Summary

Removes several age and timing limits so widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses who qualify under Social Security’s disability-based survivor rules can receive unreduced survivor benefits regardless of age, raises the age used to define a "child" in child-in-care cases from 16 to 18 (and to 19 for full-time students), changes how widow/widower benefit caps and delayed-claim increases are calculated, and requires SSA to mail an explanatory booklet to newly identified survivors. Also provides a hold‑harmless rule so increases in Social Security title II income or new eligibility under these changes are ignored when determining continued eligibility or benefit amounts under federal, state, or local programs (with limited exceptions). Most substantive changes take effect January 1, 2027 and apply to benefits payable on or after that date.

Key Points

• Disability‑based surviving spouses can be treated as eligible for unreduced survivor benefits at any age, removing prior age limits.
• The qualifying age for a "child" in child‑in‑care benefit cases is raised from 16 to 18 (and to 19 for full‑time students).
• Changes the cap on widow/widower benefits when the deceased received a reduced old‑age benefit, and adds new formulas that raise survivor payments for those who delay claiming.
• Most changes take effect January 1, 2027 and apply to benefits payable on or after that date.
• A hold‑harmless rule requires federal, state, and local programs (with federal funding) to ignore increases or new title II eligibility when deciding continued program eligibility and benefit levels, with limits.
• SSA must publish and mail an informational booklet to known surviving spouses after a death for deaths on or after Jan 1, 2027.
• Administrative and systems updates at SSA will be needed to implement new eligibility tests, benefit calculations, and outreach requirements.

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