1. Understanding Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)

• SGA is a measure used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine whether your work activity is substantial enough to disqualify you from benefits.
• If your earnings exceed the SGA limit—and are not offset by allowances like impairment-related work expenses (IRWEs)—SSA may conclude you are capable of sustaining gainful employment.

2. SGA Limits for 2025

These limits apply across the U.S., including Arkansas:

• $1,620 per month for individuals who are not blind
• $2,700 per month for individuals who are legally blind

If your gross monthly earnings exceed these amounts, SSA may suspend or terminate your SSDI benefits unless you’re in a protected work period.

3. What Counts as Income

Your gross monthly earnings—before taxes and deductions—are counted, including:

• Salary or wages
• Net profit from self-employment
• Commissions, tips, and bonuses

SSA may reduce your countable income by allowing Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWEs), such as:

• Costs for assistive equipment or aids
• Transportation costs related to disability
• Out-of-pocket medical treatment required to work

4. SSA Work Incentives That Protect Benefits

Arkansas SSDI recipients may be eligible for SSA work-incentive programs to support attempts to return to work:

Trial Work Period (TWP):

• Allows you to work for nine months (not necessarily consecutive) within a rolling 60-month period while still receiving full SSDI benefits—regardless of how much you earn.
• In 2025, any month you earn more than $1,110 counts as a TWP month.

Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE):

• Follows TWP and lasts for 36 months.
• During EPE, you can continue receiving SSDI benefits in any month your income remains below the SGA limit. If your earnings exceed SGA for a month, your benefits are suspended but will restart automatically when your earnings fall below the threshold again.

5. What Happens If You Exceed SGA After TWP and EPE

• If your income stays above the SGA limit after both the TWP and EPE periods, SSA may permanently terminate your SSDI benefits.
• However, if your disability worsens and prevents you from working again within five years, you may be eligible for Expedited Reinstatement (EXR). This process allows benefits to resume without filing a new application.