substantial gainful activity

Substantial gainful activity is a term used in the United States by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Being incapable of substantial gainful employment is one of the criteria for eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. It is known as the "SGA requirement," and is defined in Section 520 of the Social Security Act.

To be eligible for SSI, an applicant must meet the following three conditions: they must have little or no income or resources, be considered medically disabled, and either not be working or working but earning less than the substantial gainful activity level. To be eligible for SSDI, an applicant must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for enough years to be covered under Social Security, as well as being medically disabled and either not be working or working but earning less than the substantial gainful activity level.{{cite book|last=Glennen|first=[edited by] Sharon L.|title=The handbook of augmentative and alternative communication|year=1997|publisher=Singular Pub. Group|location=San Diego|isbn=1565936841|pages=[https://archive.org/details/handbookofaugmen0000unse/page/350 350]|edition=[Nachdr.]|author2=contributions, Denise C. DeCoste|author3=with|url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofaugmen0000unse/page/350}}

Substantial gainful activity is defined by the Internal Revenue Service as "the performance of significant duties over a reasonable period of time while working for pay or profit, or in work generally done for pay or profit."{{cite book|last=Service|first=Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue|title=Your federal income tax for individuals: for use in preparing 2008 returns|year=2008|publisher=Internal Revenue Service|location=Washington D.C.|isbn=978-0160811951|pages=225|edition=2008}}

Inability to engage in substantial gainful activity means that if a person works, they earn less than a certain amount of money. For non-blind people, the amount set by the SSA for 2009-10 was $980 per month.{{cite book|last=Morton|first=David A.|title=Nolo's guide to social security disability: getting & keeping your benefits|year=2010|publisher=Nolo|location=Berkeley, CA|isbn=978-1413311044|pages=[https://archive.org/details/nolosguidetosoci00mort_2/page/20 20–21]|edition=5th|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/nolosguidetosoci00mort_2/page/20}} If a claimant were to earn more than the set amount, they would no longer be considered disabled by the SSA, regardless of their medical condition, and their benefits would cease after two further disability checks.{{cite book|last=Tomkiel|first=Stanley A.|title=The social security benefits handbook|year=2007|publisher=Sphinx Pub.|location=Naperville, Ill|isbn=978-1572485778|pages=130–131|edition=5th}}

class="wikitable" |+ Monthly substantial gainful activity amounts by disability type:{{cite web |url=https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html | title=Substantial Gainful Activity |work=Social Security Administration |accessdate=November 4, 2020}}
Year	Blind	Non-Blind ! Year	Blind	Non-Blind ! Year	Blind	Non-Blind ! Year	Blind	Non-Blind
1975	$200	$200 | 1990	$780	$500 | 2005	$1,380	$830 | 2021	$2,190	$1,310
1976	$230	$230 | 1991	$810	$500 | 2006	$1,450	$860 | 2022	$2,260	$1,350
1977	$240	$240 | 1992	$850	$500 | 2007	$1,500	$900 | 2023	$2,460	$1,470
1978	$334	$260 | 1993	$880	$500 | 2008	$1,570	$940 | 2024	$2,590	$1,550
1979	$375	$280 | 1994	$930	$500 | 2009	$1,640	$980 |
1980	$417	$300 | 1995	$940	$500 | 2010	$1,640	$1,000 |
1981	$459	$300 | 1996	$960	$500 | 2011	$1,640	$1,000 |
1982	$500	$300 | 1997	$1,000	$500 | 2012	$1,690	$1,010 |
1983	$550	$300 | 1998	$1,050	$500 | 2013	$1,740	$1,040 |
1984	$580	$300 | 1999	$1,110	$700 | 2014	$1,800	$1,070 |
1985	$610	$300 | 2000	$1,170	$700 | 2015	$1,820	$1,090 |
1986	$650	$300 | 2001	$1,240	$740 | 2016	$1,820	$1,130 |
1987	$680	$300 | 2002	$1,300	$780 | 2017	$1,950	$1,170 |
1987	$680	$300 | 2002	$1,300	$780 | 2018	$1,970	$1,180 |
1988	$700	$300 | 2003	$1,330	$800 | 2019	$2,040	$1,220 |
1989	$740	$300 | 2004	$1,350	$810 | 2020	$2,110	$1,260 |

SGA does not include any work a claimant does to take care of themselves, their families or home. It does not include unpaid work on hobbies, volunteer work, institutional therapy or training, attending school, clubs, social programs or similar activities:{{cite book|last=Service|first=Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue|title=Your federal income tax for individuals : for use in preparing 2008 returns|year=2008|publisher=Internal Revenue Service|location=Washington D.C.|isbn=978-0160811951|pages=225|edition=2008}} however, such unpaid work may provide evidence that a claimant is capable of substantial gainful activity.{{cite book|title=Income tax regulations: including proposed regulations as of November 13, 2007.|year=2007|publisher=CCH|location=Chicago, IL|isbn=978-0808018087|pages=2511|edition=Winter 2008}} Earnings derived from criminal activity count in assessing whether someone is engaged in substantial gainful activity.{{cite book|last=Sacks|first=Avram|title=2004 Social Security explained|year=2004|publisher=CCH Inc.|location=Chicago, IL|isbn=0808010719|pages=250–251}}