Will Income from my Spouse Affect My SSDI Benefits?

Will Income from my SpouseYou are the spouse of the worker if: - You and the worker were married at the time you filed for benefits. - You would have the status of a husband or a wife for that person’s personal property if they had no will. - You went through a marriage ceremony in good faith, which would have been valid except for a legal impediment." More affect My Social Security Disability Insurance(SSDI) Benefits? No. Spousal earnings do not impact SSDI benefits.

SSI vs. SSD regarding Spousal Income

Your spouse’s income only matters for SSIA federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people who have limited income and resources by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. For more information, see Supplemental Security Income (SSI). More. There is a difference between SSI and SSD. If you are legally married and are living with your spouse, then the Social Security Administration will ‘deem’ part of your spouse’s income as available to you, which could result in you receiving a reduced SSI benefit. SSI is a “needs based program”.

This reduction makes sense, the less your financial ‘need’, the less your benefit should be. In 2021, if you and your spouse have no children and your spouse makes $397 or less, it will not impact your benefit.

If it is more than $397 per month, his or her income is subject to ‘deeming’. One childThe term "child" would be a child that can inherit your personal property under state law. Including adopted child, equitable child, stepchild, dependent grandchild or step-grandchild in your care. More amongst the two of you raises that amount to $794. $397 is added for each additional child. For a family of 5, spousal income can be up to $1,588 ($397 + ($397 x 3 children)) with no penalty.

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Calculate Your Individual Benefit

To estimate how much of your spouse’s income will be deemed to you and ultimately what your individual benefit would be, you can perform the following calculations.

1. Deduct $397 for each child from your spouse’s income.
2. Add the figure you came up with in #1 to any income you have.
3. There are many deduction from countable income for SSI, but the most common is the $85 exclusion for income. Thus deduct $85 from the figure in #2.
4. Divide the figure in #3 by 2.
5. This is the spousal income that is deemed to you.
6. Subtract the figure in #5 from the SSI limit for a couple (2021 it’s $1,191)
7. If the figure in #6 is positive, your benefit will be that amount, but capped at the maximum for individual’s, which is $794.

Example: Spouse’s salary $12,000 per year, no children. Thus, your spouse makes $1,000 per month and there is no other household income.

1. $1,000 (-) $0,00 (no $397 per child deduction)
2. $1,000 (+) $0.00 (no personal income additional)
3. $1,000 (-) $85 = $915
4. $915 (/) 2 = $457.50
5. $457.50 is spousal income deemed to you
6. $1,191 (-) $457.50 = $733.50
7. Your benefit would be $733.50, which is less than the maximum benefit of $794

FAQ for Spouse Income Affecting Disability