Marriage is a beawedding bandsutiful thing. It brings families together and combines traditions. However, it's also a big change. In addition to lifestyle changes, marriage can also impact your combined financial status, including government benefits such as disability or Supplemental Security income.

Gaining a Spouse May Result in a Loss of Benefits

Although your marital change allowed you to gain a spouse, the change may also alter your continued eligibility for certain Social Security benefits. Here's how the Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates partnership and benefits:

  • Disability benefits. If you receive disability benefits based on an injury, impairment, or medical condition, your benefits will not change if you get married.
     
  • Retirement benefits. Similarly to disability benefits, personal retirement benefits will not fluctuate when you tie the knot.
     
  • Widowed disability benefits. Since family members of disability recipients are eligible for benefits, widows and widowers can still collect benefits from their deceased spouse. However, if you currently receive continued benefits from a deceased spouse’s disability, and remarry before the age of 60, those benefits will stop. Furthermore, benefits will be denied if you are disabled and remarry before the age 50, as it will be presumed that your spouse’s income can offset your disability needs.
     
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI). When you marry, your spouse’s income will be evaluated and may change the amount of SSI benefits you receive, if any at all. If you marry an SSI recipient, while receiving SSI benefits yourself, your benefit amount will change from an individual rate to a couple’s rate.
        
  • Child SSI benefits. If you’re under 18 years old and are receiving SSI benefits, those benefits will end when you get married.
     
  • Divorced spouse’s benefits. When you remarry, the benefits you received from your ex will end. 

Let Us Help

For more information on how lifestyle changes may impact your Social Security benefits, schedule a free consultation with one of our highly skilled SSA lawyers. We’ve spent our entire careers helping those in need understand, comply, and profit from the regulations and aid rules of Social Security. Call toll-free at 800-556-8890 and see how we can help you.

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