Where can I find the official SSA guidance and calculator for 2026 SSDI income and resource limits?
Executive summary
For official 2026 SSDI income and resource limits, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) authoritative pages and calculators are the primary sources: the SSA SGA (Substantial Gainful Activity) page and the SSA COLA/fact-sheet pages list 2026 limits such as SGA = $1,690 for non‑blind and $2,830 for blind beneficiaries and the SSI Federal Payment Standard of $994 [1] [2] [3]. For tools, SSA hosts benefit and retirement calculators (including the AnyPIA/updated benefit calculator) and the COLA/Contribution & Benefit Base pages where yearly amounts and the taxable maximum ($184,500 for 2026) are published [4] [5] [6].
1. Where to go first — SSA pages that announce the numbers
Start at SSA’s official announcements and program pages. The SSA published a 2026 COLA fact sheet and COLA pages that list program changes and numeric limits (for example, the taxable maximum wage base and the earnings limit for under‑full‑retirement‑age workers) [7] [6]. SSA’s Substantial Gainful Activity page is the canonical source for the SGA thresholds that determine SSDI work disqualification [8].
2. The specific 2026 values SSA (and reporting) lists
Multiple SSA pages and mainstream reporting cite the 2026 SGA for non‑blind SSDI beneficiaries at $1,690/month and $2,830/month for statutorily blind beneficiaries; SSA also set the SSI federal payment standard at $994 and the Social Security taxable maximum at $184,500 for 2026 [1] [2] [3] [6]. The Federal Register summarizes how SSA applies the 2.8% COLA to compute each 2026 maximum amount [9].
3. Where SSA’s calculators live and how to use them
SSA provides online calculators (Quick Calculator, Online Calculator) and downloadable tools that incorporate yearly updates. The AnyPIA/benefit calculator can be updated or replaced with the newer version; SSA’s documentation explains how to add annual amounts or download the updated calculator [4]. SSA also directs users to its COLA and Contribution & Benefit Base pages for the values used in the calculators [5] [6].
4. Independent summaries and secondary calculators — useful but check SSA
Law firms, advocacy groups and private calculator sites have published 2026 SGA and SSI estimates that match SSA’s numbers (examples include legal blogs and AARP), but these are secondary. They correctly report SGA = $1,690/$2,830 and the SSI federal rate of $994, yet they are not the primary legal authority—always cross‑check with SSA pages referenced above [1] [2] [10].
5. What different sources emphasize — and where they disagree
Press and firm analyses emphasize the 2.8% COLA and its knock‑on effects (higher SSDI payments, higher taxable maximum, changed earnings limits) and provide examples of how withholdings or trial work periods work in practice [7] [6] [11]. Some secondary sources offer projections or slightly differing language about exact mechanics; where there is variance, SSA’s COLA fact sheet, SGA page, and the Federal Register notice are the adjudicating references [7] [8] [9].
6. Numbers you should verify directly on SSA before acting
If you need to plan work or benefits: verify SGA, Trial Work Period thresholds ($1,210/month counted months in 2026 reported by some sources), earnings test yearly limits (e.g., $24,480 for under‑FRA earners and the special yearly rules), and SSI resource rules directly on SSA pages and the Federal Register notice—these affect withholding and eligibility [3] [6] [11] [9]. Secondary sites cite these numbers, but SSA’s pages and the Federal Register contain the implementable, legal figures [6] [9].
7. How to find the exact SSA pages and calculators now
- SSA COLA and 2026 changes: SSA COLA fact sheet and COLA index pages (see SSA news/factsheets and oact/cola pages) [7] [5].
- SGA and SSDI program rules: SSA’s Substantial Gainful Activity page and benefits/publication pages [8] [11].
- Benefit calculators and downloadable tools: SSA’s online calculators and the AnyPIA/benefit calculator update page [4].
- Federal Register formal determinations: “Cost‑of‑Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2026” [9].
8. Limitations and a cautionary note
Available sources do not mention a single SSA “2026 SSDI income and resource limits calculator” branded that way; SSA distributes updated calculators, fact sheets and formal Federal Register determinations across several pages [4] [9] [7]. Use SSA’s own COLA pages, SGA page and the AnyPIA/calculator updates as the definitive numeric inputs, and treat law‑firm or advocacy calculators as useful cross‑checks only [5] [4] [1].
Bottom line: for legally binding 2026 SSDI income/resource limits and the numbers used in estimators, consult SSA’s COLA/fact sheet pages, the SGA page, the AnyPIA/calculator update page, and the Federal Register notice; secondary summaries (AARP, law firms) track SSA closely but should be verified against SSA links above [7] [8] [4] [9].