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10 signatures reached
To: President Trump, Senate, Congress, &The Disabled Community.
End The Disabled Adult Child Marriage Penalty NOW!
Congress needs to end the Disabled Adult Child (DAC) marriage penalty by changing Social Security law so that getting married does not disqualify an otherwise eligible person from receiving DAC benefits.
I am asking our elected officials to introduce, support, and pass legislation removing the marriage restriction from the DAC program.
A person who became severely disabled before age 22 should not be financially punished for falling in love and getting married. Their disability does not disappear when they say “I do.” Their need for caregivers, medical treatment, accessible housing, transportation, wheelchairs, medical equipment, and everyday assistance does not disappear either.
I became a quadriplegic just 21 days before my 21st birthday. My father worked until he was 92 years old, paying into Social Security throughout his working life. Yet because I got married, I was denied access to DAC benefits based on his work record.
That is the kind of situation Congress needs to fix.
Tell every member of Congress: Stop forcing severely disabled Americans to choose between marriage and financial security. Allow people who otherwise qualify for DAC benefits to marry without losing their eligibility simply because of their marital status.
This is a straightforward change that would have an enormous impact on the lives of Americans with lifelong disabilities and the people who love and care for them.
Marriage should never be treated as a cure for disability.
**Change the law. End the DAC marriage penalty now.**
I am asking our elected officials to introduce, support, and pass legislation removing the marriage restriction from the DAC program.
A person who became severely disabled before age 22 should not be financially punished for falling in love and getting married. Their disability does not disappear when they say “I do.” Their need for caregivers, medical treatment, accessible housing, transportation, wheelchairs, medical equipment, and everyday assistance does not disappear either.
I became a quadriplegic just 21 days before my 21st birthday. My father worked until he was 92 years old, paying into Social Security throughout his working life. Yet because I got married, I was denied access to DAC benefits based on his work record.
That is the kind of situation Congress needs to fix.
Tell every member of Congress: Stop forcing severely disabled Americans to choose between marriage and financial security. Allow people who otherwise qualify for DAC benefits to marry without losing their eligibility simply because of their marital status.
This is a straightforward change that would have an enormous impact on the lives of Americans with lifelong disabilities and the people who love and care for them.
Marriage should never be treated as a cure for disability.
**Change the law. End the DAC marriage penalty now.**
Why is this important?
This matters because Americans with severe, lifelong disabilities should have the same right to fall in love, get married, and build a life with someone they love without being financially punished for it.
The Disabled Adult Child (DAC) marriage penalty does not affect only disabled people. It affects parents, spouses, caregivers, brothers, sisters, and entire families. Any family can experience a devastating accident, illness, or disability that changes their lives forever. No family should then discover that the government places another obstacle in their path simply because their disabled loved one wants to get married.
I became a quadriplegic just 21 days before my 21st birthday. I did not choose to become disabled, but I did choose to get married. That decision did not make me any less disabled. It did not reduce the amount of care I need or eliminate the expenses associated with living with a severe disability.
My father worked until he was 92 years old and paid into Social Security throughout his working life. I believe the benefits earned through that lifetime of work should be available to help his severely disabled son—not denied because his son chose love and marriage.
People should join this campaign because this is bigger than one person or one family. It is about basic fairness and dignity for Americans living with lifelong disabilities. We should never have a system that effectively tells someone, “You can have the financial support you need, or you can marry the person you love—but you may not be able to have both.”
Your voice can help change that. Sign this petition, sh
The Disabled Adult Child (DAC) marriage penalty does not affect only disabled people. It affects parents, spouses, caregivers, brothers, sisters, and entire families. Any family can experience a devastating accident, illness, or disability that changes their lives forever. No family should then discover that the government places another obstacle in their path simply because their disabled loved one wants to get married.
I became a quadriplegic just 21 days before my 21st birthday. I did not choose to become disabled, but I did choose to get married. That decision did not make me any less disabled. It did not reduce the amount of care I need or eliminate the expenses associated with living with a severe disability.
My father worked until he was 92 years old and paid into Social Security throughout his working life. I believe the benefits earned through that lifetime of work should be available to help his severely disabled son—not denied because his son chose love and marriage.
People should join this campaign because this is bigger than one person or one family. It is about basic fairness and dignity for Americans living with lifelong disabilities. We should never have a system that effectively tells someone, “You can have the financial support you need, or you can marry the person you love—but you may not be able to have both.”
Your voice can help change that. Sign this petition, sh