How Does Marriage Affect Social Security Disability Benefits?

On This Page

1. Does Getting Married Affect SSDI Benefits?
2. Can You Be Married and Receive SSI?
3. Discuss Your Options With a Social Security Disability Attorney Before Your Wedding
4. Marriage and Social Security Disability Benefits for Disabled Adult Children
5. Let Berger and Green Talk to You About Disability Benefits and Marriage

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

January 01, 2024

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

Many couples ask us what benefits they will lose if they get married. How marriage affects Social Security benefits depends greatly on the type of benefits you receive. Depending on the circumstances, it could have no effect, reduce your monthly payment, or stop your benefits entirely. You will want to ensure you understand the unique effects in your case before your wedding.

In general, getting married should not affect your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. However, there are some circumstances where you could lose your benefits after you get married. However, getting married—or even moving in with a significant other—could put your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits in jeopardy. Make sure you discuss your situation with your local Social Security field office or with a Pittsburgh Social Security Disability lawyer.

Does Getting Married Affect SSDI Benefits?

As long as you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance based on your own work record, getting married will not affect your disability benefits. You can continue to draw your monthly benefits without interruption. 

Most people qualify for their SSDI monthly payment based on their own earnings record, so getting married will not affect their SSDI disability payments. There is no income or resource limit on this type of government benefit. It is paid based on the money you paid into Social Security as a worker.

The rules are different, however, if you qualify based on someone else’s work records. If your disability depends on the work record of a parent or divorced spouse, you will likely lose your benefits when you get married. 

What If I Remarry? What Happens to My Social Security Benefits?

Social Security marriage benefits are valuable, but you could lose your SSDI benefits if:

• You receive them based on the work record of a deceased spouse; and
• You remarry before age 50

The rules that apply when you file for SSDI based on someone else’s work credits are complex and often challenging to understand on your own. You may want to discuss these rules and your continued eligibility requirement with someone knowledgeable about how these programs work before you get married.

If you have not yet filed and need help navigating the process, the team of Pittsburgh Social Security Disability Insurance lawyers at Berger and Green is here for you. We help clients in Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and some parts of Ohio apply and navigate the appeals process after a denial. 

Can You Be Married and Receive SSI?

The qualifications for Supplemental Security Income require Disability Determination Services to look at a person’s household income and assets when approving them for this type of federal benefit. This includes not only your monthly income and assets but also your spousal income and assets held by your current spouse.

Marriage and SSI benefits can be tricky for couples. When you get married, it increases your household income and assets. In this way, getting married could decrease your SSI payment or cause them to terminate it entirely. By adding a second income into your household, you could easily exceed the income limit for SSI payments. 

If your new spouse also receives SSI benefits, the Social Security Administration will consider the amount you should get per household based on the criteria for couples. This could reduce your benefits significantly.

In 2025, the maximum monthly SSI payment for a single person is $967.  For a couple with both spouses receiving SSI payments, the maximum monthly payment is $1,450.

What if We Don’t Get Married But Live Together?

It is important to note that this applies if you move in together without getting married, too. Even if you were a single-wage earner and cannot work because of your disability, SSI will consider the income and resources available to your entire household as a part of the applicable process. 

Before moving in with or marrying your partner, consult a Pittsburgh Supplemental Security Income lawyer to discuss any potential changes to your benefits.

Discuss Your Options With a Social Security Disability Attorney Before Your Wedding

While we know it is important to you to marry your beloved, it is also vital that you consider whether your marriage will affect your ability to get the maximum benefit based on your income or earnings record from Social Security Disability. 

Some of the circumstances are complex, and getting married without fully exploring its effect on your disability benefits could leave you scrambling to make ends meet. It is better to sort it out beforehand so you can know what to expect. This is especially true if most of your financial resources depend on your Social Security Disability income. 

An upcoming marriage should also be a consideration if you are considering an application for benefits, especially if you believe you might qualify for SSI or need to rely on a late spouse’s earning records for your benefits. Our attorneys can help you understand how this could affect your application, benefits, and qualifications for SSDI, SSI, or both.

Marriage and Social Security Disability Benefits for Disabled Adult Children

Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits are a type of Social Security benefit available to adults with disabilities that began before the age of 22. These benefits are based on the earnings record of a parent who is either retired, disabled, or deceased. For many disabled adult children, DAC benefits provide crucial financial support, but marriage can have significant implications for their eligibility.

How Marriage Impacts DAC Benefits

Generally, marriage disqualifies an individual from receiving DAC benefits. When a person receiving DAC benefits gets married, they are no longer considered a dependent of their parents, which typically results in the loss of DAC eligibility. 

This rule exists because DAC benefits are meant to support dependent children who cannot financially support themselves due to a disability; marriage is often seen as an indication of self-sufficiency or financial independence.

Eligibility Changes Upon Marriage

When a disabled adult child marries, their eligibility for DAC benefits will usually end, and they may no longer receive benefits under their parent’s Social Security record. This can create financial strain if the individual does not have another source of income, as they lose access to a potentially substantial financial resource.

However, in some cases, a disabled adult child may be able to apply for and receive SSI. If the individual and their spouse’s combined income and assets fall within SSI limits, SSI could provide an alternative source of financial support.

Will My Child Lose SSI If I Get Married?

If your child is receiving SSI benefits, make sure you weigh your options before getting married. Your partner’s income and assets can affect your child’s SSI benefits. You read about disability benefits for children in the SSA’s Benefits For Children With Disabilities brochure.

Let Berger and Green Talk to You About Disability Benefits and Marriage

If you have questions or concerns about what will happen to your Social Security Disability benefits if you get married, the team from Berger and Green can help. We can explain your qualifications and help you file any necessary paperwork, or we can help you fight a wrongful termination of your benefits.

The disability attorneys from Berger and Green know what it takes to get and keep your SSDI and/or SSI benefits. We can evaluate your case, answer any questions you may have, and fight to help you keep the disability benefits you need if you cannot work. We serve SSI and SSDI clients in the Pittsburgh area, West Virginia, and some Ohio counties.

Contact us today for your complimentary consultation with a member of our team.