How many hours a week can you work if your on SSDI?
Mia Ramsey
Published Feb 10, 2026
Social Security typically allows up to 45 hours of work per month if you’re self-employed and on SSDI. That comes out to around 10 hours per week. The SSA will also see whether or not you’re the only person working for your business. You must not be earning SGA, along with not working too many hours.
Will I lose my SSDI if I start working?
Working and SSDI Benefits Generally, SSDI recipients can’t do what’s considered “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) and continue to receive disability benefits. In a nutshell, doing SGA means you are working and making more than $1,310 per month in 2021 (or $2,190 if you’re blind).
How much can I make working while on SSDI in 2020?
While a disabled (nonblind) person applying for or receiving SSDI cannot earn more than $1,310 per month by working, a person collecting SSDI can have any amount of income from investments, interest, or a spouse’s income, and any amount of assets.
How long can you work part time on SSDI?
Trial Work Period All persons who get SSDI benefits can try out working for any 9 months within a 5-year window without losing their benefits. This is called the Trial Work Period (TWP). During the 9 months of your TWP, you can work and earn any level of income while still keeping your full SSDI benefits.
How many hours can you work on Social Security disability?
On the other hand, if you make minimum wage and are working 25 or 30 hours per week, Social Security may use that as evidence that you can work, even if you make under $1,310 per week. (For the details, see our article on quitting work when you apply for disability .)
How many trial work months can you make on SS disability?
You are right in that once you start collecting Social Security disability benefits, you are entitled to nine trial work months where you can make over the amount that the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers “substantial gainful activity” (SGA).
Can you work if you have Social Security disability?
Any work you do after you apply for Social Security disability and after you start receiving Social Security disability must generally be under the SGA amount. But, if you went back to work and had to quit or reduce your hours because of your disability, your work can qualify as an “unsuccessful work attempt.”.
What happens if I work part time and apply for disability?
But if your regular work before applying for disability was part-time work, and Social Security finds you can still do this work, your claim will be denied.