There are many things to worry about when planning a wedding – the logistics, the ceremony, the weather, and everything in between. But for many Americans with disabilities, the biggest concern isn’t the vows or the venue; it’s the fear that getting married will cost them their health care, housing, or basic income.
Under current federal law, marriage can disqualify people with disabilities from receiving essential healthcare services and benefits, including Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security for Disabled Adult Children (DAC). These programs are not luxuries; they are fundamental to survival, independence, and dignity. The answer to why marriage shouldn’t mean losing benefits is simple: because no one should have to choose between committing to a life partner and the basic supports they need to live.
When laws penalize disabled people for marrying, they limit their opportunities to live full and meaningful lives. These policies send a harmful message that people with disabilities are not entitled to the same rights, opportunities, or choices as their non-disabled peers. This contradicts the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was passed to ensure full and equal participation in all aspects of life, including the right to form relationships and make personal decisions without fear of losing basic supports.
The root of this injustice lies in outdated and inequitable policies that haven’t kept pace with inflation or modern costs of living. The income limits for the SSI program have remained unchanged since 1972, and asset limits haven’t been adjusted since 1984. In most states, Medicaid eligibility is dependent on fixed dollar asset limits, often set at low, outdated thresholds. These limits are commonly aligned with SSI levels – $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples – even though they haven’t kept pace with inflation or modern economic realities. These outdated limits force individuals to make impossible choices, including whether to save for the future or risk losing access to critical support programs.
Marriage exacerbates this policy conundrum. When two people with disabilities marry, their combined income and assets are often considered jointly, which can reduce or entirely eliminate their benefits. If a disabled person marries someone without a disability, their spouse’s income counts against them, even if they don’t share finances or live in the same household. For many, this means having to choose between the person they love and the supports they need to survive. This is more than a bureaucratic oversight; it’s a civil rights issue.
More than one million Americans with lifelong disabilities rely on the DAC program for their income and Medicare coverage. Yet if they marry someone who is not also a DAC recipient, they can lose both. Non-disabled individuals don’t face this penalty for falling in love, and people with disabilities should not have to either.
Fortunately, there’s a path forward. The Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act (H.R. 1389) was reintroduced in Congress on February 14 (Valentine’s Day) last year. This legislation would eliminate marriage penalties for DAC beneficiaries and modernize related policies for SSI and Medicaid. It’s a practical step that acknowledges disabled people deserve the freedom to build lives filled with love, stability, and choice.
Additionally, the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act would increase the SSI asset limits from $2,000 to $10,000 for unmarried individuals and eliminate the marriage penalty by allowing two SSI recipients to get married and have up to $20,000 in assets as a couple. The bill would also require asset limits to be adjusted annually for inflation.
But we can’t stop there. We need action from lawmakers, advocates, and every person who believes in fairness. True equity requires redesigning programs so that they support, rather than restrict, personal autonomy and inclusion. The current rules trap people in poverty and treat basic human rights as conditional. They reflect outdated ideas, not our nation’s values.
Marriage equality must include people with disabilities. In America, love should not come at the cost of essential supports.