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SSA logo: link to Social Security Online home 621. How are your earnings as a self-employed person considered in determining substantial gainful activity?

Your actual earnings as a non-blind self-employed worker may be given less weight in determining your ability to do substantial gainful activity than the extent of your activities in the business. This is so because earnings or losses from your business may be due to factors other than work activities. For example, your business may have only a small profit or may operate at a loss, even if your work is enough to be considered substantial and gainful.

(See §603.3 for the special definition of substantial gainful activity applicable to disabled blind individuals.)

Last Revised: Jul. 26, 2005

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Last reviewed or modified Friday Sep 19, 2008

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