He dated actress Ellen Barber for 10 years, with the relationship ending around the same time as his role on As the World Turns. Nader married Robin Weiss in June 1984, and a month later they had a daughter. He has been married to Beth Windsor since 1992.
In 1984, Nader admitted to previously having a drug problem, which prompted him to become sober in 1980. He was charged with drunk driving in 1997, and in 2001 was arrested for attempting to sell cocaine to an undercover police officer. Nader was let go from his role on All My Children soon after, with a statement from ABC that if he resolved his issues they would rehire him. They never did, and Nader sued the network, alleging that they never intended to bring him back to the show at all.