A client of a Chicago Social Security attorney often asks what is meant by substantial gainful activity.
Your Chicago Social Security Lawyer Will Explain Substantial Gainful Activity
A Chicago Social Security attorney will tell you that work is not considered substantial when:
- You can’t perform conventional, simple work without greater help and supervision than what is usually given to others; and
- You perform work that includes a minimum of duties with little or no requirements on you and you are not of use to your place of employment or to run your own business.
A Chicago Social Security Attorney Can Tell You How Substantial Gainful Activity Is Defined
The Social Security Administration defines substantial gainful activity as work that is engaged in for pay or profit even if there is no profit achieved. If you are employed by someone else, the amount you earn will generally determine whether the work is considered gainful. In the event that you are self-employed, the SSA will study your work and how valuable it is to the business.
A Chicago Social Security Attorney Will Tell You What Deductions From Earnings the SSA Will Allow
Your Chicago Social Security attorney will explain that you will be allowed to deduct from earnings for work expenses related to your impairment. This can include treatment, medication, travel costs, modifications made to your vehicle, and construction to your home.
A Chicago Social Security Lawyer Will Show You How the SSA Will Determine Substantial Gainful Activity Based on a Formula
The SSA will take into account the kind of work you do, how long you have done it and if the level of SGA had changed while you were working. For example, the SGA level was $300 per month in the 1980s and rose to over $1,000 per month in 2010.
Contact a Qualified Chicago Social Security Attorney
If you have questions about substantial gainful activity and how it is defined and calculated by the SSA, a Chicago Social Security lawyer can help. Call Chicago Disability Law to discuss your case today.
