To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that an individual's entitlement to benefits thereunder shall continue through the month of his or her death (without affecting any other person's entitlement to benefits for that month), in order to provide such individual's family with assistance in meeting the extra death-related expenses.

Summary: Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to continue an individual's entitlement to benefits through the month of his or her death with benefits for that month disregarded for purposes of determining maximum family benefits.

SECTION 1. CONTINUATION OF BENEFITS THROUGH MONTH OF BENEFICIARY'S 
              DEATH.

    (a) Old-Age Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(a) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(a)) is amended by striking ``the month 
preceding'' in the matter following subparagraph (B).
    (b) Wife's Insurance Benefits.--
            (1) In general.--Section 202(b)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        402(b)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and ending with the month'' in 
                the matter immediately following clause (ii) and 
                inserting ``and ending with the month in which she dies 
                or (if earlier) with the month'';
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (E); and
                    (C) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (K) 
                as subparagraphs (E) through (J).
            (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 202(b)(5)(B) of such 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 402(b)(5)(B)) is amended by striking ``(E), (F), 
        (H), or (J)'' and inserting ``(E), (G), or (I)''.
    (c) Husband's Insurance Benefits.--
            (1) In general.--Section 202(c)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
        402(c)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``and ending with the month'' in 
                the matter immediately following clause (ii) and 
                inserting ``and ending with the month in which he dies 
                or (if earlier) with the month'';
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (E); and
                    (C) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (K) 
                as subparagraphs (E) through (J), respectively.
            (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 202(c)(5)(B) of such 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 402(c)(5)(B)) is amended by striking ``(E), (F), 
        (H), or (J)'' and inserting ``(E), (G), or (I)'', respectively.
    (d) Child's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(d)(1) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and ending with the month'' in the matter 
        immediately preceding subparagraph (D) and inserting ``and 
        ending with the month in which such child dies or (if earlier) 
        with the month''; and
            (2) by striking ``dies, or'' in subparagraph (D).
    (e) Widow's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(e)(1) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(e)(1)) is amended by striking ``ending with the month 
preceding the first month in which any of the following occurs: she 
remarries, dies,'' in the matter following subparagraph (F) and 
inserting ``ending with the month in which she dies or (if earlier) 
with the month preceding the first month in which she remarries or''.
    (f) Widower's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(f)(1) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 402(f)(1)) is amended by striking ``ending with the month 
preceding the first month in which any of the following occurs: he 
remarries, dies,'' in the matter following subparagraph (F) and 
inserting ``ending with the month in which he dies or (if earlier) with 
the month preceding the first month in which he remarries''.
    (g) Mother's and Father's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(g)(1) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(g)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``with the month in which he or she dies 
        or (if earlier)'' after ``and ending'' in the matter following 
        subparagraph (F); and
            (2) by striking ``he or she remarries, or he or she dies'' 
        and inserting ``or he or she remarries''.
    (h) Parent's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(h)(1) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(h)(1)) is amended by striking ``ending with the month 
preceding the first month in which any of the following occurs: such 
parent dies, marries,'' in the matter following subparagraph (E) and 
inserting ``ending with the month in which such parent dies or (if 
earlier) with the month preceding the first month in which such parent 
marries, or such parent''.
    (i) Disability Insurance Benefits.--Section 223(a)(1) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 423(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``ending with the month 
preceding whichever of the following months is the earliest: the month 
in which he dies,'' in the matter following subparagraph (D) and 
inserting the following: ``ending with the month in which he dies or 
(if earlier) with the month preceding the earlier of'' and by striking 
the comma after ``216(l))''.
    (j) Benefits at Age 72 for Certain Uninsured Individuals.--Section 
228(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 428(a)) is amended by striking ``the 
month preceding'' in the matter following paragraph (4).

SEC. 2. DISREGARD OF BENEFIT FOR MONTH OF DEATH UNDER FAMILY MAXIMUM 
              PROVISIONS.

    Section 203(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 403(a)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in applying 
the preceding provisions of this subsection (and determining maximum 
family benefits under column V of the table in or deemed to be in 
section 215(a) as in effect in December 1978) with respect to the month 
in which the insured individual's death occurs, the benefit payable to 
such individual for that month shall be disregarded.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to deaths 
occurring after the month in which this Act is enacted.