Substantial Gainful Activity
Workers applying for SSDI should understand the concept of “substantial gainful activity.” If the SSA determines that a worker can indeed support himself despite his disability, he will likely be denied benefits. Substantial gainful activity is work that involves productive and significant duties that pay more than the SSA’s predetermined monthly income limit, which is $1000 as of 2011 and usually increases slightly every year.
Types of income that can be applied to substantial gainful activity include wages from a company, earnings from self-employment, or income from things that are in kind such as room and board. Only net income is counted. Income from bonuses or reimbursements is usually not included in the total.
Countable income is the figure used by the SSA to determine whether the applicant meets the eligibility requirements for SSDI. Countable income includes: pensions, annuities, child support, alimony, and regular cash gifts. Countable income does not include the earned income tax credit, fringe benefits paid by an employer, foster care payments, or one time insurance payments.
Tags: SSD Eligibility, SSDI Eligibility