Substantial Gainful Activity Amounts, by Year
Substantial gainful activity, 2026
$1,690/mo
$2,830 a month for a blind beneficiary — a separate, higher threshold that has existed since the programme began.
Substantial gainful activity is the monthly earnings level at which work is taken to be inconsistent with disability. Crossing it does not automatically end benefits — the trial work period and the extended period of eligibility sit in between — but it is the threshold everything else references.
| Year | Non-blind | Blind |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1,690 | $2,830 |
| 2025 | $1,620 | $2,700 |
| 2024 | $1,550 | $2,590 |
| 2023 | $1,470 | $2,460 |
| 2022 | $1,350 | $2,260 |
| 2021 | $1,310 | $2,190 |
| 2020 | $1,260 | $2,110 |
| 2019 | $1,220 | $2,040 |
| 2018 | $1,180 | $1,970 |
| 2017 | $1,170 | $1,950 |
| 2016 | $1,130 | $1,820 |
| 2015 | $1,090 | $1,820 |
| 2014 | $1,070 | $1,800 |
| 2013 | $1,040 | $1,740 |
| 2012 | $1,010 | $1,690 |
| 2011 | $1,000 | $1,640 |
| 2010 | $1,000 | $1,640 |
| 2009 | $980 | $1,640 |
| 2008 | $940 | $1,570 |
| 2007 | $900 | $1,500 |
| 2006 | $860 | $1,450 |
| 2005 | $830 | $1,380 |
| 2004 | $810 | $1,350 |
| 2003 | $800 | $1,330 |
| 2002 | $780 | $1,300 |
| 2001 | $740 | $1,240 |
| 2000 | $700 | $1,170 |
| 1999 | $700 | $1,110 |
| 1998 | $500 | $1,050 |
| 1997 | $500 | $1,000 |
| 1996 | $500 | $960 |
| 1995 | $500 | $940 |
| 1994 | $500 | $930 |
| 1993 | $500 | $880 |
| 1992 | $500 | $850 |
| 1991 | $500 | $810 |
| 1990 | $500 | $780 |
| 1989 | $300 | $740 |
| 1988 | $300 | $700 |
| 1987 | $300 | $680 |
| 1986 | $300 | $650 |
| 1985 | $300 | $610 |
| 1984 | $300 | $580 |
| 1983 | $300 | $550 |
| 1982 | $300 | $500 |
| 1981 | $300 | $459 |
| 1980 | $300 | $417 |
| 1979 | $280 | $375 |
| 1978 | $260 | $334 |
| 1977 | $240 | $240 |
| 1976 | $230 | $230 |
| 1975 | $200 | $200 |
The other rate series
- Social Security Wage Base
The maximum earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax, and the employee contribution it implies.
- Quarter of Coverage
What one Social Security credit costs in earnings, indexed to the average wage index each year.
- PIA Bend Points
The two dollar hinges in the benefit formula, fixed for life at the year you turn 62.
- Family Maximum Bend Points
The three hinges that cap the total payable on one earnings record.
- Retirement Earnings Test
How much you can earn before benefits are withheld, at both the lower and the FRA-year threshold.
- Trial Work Period
The monthly earnings that make a month count against the nine-month trial work period.
- SSI Federal Payment Rate
The federal SSI standard for an individual and a couple, and the unrounded annual amount each derives from.
- Maximum Social Security Benefit
The highest benefit a worker retiring at full retirement age can receive, and what the COLA does to it.
- Average Social Security Benefit
What SSA publishes as the average payment for each beneficiary category, and the distribution behind it.
- National Average Wage Index
The wage series that indexes the wage base, the bend points and the cost of a credit.
- SSI Student Earned Income Exclusion
How much a student under 22 can earn before SSI counts it, monthly and annually.
By programme
- Retirementretired workers
- DisabilitySSDI
- SSIthe federal rate
- Survivorswidows and widowers
- Spousalon a worker record
- Childrenand the family maximum
Sources and freshness
- SSA OACT — Substantial gainful activity — verified 10 August 2026
- SSA Office of the Chief Actuary — Cost-of-Living Adjustments — verified 10 August 2026
Series keyed by: Calendar year.
Figures effective 2026. Page figures last verified against the sources above on 10 August 2026. Corrections: the correction log · support@inventum.com.au