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It's possible they've been thinking about it all this time and are tired of not doing it. It's possible other people have been getting on them about it. It's possible they're realizing that they're getting older and the prospect that they may need to make medical decisions for or inherit from each other is looming nearer. It's possible they're finally at the point where they're sick of not being married, whether for legal or social reasons or both.
I know exactly how that works. I've been on SSDI for several years and my wife and I got married after I had been on benefits for 3 years. I'm not sure why you think your income affects your partner's benefits. I have never been told that, and SS has never suggested that to me, or even asked me about marriage. My benefits/income are not affected by her income. Physical/mental disabilities are considered independently of marriage. It makes sense. Being married doesn't make you physically healthy. And what if your spouse dies or you divorce? And since SSDI is a federal benefit, our situations should be the same. However, SSI is a different matter. SSI does not go by your income from employment in the years before disability, so if that is what you are looking at, those rules may be different.
As for benefits being taxable, SS benefits are taxable whether you file single or jointly. They are usually taxed less if you file jointly but no matter what, SS benefits are taxed at a much lower rate than regular income from employment. (around 3%, I believe.) If you live in a state that has a state income tax (I don't), sometimes the benefits are also subject to the state income tax; sometimes they are not. The legal benefits of marriage are tremendous, especially if you are in a same sex marriage as we are. I suggest you do it. You will not be penalized by Social Security and you will come out ahead if you file jointly.
Being married doesn't make you physically healthy.
Because as I understand it, disability payments are not payments for being disabled, but for replacing the income you lose by being disabled, which then make you impoverished. If, however, you have someone else who can bring home the bacon, you are not impoverished.
I assume that if your spouse dies or you are divorced, you reapply for benefits.
I know exactly how that works. I've been on SSDI for several years and my wife and I got married after I had been on benefits for 3 years. I'm not sure why you think your income affects your partner's benefits. I have never been told that, and SS has never suggested that to me, or even asked me about marriage. My benefits/income are not affected by her income.Physical/mental disabilities are considered independently of marriage. It makes sense. Being married doesn't make you physically healthy. And what if your spouse dies or you divorce? And since SSDI is a federal benefit, our situations should be the same. However, SSI is a different matter. SSI does not go by your income from employment in the years before disability, so if that is what you are looking at, those rules may be different.
As for benefits being taxable, SS benefits are taxable whether you file single or jointly. They are usually taxed less if you file jointly but no matter what, SS benefits are taxed at a much lower rate than regular income from employment. (around 3%, I believe.) If you live in a state that has a state income tax (I don't), sometimes the benefits are also subject to the state income tax; sometimes they are not. The legal benefits of marriage are tremendous, especially if you are in a same sex marriage as we are. I suggest you do it. You will not be penalized by Social Security and you will come out ahead if you file jointly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by K12144
Because as I understand it, disability payments are not payments for being disabled, but for replacing the income you lose by being disabled, which then make you impoverished. If, however, you have someone else who can bring home the bacon, you are not impoverished.
I assume that if your spouse dies or you are divorced, you reapply for benefits.
You assume wrong. As I mentioned in my post, a person gets disability benefits regardless of their marital status. My physical/mental health is poor whether I am married or not. Not only that, the medical insurance Medicare offers me is much more important than the SS check, although both are helpful. My medication is so expensive I would not be able to afford it on most group plans because Medicare is the best insurance available, hands down. Therefore, if my wife dies or we get divorced, I don't need to reapply for benefits, because she never factored into my benefit approval or amount in the first place.
I know exactly how that works. I've been on SSDI for several years and my wife and I got married after I had been on benefits for 3 years. I'm not sure why you think your income affects your partner's benefits. I have never been told that, and SS has never suggested that to me, or even asked me about marriage. My benefits/income are not affected by her income. Physical/mental disabilities are considered independently of marriage. It makes sense. Being married doesn't make you physically healthy. And what if your spouse dies or you divorce? And since SSDI is a federal benefit, our situations should be the same. However, SSI is a different matter. SSI does not go by your income from employment in the years before disability, so if that is what you are looking at, those rules may be different.
As for benefits being taxable, SS benefits are taxable whether you file single or jointly. They are usually taxed less if you file jointly but no matter what, SS benefits are taxed at a much lower rate than regular income from employment. (around 3%, I believe.) If you live in a state that has a state income tax (I don't), sometimes the benefits are also subject to the state income tax; sometimes they are not. The legal benefits of marriage are tremendous, especially if you are in a same sex marriage as we are. I suggest you do it. You will not be penalized by Social Security and you will come out ahead if you file jointly.
First paragraph is all good, except that SSI rules are definitely different from SSDI.
second paragraph partially correct. SS Disability payments are not taxed unless you and your spouse earn above a certain amount. Something like $32,000 (I didn't look up the number).
You assume wrong. As I mentioned in my post, a person gets disability benefits regardless of their marital status. My physical/mental health is poor whether I am married or not. Not only that, the medical insurance Medicare offers me is much more important than the SS check, although both are helpful. My medication is so expensive I would not be able to afford it on most group plans because Medicare is the best insurance available, hands down. Therefore, if my wife dies or we get divorced, I don't need to reapply for benefits, because she never factored into my benefit approval or amount in the first place.
I know exactly how that works. I've been on SSDI for several years and my wife and I got married after I had been on benefits for 3 years. I'm not sure why you think your income affects your partner's benefits. I have never been told that, and SS has never suggested that to me, or even asked me about marriage. My benefits/income are not affected by her income. Physical/mental disabilities are considered independently of marriage. It makes sense. Being married doesn't make you physically healthy. And what if your spouse dies or you divorce? And since SSDI is a federal benefit, our situations should be the same. However, SSI is a different matter. SSI does not go by your income from employment in the years before disability, so if that is what you are looking at, those rules may be different.
As for benefits being taxable, SS benefits are taxable whether you file single or jointly. They are usually taxed less if you file jointly but no matter what, SS benefits are taxed at a much lower rate than regular income from employment. (around 3%, I believe.) If you live in a state that has a state income tax (I don't), sometimes the benefits are also subject to the state income tax; sometimes they are not. The legal benefits of marriage are tremendous, especially if you are in a same sex marriage as we are. I suggest you do it. You will not be penalized by Social Security and you will come out ahead if you file jointly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkf747
First paragraph is all good, except that SSI rules are definitely different from SSDI.
second paragraph partially correct. SS Disability payments are not taxed unless you and your spouse earn above a certain amount. Something like $32,000 (I didn't look up the number).
That's what I said; I don't know of the rules for SSI. People tend to lump SSI and SSDI together. They are very different. I said SSDI was taxed because OP indicated their income was high enough for the SSDI to be taxed. People also confuse Medicare and Medicaid, and they are also very different from each other.
Quote:
Originally Posted by K12144
Because as I understand it, disability payments are not payments for being disabled, but for replacing the income you lose by being disabled, which then make you impoverished. If, however, you have someone else who can bring home the bacon, you are not impoverished.
I assume that if your spouse dies or you are divorced, you reapply for benefits.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooby Snacks
You assume wrong. As I mentioned in my post, a person gets disability benefits regardless of their marital status. My physical/mental health is poor whether I am married or not. Not only that, the medical insurance Medicare offers me is much more important than the SS check, although both are helpful. My medication is so expensive I would not be able to afford it on most group plans because Medicare is the best insurance available, hands down. Therefore, if my wife dies or we get divorced, I don't need to reapply for benefits, because she never factored into my benefit approval or amount in the first place.
That's what I said; I don't know of the rules for SSI. People tend to lump SSI and SSDI together. They are very different. I said SSDI was taxed because OP indicated their income was high enough for the SSDI to be taxed. People also confuse Medicare and Medicaid, and they are also very different from each other.
Yeah, I figured that already. I just clarified it a little for others who read this. I could tell that you knew that.
As for benefits being taxable, SS benefits are taxable whether you file single or jointly. They are usually taxed less if you file jointly but no matter what, SS benefits are taxed at a much lower rate than regular income from employment. (around 3%, I believe.) If you live in a state that has a state income tax (I don't), sometimes the benefits are also subject to the state income tax; sometimes they are not.
Ha. I wish. Taxability of SS (and I have no idea if this applies to SS disability income) varies according to your income from other sources but if I zero out my SS income in my tax software my taxes decrease by 23.4% of my SS for Federal and 3.6% for State.
A little OT but your 3% estimate is, unfortunately, way off.
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