It often happens these days that following a divorce or the death of a spouse, a person in Philadelphia remarries. While a second marriage can bring much joy to a person’s life, if that person receives Social Security disability benefits, he or she should know how getting married may affect these benefits.
First of all, it should be noted that if a person receives disability benefits on his or her own record, those benefits will continue if the person remarries. However, things may be different if a person receives disability benefits based on his or her former spouse’s record. In these situations, one will continue to receive benefits on a former spouse’s record after a divorce only if he or she is 62 years old or older. The exception to this is if the marriage lasted less than a decade. In that situation, benefits would not continue.
If a person receives disabled widower’s or widow’s benefits and the person is 50 years old or older, then that person will continue to receive benefits, even if that person enters into a second marriage. Finally, if a person receives any benefits not already mentioned here, these benefits, in general, will cease if a person remarries, although they may continue again if the marriage ends either due to death or divorce.
For these reasons, it is important to notify the Social Security Administration if you are receiving disability benefits and your marriage either ends or you enter into a subsequent marriage. While finding a person to grow old with and get married is a wonderful event, it can affect a person’s disability benefits, depending on the circumstances. People who receive disability benefits and are contemplating entering into a second marriage should make sure they understand how doing so will affect their benefits.
Source: Social Security Administration, “What You Need To Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits,” accessed May 25, 2015
