Unmarried adults collecting social security- how not to lose benefits

[sanweiler]

Jurisdiction

Arizona

My fiance and I discovered that if we get married, we will both lose 25% of our Social Security payments, which we can't afford. What can we do to be able to make decisions for each other, pay bills, etc. for each other from individual accounts and come as close to married legal rights as possible without being actually married? Would a legal guardianship and wills work? Should we execute Powers of Attorney for each other? If not, what do you suggest?

 

[adjusterjack]

Many who are on SS retirement stay unmarried for just that reason.

Nothing complicated.

You can keep separate account for separate expenses but have one joint account that you can each deposit money into for routine bills that you pay together.

Guardianship doesn't apply.

Wills are a good idea if you want to leave something to each other.

Powers of attorney not a good idea unless it's just effective only for medical and financial decisions should either of you become incapacitated.

DO NOT own a house jointly. DO NOT own cars jointly. DO NOT have joint credit cards. DO NOT have any joint debts for anything.

Because if you ever do split up (the odds are way in favor of that) you will go through living hell determining who owes what and who gets what. If you don't believe me just read these legal websites for a few weeks and see what happens to all the others who were "in love and, oh, that can never happen to us." Yet it sure as shoot did happen.

 

[army judge]

My fiance and I discovered that if we get married, we will both lose 25% of our Social Security payments, which we can't afford. What can we do to be able to make decisions for each other, pay bills, etc. for each other from individual accounts and come as close to married legal rights as possible without being actually married? Would a legal guardianship and wills work? Should we execute Powers of Attorney for each other? If not, what do you suggest?

Much ado about nothing, madam.
I've been married for many, many years to the same woman.
She has been involved, and remains involved in my health, as I do hers.
Not once in all those years has any hospital, medical provider, dental provider, or any other health care professional or facility ever challenged our assertion that we are married.
Now, don't get me wrong, we are married, and have been lawfully married with the scars, children, and documents to prove it.
My point is, if either of you shows up at a hospital (for example) where the other one is being treated or admitted, you'll never be asked to present YOUR PAPERS!

So, you need not fret, worry, and wonder what to do, because there is nothing you need do.

Love each other, live your lives, and continue to care for each other.

Continue to enjoy your FULL SS benefits without doing a darn thing!

Of course you can each create your wills, trusts, or whatever instruments you wish to leave behind to instruct how your belongings should be dispersed.

As previously said, unless you do marry, don't comingle your cash, or buy a home together, unless you don't care what happens if you ever part company.

As we age, that is less likely to happen, so live your life and just be happy.

 

[txls]

It's true that a hospital may not ask for proof of marriage, however if there are children or really any family member they could certainly challenge the partner's right to make decisions and it could get ugly.

 

[adjusterjack]

It's true that a hospital may not ask for proof of marriage, however if there are children or really any family member they could certainly challenge the partner's right to make decisions and it could get ugly.

True, but I'm guessing that children aren't an issue if the two are on Social Security retirement.

 

[txls]

They could each have kids from prior relationships.

 

[army judge]

They could each have kids from prior relationships.

How would you respond if asked by a son, daughter, sister, brother, an uncle, or a cousin to PROVE you're really married by producing certified copies of your marriage?

That really means nothing if someone were so stupid as to PROVE they were legally wed, because that same idiot may have later been divorced.

At any rate, I suppose each of us is somewhat free to determine how we lead and live our life.

 

[txls]

Well I think it is smart to consider these things. I think it would be worth spending a few hundred to visit with a lawyer and draw up some papers. We've all seen and heard of all manner of problems with family squabbles when someone passes away. I know that my brothers live-in girlfriend of 10 years was not allowed to sign permission for his cremation, for example.

 

[army judge]

I ag

Well I think it is smart to consider these things. I think it would be worth spending a few hundred to visit with a lawyer and draw up some papers. We've all seen and heard of all manner of problems with family squabbles when someone passes away. I know that my brothers live-in girlfriend of 10 years was not allowed to sign permission for his cremation, for example.

I do agree. Problem is, people come here to avoid spending so much as a buck.