The marriage penalty

[Posted by alaurie_97@yahoo.com]

The Marriage Penalty




Like most Americans, people with disabilities fall in love and wish to
get married. However, most do not get married because of the Social
Security provisions that reduces their monthly benefits. This is
called the Marriage Penalty.

The SSI amounts have increased since this Marriage Penalty Video was
recorded. Now many people with disabilities live on a $674 per month
federal SSI benefit, which is still below the poverty level. When two
people with disabilities of the opposite sex get married or hold
themselves out to be married, their combined benefit as a couple drops
to $1011. That is a net loss of $337 or roughly 25% of their income
for getting married or living like they are married.

It is hard for one person with a disability to live on $674 per
month. It is even harder for two people to live on $1011. The $337
penalty for falling in love and being together makes the difference in
whether they pay their utilities or buy their medication for the
month. It is often not enough to do both.

People First of Montana is asking our representatives in Congress to
consider its request and help change the Social Security provisions
that make it difficult to enjoy one of the most fundamental rights of
our humanity – the sharing of love openly through marriage. As a
first step you can express your support bysigning the on-line Petition
by clicking here.

People First of Montana is also organizing a national work group to
collaborate in this effort. If you are interested in being a part of
this work group, please call People First of Montana at Special
Friends Advocacy at 1-406-756-5488
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-406-756-5488
end_of_the_skype_highlighting
or Disability Rights Montana at 1-800-245-4743
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-245-4743
end_of_the_skype_highlighting or e-mail us at
advo...@disabilityrightsmt.org.

Tagged: Discrimination, Marriage Penalty, SSDI, SSI