M: When is the last time that the United States increased the amount of money a personal disability could earn before they got kicked off? Also, return any other similar areas where there has been a little to no effort to maintain a modern adjustment for inflation on disability funds
G: The most recent adjustment to the earnings limit for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients occurred in 2025. As of that year, non-blind beneficiaries can earn up to $1,620 per month without jeopardizing their benefits, an increase from $1,550 in 2024. For blind beneficiaries, the limit rose to $2,700 per month, up from $2,590 in 2024. citeturn0search3
These earnings thresholds, known as Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limits, are adjusted annually based on the National Average Wage Index. This indexing method ensures that the limits reflect changes in average wages over time. citeturn0search19
In addition to the SGA limits, SSDI beneficiaries have access to a "trial work period." During this period, they can test their ability to work for nine months within a rolling five-year window without affecting their benefits. In 2025, any month in which earnings exceed $1,160 counts toward this trial period, up from $1,110 in 2024. citeturn0search3
While these adjustments aim to keep pace with economic changes, some aspects of disability funding have not maintained alignment with inflation. For instance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are adjusted for price inflation but not for wage growth. As a result, the maximum SSI benefit has declined relative to average Social Security retirement benefits over time. citeturn0search20
Moreover, the Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) applied to Social Security benefits, including SSDI and SSI, have varied over the years. In 2025, the COLA is set at 2.5%, which is lower than the 3.2% increase in 2024 and the 8.7% increase in 2023. These adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) and may not always fully reflect the inflation experienced by beneficiaries, particularly in areas like healthcare and housing. citeturn0search2
These factors highlight ongoing challenges in ensuring that disability benefits adequately keep pace with the cost of living and wage growth.
M: The point is that when confronted by reporters about reports of congress members conducting insider trading, the speaker of the house attempted to defend stock, trading by saying that since congressional wages hadn’t gone since 2009, they had to make up for the 31% shortfall in someway. Disregarding the fact that it’s a six figure income, and that I’m not sure if that number is accurate or not – though I would like to know if it is – I’m looking for comparative situations which affect a lot more. People have a lot less income. Got any suggestions
G: You're correct in noting that members of Congress have not received a salary increase since 2009. Their annual salary has remained at $174,000, which, when adjusted for inflation, would be approximately $217,900 in today's dollars—a reduction of about 20% in real purchasing power citeturn0news15.
However, this situation stands in stark contrast to the financial challenges faced by millions of lower-income Americans, whose benefits and wages have similarly stagnated or even declined in real terms. Here are some notable examples:
The federal minimum wage has been fixed at $7.25 per hour since July 24, 2009. Adjusted for inflation, this wage is now worth less than at any time since 1949 citeturn0news13. In 1968, the minimum wage was $1.60 per hour, which equates to approximately $12.50 in today's dollars. This means that the current minimum wage has lost about 40% of its purchasing power compared to its peak value citeturn0search3.
SSI provides financial assistance to low-income individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled. As of 2020, the maximum federal SSI benefit was $914 per month for an individual and $1,371 for a couple. These amounts are adjusted annually for inflation, but the adjustments have not kept pace with actual living costs. Moreover, the resource limits for SSI eligibility—$2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples—have remained unchanged since 1989, despite significant inflation over the past three decades citeturn0search19.
In 2021, the Biden administration implemented a 21% increase in SNAP benefits by updating the Thrifty Food Plan, marking the first significant change since the 1970s citeturn0news16. However, the additional emergency allotments provided during the COVID-19 pandemic ended in March 2023, reducing benefits for nearly 30 million Americans by an average of $90 per month citeturn0news17.
The Fair Labor Standards Act established overtime pay protections, but the salary threshold for exemption has not kept up with inflation. As of 2021, only 15% of salaried workers qualified for overtime pay, down from over 60% in 1975. This erosion means many employees work additional hours without corresponding compensation citeturn0news14.
These examples illustrate that while congressional salaries have remained static in nominal terms, many essential programs and wages for lower-income Americans have experienced stagnation or decline in real terms, exacerbating economic disparities.