Because of the Supreme Court decisions in U.S. v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriages are permitted and recognized in all States and U.S. Territories;
and SSA is no longer prohibited from recognizing same-sex marriages for the purpose
of determining entitlement to or eligibility for benefits.
Instructions in GN 00210.000 contain policies, procedures, and processing instructions for claims, appeals, post-eligibility
and post-entitlement actions involving the determination of a same-sex couple’s marital
status. Except for the instructions in GN 00210.000, you should apply all other current and relevant instructions in the same manner
for same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples.