Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act

The Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act would amend the Social Security Act to increase monthly benefits for surviving spouses of deceased workers who were part of two-income households. Under the new rules, a fully insured widow or widower could receive 75 percent of the combined total of their own retirement or disability benefit and the deceased spouse's primary insurance amount, rather than just the deceased spouse's benefit alone. The bill includes a cap on this increased payment based on a hypothetical high-earner's maximum benefit to limit costs. Additionally, the legislation ensures that these higher Social Security payments do not reduce eligibility for Supplemental Security Income by treating the income as if it were at pre-amendment levels. These changes would apply to benefits paid for months after December 2026.