New bill would eliminate some Social Security benefit caps

NATIONWIDE —  WIDOWS, WIDOWERS AND SURVIVING DIVORCED SPOUSES WOULD BENEFIT FROM A NEW SOCIAL SECURITY BILL THAT U.S. SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND OF NEW YORK HAS INTRODUCED. 

The Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment (SWIFT) Act changes Social Security benefit rules by addressing older benefit caps, legal restrictions and claiming requirements, resulting in increased benefits. The SWIFT Act would allow widowed and surviving divorced spouses with disabilities to receive 100% of the survivor benefits to which they are entitled regardless of their age. It would also empower widowed and surviving divorced spouses to increase their survivor benefits beyond current arbitrary caps. 

The legislation also expands child-in-care benefits for widowed and surviving divorced spouses caring for children, helping families struggling with the costs of caregiving.

Gillibrand, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, introduced the legislation along with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Patty Murray (D-WA). Several organizations also support the bill.

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