Marriage Penalty

This resource explains the “marriage penalty” and how it affects people with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It shows that when two people on SSI get married, they often receive less money than they did when they were single, even though their needs do not decrease.

The slides also explain how marriage can affect savings limits and how a spouse’s income may be counted, which can lower or even stop benefits. This can make it hard for people with disabilities to get married or live the life they want.

Overall, the resource helps people understand how the system works, why many self-advocates see this as unfair, and why there are ongoing efforts to change these rules so people with disabilities can have the same choices and rights as everyone else.

https://selfadvocacyinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/SARTAC-Marriage-Penalty-9.11.25.pdf