If you are on SSDI, you may be wondering if getting married will affect your benefits. This is not necessarily the case. Many people get married and can still keep their benefits. However, others are subject to a marriage penalty, which may significantly reduce their benefits. The process is complex and may take months or years. If you are married, consider hiring a Social Security Disability attorney to guide you through the process.
Whether marriage will affect your disability benefits will depend on the type of disability benefits you are receiving. SSI is based on your financial resources and income, so if you marry someone with income, the SSA will record a portion of their income as your own. In addition, your benefits may be terminated entirely if your new spouse is earning more than you do.
Those who want to stay married must work with their families on health care and financial issues. In some cases, families decide to bypass the spouse by designating a parent or another trusted family member as the agent. In other cases, the spouse may be listed as a co-agent with a parent. This is a complex issue, but it is one that can be easily avoided by knowing what to expect and how to prepare.
There are a number of factors that may affect your SSDI benefits, but mainly your age and work history. If you have worked for many years, then you are likely to have enough work credits to remain eligible. Besides that, you must avoid actions that could result in your benefits being reduced.
