Ineligible spouse becomes eligible. If your ineligible spouse becomes eligible for SSI benefits, we treat both of you as newly eligible. Therefore, your eligibility and benefit amount for the first month you are an eligible couple will be based on your income in that month. In the second month, your benefit amount will also be based on your income in the first month. If you separate from your ineligible spouse or your marriage to an ineligible spouse ends by divorce, we do not deem your ineligible spouse's income to you to determine your eligibility for benefits beginning with the first month following the event.
Eligible individual begins living with an ineligible spouse.
If you begin to live with your ineligible spouse, we deem your ineligible spouse's income to you in the first month thereafter to determine whether you continue to be eligible for SSI benefits. If your ineligible spouse dies, we do not deem your spouse's income to you to determine your eligibility for SSI benefits beginning with the month following the month of death. In determining your benefit amount beginning with the month following the month of death, we use only your own countable income in a prior month, excluding any income deemed to you in that month from your ineligible spouse. The income, the income exclusions, and the allocations are monthly amounts. The Federal benefit rates used are those effective January 1, 1986.