What Is Substantial Gainful Activity?

Substantial Gainful Activity often referred to as SGA, is an important Social Security phrase.

When Social Security is making a determination to decide whether or not an applicant is disabled they first look at whether the person is unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. If an applicant is able to engage in  substantial gainful activity then they will not be found to be disabled.

Each year Social Security adjusts the amount of earnings per month which they consider to be SGA. Here is a chart for the SGA dated back to 1975. In 2011, earnings over $1,000 per month for non-blind individuals were considered to be substantial gainful activity. In 2012, SGA for non-blind individuals will increase to $1,010 per month.

Individuals who are blind have a different SGA than those who are not blind. For non-blind individuals SGA is the same whether you are applying for SSD or SSI. Whereas for blind individuals SGA for the blind does not apply to SSI.

There is a special exception to this rule of not being found to be disabled if earning over SGA. If you can prove that you work in what is known as a "sheltered work environment" then Social Security may ignore the amount of earnings you receive for that work.