Marriage is a life transition that may impact various areas of your life, including your finances. Many of the worries are related to how this may affect your Social Security benefits. This largely depends on your benefits.
How marriage affects Social Security retirement benefits
If you receive Social Security retirement benefits on your own earnings record, marriage does not affect the amount of your benefits. Your monthly checks are due to you regardless of whether you get married.
Does marriage impact Social Security disability benefits?
Similar to the advantages of retirement, if you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) on your own record and work history, the benefits would still be the same if you get married. Your spouse’s assets or earnings do not affect the SSDI payments.
Effect of marriage on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program that serves individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled and who have limited income and resources. Marriage can change the SSI consideration, as the program takes into account both spouses’ incomes and resources to determine eligibility and payment amounts. Some important considerations include:
- Income and resource limits are $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple.
- Benefit reduction occurs when both spouses are SSI-eligible. They will get paid less, when combined, than the value of their two individual benefits. In 2025, the individual federal benefit rate is $967 per month while the couple’s rate is $1,450 per month.
If only one spouse receives SSI, the SSA may deem a portion of the non-recipient spouse’s income and resources available to the recipient, thereby reducing or terminating SSI benefits.
How remarriage affects survivor benefits
Survivor benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers. Remarriage can affect your eligibility for these benefits:
- Before age 50: If you remarry before age 50, you generally cannot receive survivor benefits unless the subsequent marriage ends.
- Between ages 50 and 59: If you are disabled and remarry between ages 50 and 59, you may still be eligible for survivor benefits
- After age 60: Remarrying after age 60 does not affect your eligibility for survivor benefits.
Impact of marriage on divorced spouse’s benefits
If you are divorced and receiving benefits based on your ex-spouse’s work record, remarriage generally terminates those benefits. You cannot collect benefits on your former spouse’s record if you are married to someone else.
Steps to take if you get married
To be in accordance with SSA regulations and avoid potential overpayments, it is essential to report any changes in marital status as soon as possible. Here are the steps:
- Notify the SSA: Notify the SSA of your wedding as soon as possible.
- Provide the required documents: Prepare to submit your marriage certificate and other required documents to update your records.
- Understand the impact: Discuss with an SSA representative how your marriage may affect your specific benefits to plan accordingly.
The catch is, marriage will affect your Social Security and SSI benefits differently, and it is based on the type of benefits you’re receiving. It’s important to understand these potential changes and report to the SSA on time in order to ensure your benefits are adjusted correctly.
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