
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is the SSA's monthly earnings threshold used to decide whether someone is working at a level that disqualifies them from SSDI — $1,690 per month for non-blind recipients in 2026, and $2,830 per month for statutorily blind recipients.
The SSA updates SGA figures annually based on the national average wage index. Earnings above SGA generally show that a person is not disabled under the SSA's definition, though some deductions (impairment-related work expenses, subsidies) can lower countable earnings.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
What are the 2026 SGA amounts?
$1,690/month for non-blind recipients and $2,830/month for statutorily blind recipients.
Does SGA include all earnings?
Not always — impairment-related work expenses and employer subsidies can reduce countable earnings below the gross amount.
Topics
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.
- SSA — Substantial Gainful Activity (ssa.gov)