Office of the Chief Actuary 

Social Security AdministraƟon 

 Based on the 2023 Trustees Report Intermediate AssumpƟons 

These provisions modify the specific benefit amounts received by widow(er)s, spouses, 

and/or children based on a worker's Social Security account. For each provision, we 

provide an esƟmate of the financial effect on the OASDI program over the long-range 

period (the next 75 years) and for the 75th year. We base all esƟmates on the 

intermediate assumpƟons described in the 2023 Trustees Report. 

D Provisions AffecƟng Family Member Benefits 
Long-range 

actuarial 

balance

Annual 

balance in 

75th year

Long-range 

actuarial 

balance

Annual 

balance in 

75th year

D1 -0.05 -0.05 -1% -1%

D2 0.09 0.13 3% 3%

D3 -0.01 -0.01 -0% -0%

D4 -0.10 -0.10 -3% -2%

D5 0.08 0.15 2% 4%

D6 0.07 0.12 2% 3%

D7 0.01 0.01 0% 0%

D8 -0.07 -0.07 -2% -2%

D9 -0.03 -0.03 -1% -1%

Current law shortfall in long-range actuarial balance is 3.61 percent of payroll and in annual balance for the 75th year is 4.35 percent of payroll.

Beginning in 2024, continue benefits for children of disabled or deceased 

workers until age 22 if the child is in high school, college or vocational 

school.

The current spouse benefit is based on 50 percent of the PIA of the other 

spouse. Reduce this percent each year by 1 percentage point beginning 

with newly eligible spouses in 2024, until the percent reaches 33 in 2040.

Allow divorced aged spouses and divorced surviving spouses married 5 to 

9 years to get benefits based on the former spouse's account. Divorced 

aged and surviving spouses would receive 50% of the applicable currentlaw PIA percentage if married 5 years, 60% of the applicable PIA 

percentage if married 6 years, ..., 90% of the applicable PIA percentage if 

married 9 years. This benefit would be available to divorced spouses on 

the rolls at the beginning of 2025 and those becoming eligible after 2024.

Establish an alternative benefit for a surviving spouse. For the surviving 

spouse, the alternative benefit would equal 75 percent of the sum of the 

survivor's own worker benefit and the deceased worker's PIA (including 

any actuarial reductions or delayed retirement credits). If the deceased 

worker died before becoming entitled, use the age 62 actuarial reduction 

if deceased before age 62, or the applicable actuarial reduction/DRC for 

entitlement at the age of death if deceased after 62. The alternative 

benefit would not exceed the PIA of a hypothetical earner who earns the 

SSA average wage index (AWI) every year, and who becomes eligible for 

retired-worker benefits in the same year in which the deceased worker 

became entitled to worker benefits or died (if before entitlement). The 

alternative benefit would be paid only if more than the current-law 

benefit. This benefit would be available to surviving spouses on the rolls 

at the beginning of 2025 and those becoming eligible after 2024.

Limit the spousal benefit to that received by the spouse of the 75th 

percentile career-average worker, beginning with retired workers newly 

eligible in 2030. For future cohorts, this limit would be indexed for 

inflation annually using chain weighted CPI-U. The provision affects 

divorced spouses and young spouses (retired workers) but not spouses of 

disabled workers.

Category D: Family Members (2023 Trustees Report intermediate assumptions)

Description of proposed provisions

Change from current law

(percent of payroll)

Shortfall eliminated

For spouses and children of retired and disabled workers becoming newly 

eligible beginning in 2030 and phased in for 2030 through 2039, limit 

their auxiliary benefit to one-half of the PIA for a hypothetical worker 

with earnings equal to the national average wage index (AWI) each year.

Beginning in January 2026, require full time school enrollment as a 

condition of eligibility for child benefits at age 15 up to 18.

Beginning in 2024, continue benefits for children of disabled, retired, or 

deceased workers until age 26 if the child is in high school, college or 

vocational school.

Provide for pro-rata benefit payment for the month of death of a 

beneficiary, rather than no payment for month of death. For situations 

where an auxiliary beneficiary is changed from one type of benefit to 

another upon the death of the worker, benefits for the month of the 

worker's death would be determined on a pro-rata basis. This provision 

would apply for deaths in 2024 or later.

Office of the Chief Actuary

Social Security Administration

Based on the 2023 Trustees Report Intermediate Assumptions