EMPSA eliminates the marriage penalty in Supplemental Security Income for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It excludes a spouse income and resources from SSI eligibility calculations and disregards marital status when determining benefit amounts for these individuals.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
EMPSA eliminates the marriage penalty in Supplemental Security Income for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It excludes a spouse income and resources from SSI eligibility calculations and disregards marital status when determining benefit amounts for these individuals.
Last updated: 1/5/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act or EMPSA</strong></p><p>This bill excludes a spouse's income and resources when determining eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and disregards marital status when calculating the SSI benefit amount, for an adult who has a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability. (SSI is a federal income supplement program designed to help aged, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income and resources meet basic needs.)</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Eliminates SSI marriage penalty for disabled adults
Excludes spouse income from SSI eligibility calculations
Applies to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities
Allows disabled individuals to marry without losing benefits
Addresses longstanding inequity in SSI program rules
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
Disabled adults could marry without losing SSI benefits that many depend on for basic needs. This removes a significant barrier that has discouraged marriage among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Social Welfare
Related Subjects
Disability and paralysis
Disability assistance
Marriage and family status
Poverty and welfare assistance
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
73, 119th Congress (2025). "EMPSA". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-73
