--- kind: "range" citation: "20 C.F.R. §§ 416.1806–416.1835" title: "20" from: "416.1806" to: "416.1835" count: 7 url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/20/416.1806..416.1835" --- # §416.1806. Whether you are married and who is your spouse. - (a) We will consider someone to be your spouse (and therefore consider you to be married) for SSI purposes if— - (1) You are legally married under the laws of the State where your and his or her permanent home is (or was when you lived together); - (2) We have decided that either of you is entitled to husband's or wife's Social Security insurance benefits as the spouse of the other (this decision will not affect your SSI benefits for any month before it is made); or - (3) You and an unrelated person of the opposite sex are living together in the same household at or after the time you apply for SSI benefits, and you both lead people to believe that you are husband and wife. - (b) if more than one person would qualify as your husband or wife under [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section, we will consider the person you are presently living with to be your spouse for SSI purposes. # §416.1816. Information we need concerning marriage when you apply for SSI. When you apply for SSI benefits, we will ask whether you are married. If you are married, we will ask whether you are living with your spouse. If you are unmarried or you are married but not living with your spouse, we will ask whether you are living in the same household with anyone of the opposite sex who is not related to you. If you are, we will ask whether you and that person lead other people to believe that you are husband and wife. # §416.1821. Showing that you are married when you apply for SSI. - (a) **General rule: Proof is unnecessary.** If you tell us you are married we will consider you married unless we have information to the contrary. We will also consider you married, on the basis of your statement, if you say you are living with an unrelated person of the opposite sex and you both lead people to believe you are married. However, if we have information contrary to what you tell us, we will ask for evidence as described in [paragraph (c)](#c). - (b) **Exception: If you are a child to whom parental deeming rules apply.** If you are a child to whom the parental deeming rules apply and we receive information from you or others that you are married, we will ask for evidence of your marriage. The rules on deeming parental income are in §§ [416.1165](/cfr/20/416.1165.md) and [416.1166](/cfr/20/416.1166.md). The rules on deeming of parental resources are in [§ 416.1202](/cfr/20/416.1202.md). - (c) **Evidence of marriage.** If paragraph [(a)](#a) or [(b)](#b) of this section indicates that you must show us evidence that you are married, you must show us your marriage certificate (which can be the original certificate, a certified copy of the public record of marriage, or a certified copy of the church record) if you can. If you cannot, you must tell us why not and give us whatever evidence you can. # §416.1826. Showing that you are not married when you apply for SSI. - (a) **General rule: Proof is unnecessary.** If you do not live with an unrelated person of the opposite sex and you say that you are not married, we will generally accept your statement unless we have information to the contrary. - (b) **Exception: If you are under age 22 and have been married.** If you are under age 22 and have been married, to prove that your marriage has ended you must show us the decree of divorce or annulment or the death certificate if you can. If you cannot, you must tell us why not and give us whatever evidence you can. - (c) **Exception: If you are living with an unrelated person of the opposite sex.** - (1) If you are living with an unrelated person of the opposite sex, you and the person you are living with must explain to us what your relationship is and answer questions such as the following: - (i) What names are the two of you known by? - (ii) Do you introduce yourselves as husband and wife? If not, how are you introduced? - (iii) What names are used on mail for each of you? - (iv) Who owns or rents the place where you live? - (v) Do any deeds, leases, time payment papers, tax papers, or any other papers show you as husband and wife? - (2) We will consider you married to the person you live with unless the information we have, including the answers to the questions in [paragraph (c)(1)](#c-1) of this section, all considered together, show that the two of you do not lead people to believe that you are each other's husband and wife. # §416.1830. When we stop considering you and your spouse an eligible couple. We will stop considering you and your spouse an eligible couple, even if you both remain eligible, at the beginning of whichever of these months comes first— - (a) The calendar month after the month you stopped living with your eligible spouse, or - (b) **The calendar month after the month in which your marriage ends.** # §416.1832. When we consider your marriage ended. We consider your marriage ended when— - (a) Your spouse dies; - (b) Your divorce or annulment becomes final; - (c) We decide that either of you is not a spouse of the other for purposes of husband's or wife's social security insurance benefits, if we considered you married only because of [§ 416.1806(a)(2)](/cfr/20/416.1806.md?p=a-2); or - (d) You and your spouse stop living together, if we considered you married only because of [§ 416.1806(a)(3)](/cfr/20/416.1806.md?p=a-3). # §416.1835. Information we need about separation or end of marriage after you become eligible for SSI. - (a) **If you and your spouse stop living together.** If you and your spouse stop living together, you must promptly report that fact to us, so that we can decide whether there has been a change that affects either person's benefits. You must also answer questions such as the following. If you cannot answer our questions you must tell us why not and give us whatever information you can. - (1) When did you stop living together? - (2) Do you expect to live together again? - (3) If so, when? - (4) Where is your husband or wife living? - (5) Is either of you living with someone else as husband and wife? - (b) **Evidence of end of marriage—** - (1) **Death.** We will accept your statement that your husband or wife died unless we have information to the contrary. If we have contrary information, you must show us the death certificate if you can. If you cannot, you must tell us why not and give us whatever evidence you can. - (2) **Divorce or annulment.** If your marriage ends by divorce or annulment, you must show us the decree of divorce or annulment if you can. If you cannot, you must tell us why not and give us whatever evidence you can. - (3) **Other reason.** If your marriage ends for reasons other than death, divorce, or annulment, you must give us any information we ask you to give us about the end of the marriage. If you cannot, you must explain why you cannot. We will consider all of the relevant information to decide if and when your marriage ends.