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Automatic Increases
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Substantial Gainful Activity

Updated October 17, 2007

Automatic Increases

Determinations:
  SGA for blind
  SGA for non-blind disabled

Wage-indexed amounts

To be eligible for disability benefits, a person must be unable to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA). A person who is earning more than a certain monthly amount (net of impairment-related work expenses) is ordinarily considered to be engaging in SGA. The amount of monthly earnings considered as SGA depends on the nature of a person's disability. The Social Security Act specifies a higher SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals; Federal regulations specify a lower SGA amount for non-blind individuals. Both SGA amounts increase with increases in the national average wage index.

Amounts for 2008
The monthly SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals for 2008 is $1,570. For non-blind individuals, the monthly SGA amount for 2008 is $940. SGA for the blind does not apply to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, while SGA for the non-blind disabled applies to Social Security and SSI benefits. See historical series of SGA amounts below.

Trial work period
After a person becomes eligible for disability benefits, the person may attempt to return to the work force. As an incentive, we provide a trial work period in which a beneficiary may have earnings and still collect benefits.

Monthly substantial gainful activity amounts by disability type

Year Non-blind Blind
1975 $200 $200
1976 230 230
1977 240 240
1978 260 333
1979 280 375
1980 300 417
1981 300 458
1982 300 500
1983 300 550
1984 300 580
1985 300 610
1986 300 650
1987 300 680
1988 300 700
1989 300 740

Year Non-blind Blind
1990 $500 $780
1991 500 810
1992 500 850
1993 500 880
1994 500 930
1995 500 940
1996 500 960
1997 500 1,000
1998 500 1,050
1999 700 a 1,110
2000 700 1,170
2001 740 1,240
2002 780 1,300
2003 800 1,330
2004 810 1,350
a $500 amount applied in the first half of 1999.

Year Non-blind Blind
2005 $830 $1,380
2006 860 1,450
2007 900 1,500
2008 940 1,570

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