Last week, we wrote a blog post answering a question that was sent to us through Facebook. We received some great feedback and readers have suggested that they’d like us to make this a regular thing. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. Tell us what questions you’d like us to answer next week! Today’s question is:
Question: How will marriage affect my disability benefits?
Getting married may affect your disability benefits in a variety of ways. This is largely dependent on what type of benefits you receive—Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
If you receive SSI benefits, you likely already know that eligibility is determined based on your income and financial resources. Once you get married, the SSA will “deem” a portion of your spouse’s income to your record. Essentially, this means that they will consider your future husband or wife’s income to be your income as well. This may significantly reduce your monthly payment or even cause the SSA to terminate your benefits altogether.
It is important to note that, if you live with your significant other but are not yet married, the SSA may still decide to deem some of your partner’s income to your record.
If you receive SSDI on your own earnings record, getting married will have no impact on your benefits—no matter how much money your future spouse earns. If you receive SSDI based on someone else’s earnings record, your benefits could be affected in the following ways:
- If you receive SSDI benefits under an eligible parent’s record, getting married will cause your benefits to be terminated. The only time benefits will not be terminated in this circumstance is if you are marrying another disabled adult child.
- If you are currently receiving SSDI benefits on the work record of an ex-spouse, your benefits will be terminated if you remarry. This also applies to individuals who receive SSDI on the record of a deceased ex-spouse who remarry before age 50 if disabled, and before age 60 if not disabled.
Before you make any decisions regarding marriage or disability benefits, you should always consult with an SSA representative. That way, you can avoid unknowingly compromising your benefits. Please feel free to leave additional questions or comments in the section below and we will try our best to answer each of your questions.
Submitted By: Molly Clarke
Blog comments
In reply to I would like to know the if by Diane (not verified)
Hi Diane,
Hi Diane,
He may not lose it all together, but it will be affected if you get married.
i am to be married in Jan . i
i am to be married in Jan . i am on ssi . my wife to be is on ssd . she said thay i will keep my ssi , she draws over 1400. 00 is this true .
In reply to i am to be married in Jan . i by anothny garnder (not verified)
Hi Anthony,
Hi Anthony,
Your SSI may be reduced if you get married. Since the SSA will now consider her income as a apart of yours as well.
My fiancé is on disability...
My fiancé is on disability....he hqs never worked. If he gets married will it cut out part or all or his check???
In reply to My fiancé is on disability... by KK (not verified)
Hi There,
Hi There,
If he is on SSDI it won't.
I'm divorced from a man
I'm divorced from a man who was on SSID when he passed in 2016 and I am also on SSID, I was told when I turn 50 I income will change, will I receive his whole benefit and mine goes away, or do I receive a potion. And when I receive his SSID am I allowed to marry or not. I'm confused, please help.
In reply to I'm divorced from a man by Tammy (not verified)
Hi Tammy,
Hi Tammy,
You may be able to receive part of his benefits if you would not receive more based on your own benefut amount.You are allowed to marry while you receive his benefits, however you may want to contact the SSA to find out how remarriage would affect your benefits.
I collect SSDI and Benefits
I collect SSDI and Benefits from a deceased husband. If I get married again will I lose anything. I'm 58 will be 59 on January.
In reply to I collect SSDI and Benefits by Pamela (not verified)
Hi there,
Hi there,
You may want to contact your local SSA office regarding this as they can give you information specific to your case regarding this.
I am currently receiving
I am currently receiving disability and I am 65 years old. I am also receiving a portion of my widowed husband's disability. He passed 3 years ago. If I remarry will I forfeit either of my disability payments?
In reply to I am currently receiving by Kathy (not verified)
Hi Kathy,
Hi Kathy,
If you are on SSDI, it may not get affected.
Me and my boyfriend want to
Me and my boyfriend want to get married he gets ssi but i have a felony will effect his ssi if we ge married
In reply to Me and my boyfriend want to by Petra martinez (not verified)
Hi Petra,
Hi Petra,
If you get married, his SSI will be reduced in some way.
Ok I've been on Social
Ok I've been on Social Security since I was 5yrs old. I was found completely disabled. So I was getting both SS and SSI but since my payment went up on my social security they dropped my SSI. I haven't been able to work but I'm wondering if I'm able to marry without losing my Social security benefits. I'm not sure how to go about this but I've been with my boyfriend 11yrs and I would love to be his wife.
In reply to Ok I've been on Social by Laura (not verified)
Hi Laura,
Hi Laura,
Your benefits may change after marriage as you seem to be receiving them based off of a parent's work record. You may want to contact the SSA regarding this as they can go over your specific case in detail.
I’m on ssi I know if I get
I’m on ssi I know if I get married I lose my check- cause my fiancé makes over 50 thousand a yr- but if I decide to marry him- say he dies a month or so after we marry- will I be intilied to draw half of his social security
In reply to I’m on ssi I know if I get by Bonnie Toups (not verified)
Hi Bonnie,
Hi Bonnie,
You could be eligible for survivor's benefits, but it is not a guarantee.
I really am feeling hopeless
I really am feeling hopeless that my guy for four years is avoiding to marry me because he is thinks that is VA Retired benefits and SSDI will be effected due to my working and SSDI. Please help me understand this it is truly causing a lot of arguing and hopeless tears?
In reply to I really am feeling hopeless by Care Giver (not verified)
Hi There,
Hi There,
I am so sorry to hear that, you don't have to worry thought because his SSDI will not be affected if you both get married.
Hi I have a question.
Hi I have a question.
My son is receiving auxiliary benefits under my ssdi, if I get married to his father will it effect the benefits he receives?
In reply to Hi I have a question. by Elizabeth (not verified)
Hi Elizabeth,
Hi Elizabeth,
It won't be affected since you are on SSDI.
I’m receiving ssdi now &
I’m receiving ssdi now & I want to get married.will my ssdi check amount changed.
In reply to I’m receiving ssdi now & by Charlie (not verified)
Nope, no effect on SSDI!
Nope, no effect on SSDI!
What will happen if I get
What will happen if I get married and my wife doesn't have a income but child support and we are expecting a child in July and she already has 2 kids and she gets food stamps will my money increase to take care of them we dropped her tanif which she got 588 a month but not anymore do to we dropped it
In reply to What will happen if I get by Koury (not verified)
Hi Koury,
Hi Koury,
I could not say, your benefits may change if you receive SSI benefits but if you receive SSDI benefits they may stay the same.
We are both widows. I am on
We are both widows. I am on SSDI on my own and drawing a little from my deceased husband. I also am the beneficiary on my husbands pension.My fiancé is on SSDI and Medi-cal. If we marry will my fiancé get kicked off of MediCal because of my benefits? We are both 61 yrs old. We are afraid to marry fearing we/he will lose some benefits. He needs his meds.
In reply to We are both widows. I am on by Judy (not verified)
Hi Judy,
Hi Judy,
I really can't say for sure, I would recommend speaking with someone speaking with someone at the Medi-Cal office.
I receive ssdi from my mom
I receive ssdi from my mom who passed away and I do have mental disability's I go to all my doctors appointment take my meds and so on since I was a little boy, you are telling that my girlfriend who has stuck by my side when I went through my mom passing and the pain I can not marry her or my ssdi well be terminated?
In reply to I receive ssdi from my mom by Micheal (not verified)
Hi Michael,
Hi Michael,
SSDI benefits will not be affected if you get married.
My Fiancé receives ssi, we
My Fiancé receives ssi, we are planning on getting married. So my question is, I will be getting a lump sum of cash and a house from my dad when he passes away. ( hope a long time from now) but Can that be taken from me after we are married?
In reply to My Fiancé receives ssi, we by Aliccia (not verified)
Hi There,
Hi There,
His SSI benefits could be affected by that inheritance and if you get married.
Hi, I have representative
Hi, I have representative payee for my SSDI. My good friend has been taking great care of me for many years now & I want to marry her. My question is, before I bring this up to her, is that something I can do with her relinquishing her duties of my payee? Your help with this matter is greatly appreciated... Thank you
In reply to Hi, I have representative by Thomas Stevenson (not verified)
Hi Thomas,
Hi Thomas,
If you want to change your payee, you have to schedule an appointment at your local SSA office.
Hi, I do not want to change
Hi, I do not want to change my representative payee but want to ask her to marry me! Will this affect her ability to continue to be my payee if she says yes? I don't want to bring it up to her unless it's ok.
In reply to Hi, I do not want to change by Thomas Stevenson (not verified)
Hi Thomas,
Hi Thomas,
That may not affect your payees ability to be your representative payee. Good Luck!
My husband gets SSDI and SSI
My husband gets SSDI and SSI we have been together for over 8 years and just got married a few months ago my question is because I don't work can I draw off my husband's SSDI or SSI
In reply to My husband gets SSDI and SSI by Lesha (not verified)
Hi Lesha,
Hi Lesha,
You may be able to if you cannot work on your own behalf.
If I receive Social Security
If I receive Social Security will it affect my benefits if I get married because I have a learning disability and it's been since I was a child but that affect my childhood benefits by being married
In reply to If I receive Social Security by Krishna Hogan (not verified)
Hi Krishna,
Hi Krishna,
If you are on SSI it may but if you are on SSDI it won't.
I'm applying for SSI and
I'm applying for SSI and SSDI but I want to get married. If I get married before I get approve. Will it affect my SSI or SSDI?
In reply to I'm applying for SSI and by Mary (not verified)
Hi Mary,
Hi Mary,
It may affect your SSI not your SSDI.
Hi, I do not want to change
Hi, I do not want to change my representative payee, but would like to ask her to marry me. Before I even bring this up to her is that ok for her to remain my payee?
In reply to Hi, I do not want to change by Thomas (not verified)
Hi Thomas,
Hi Thomas,
Yes, that's definitely possible.
I'm 51 I am disabled,I
I'm 51 I am disabled,I was drawing my own disability until my husband of 25 years passed,I've recently met someone and wanna remarry,if I do will it affect my check? I know it may take my widower benefits away but can't I get my SSI back
In reply to I'm 51 I am disabled,I by sandra (not verified)
Hi Sandra,
Hi Sandra,
You may want to contact the SSA regarding this, you can find a listing of local offices here:
https://www.disability-benefits-help.org/content/social-security-disabi…
If I get divorced and then
If I get divorced and then get remarried and my new spouse as two children and I am on SSDI can I get dependent pay for them
In reply to If I get divorced and then by Scott (not verified)
Hi Scott,
Hi Scott,
It should be okay, but you should double check with the SSA first just to be sure.
If I applied for SSD for my
If I applied for SSD for my son and I am planning on getting married to a woman who lives in another state and is gainfully employed will it effect my sons SSD?
In reply to If I applied for SSD for my by Megan (not verified)
Hi Megan,
Hi Megan,
It won't affect your son's benefits, because your son's SSD is based on his own record.
I’m a student in high school.
I’m a student in high school. I receive social security due to my mom. I recently turned 18 and applied to still receive as long as I’m in school. I recently just got married at the beginning of January. I have yet to go to the ss office. I receive a check soon. Do I need to bring that check with me when I go?
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