Determining Substantial Gainful Activity Claims

The Law Office of Paul Tendler will help you determine and legally declare your level of ability to perform a Substantial Gainful Activity or SGA.

Legislators designed Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to financially support individuals whose injuries prevent them from working. Officials use the SGA to determine a person's ability to work. If you can work and make a certain minimum income set for each calendar year by Social Security, you can perform a substantial gainful activity (SGA).

For an applicant to receive disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires that the applicant be unable to perform SGA. In determining SGA, the SSA does not include nonwork income such as interest, inheritance, or gifts.

SGA for blind applicants applies to Social Security disability benefits but does not apply to SSI benefits. SGA for disabled people who are not blind applies to Social Security and SSI benefits.

For a free initial consultation about the SGA threshold and how Paul Tendler can help you file an inability to perform a Substantial Gainful Activity, call the Law Office of Paul Tendler today.

Suppose you earned more than $1,070 per month in 2014. In that case, your disability claims most likely will be denied without even reviewing your medical record because you are ineligible for benefits based on nonmedical criteria.

The exception is any individual who earned more than the SGA threshold due to working under "special circumstances." Examples of special circumstances include:

• Special assistance from co-workers to complete the work
• Provided special equipment or assigned work especially suited to your impairment
• Given the opportunity to work due to a family relationship, past association with the employer, or the employer's concern for the claimant's welfare
• Afforded a lower standard of productivity or efficiency than other employees