Impact of Marriage on Federal Benefits for Disabled Individuals

SOURCE www.npr.org
Amber and Devin Weise got married and learned that the federal benefits program Amber relies on penalizes couples who marry, resulting in loss of income and health insurance. Many disabled individuals on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) face challenges due to outdated rules that penalize marriage.

Key Points

  • SSI penalizes couples who marry, resulting in loss of income and health insurance
  • Outdated rules from the 1970s create challenges for disabled individuals seeking love and marriage
  • Advocacy efforts are ongoing to change policies and end the marriage penalty

Pros

  • Highlighting the challenges faced by disabled individuals on federal benefits
  • Advocating for policy change to end the marriage penalty

Cons

  • Loss of income and health insurance for disabled individuals upon marriage
  • Forced decisions such as divorce to maintain benefits