Bill > HR3926

This bill, titled the "Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act" or the "POWR Act," aims to improve Social Security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Increasing the widow's and widower's insurance benefit to the greater of: (i) the deceased spouse's primary insurance amount, or (ii) 75% of the sum of the widow/widower's own old-age or disability insurance benefit and the deceased spouse's primary insurance amount, subject to a cap. 2. Ensuring that any increase in Social Security benefits due to this bill does not negatively impact an individual's Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility or benefit amount. 3. The amendments made by this bill will apply to widow's and widower's insurance benefits payable for months after December 2023. The bill is designed to address the challenges faced by surviving spouses in two-income households, who may have reduced Social Security benefits due to the interaction of their own and their deceased spouse's benefits. The changes aim to provide improved financial support for these widows and widowers in retirement.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3926/all-info