‘‘(II) the imputed husband’s insurance benefit
(determined under clause (iii)) of the deceased indi-
vidual for the application month (if any).
‘‘(ii) The amount of the imputed old-age insurance
benefit of the deceased individual for the application
month is the amount of the old-age insurance benefit to
which he would have been entitled for such month—
‘‘(I) determined, in the case of such a deceased
individual who had attained age 62 as of the date
of his death, as if he had applied for such benefit
in the month of his death and had survived to the
end of the application month (taking into account
applicable reductions under this section), or
‘‘(II) determined, in the case of such a deceased
individual who died before attaining age 62 but
would have attained age 62 before the end of the ap-
plication month, as if he had survived to the end of
the application month, and had applied for such ben-
efit on such date (assuming a primary insurance
amount for the deceased individual determined
under paragraph (2)(B) of this subsection and tak-
ing into account applicable reductions under this
section).
In any case in which the deceased individual died before
attaining age 62 and would not have attained age 62 be-
fore the end of the application month, the deceased indi-
vidual’s imputed old-age insurance benefit shall be deemed
to be zero.
‘‘(iii) The amount of the imputed husband’s insur-
ance benefit of the deceased individual for the application
month is the amount of the husband’s insurance benefit
under subsection (c) to which he would have been entitled
for such month (reduced under subsection (k)(3)(A) as-
suming the entitlement to an old-age insurance benefit for
such month, if any, as described in clause (ii) and other-
wise taking into account applicable reductions under this
section)—
‘‘(I) determined, in the case of such a deceased
individual who had attained age 62 as of the date
of his death, as if he had applied for such benefit
in the month of his death and had survived to the
end of the application month, or
‘‘(II) determined, in the case of such a deceased
individual who died before attaining age 62 but
would have attained age 62 before the end of the ap-
plication month, as if he had survived to the end of
the application month and had applied for such ben-
efit during the application month.
In any case in which the deceased individual died before
attaining age 62 and would not have attained age 62 be-
fore the end of the application month, the deceased indi-
vidual’s imputed husband’s insurance benefit shall be
deemed to be zero.
‘‘(E)(i) For purposes of subparagraph (C), if the de-
ceased individual died during a month for which he was
entitled to an old-age insurance benefit under subsection
(a) or a disability insurance benefit under section 223, to
a husband’s insurance benefit under subsection (c) based
on the wages and self-employment income of the widow
(or surviving divorced wife), or to both such an old-age
or disability insurance benefit and such a husband’s insur-
ance benefit, the imputed deceased individual’s benefit for
the application month is the sum of—
‘‘(I) the amount of the old-age or disability in-
surance benefit (if any) to which he would have been
entitled for the application month if he had survived
to the end of such month (taking into account appli-
cable reductions under this section), and
‘‘(II) the amount of the husband’s insurance
benefit (if any) to which he would have been entitled
for such month if he had survived to the end of such
month (taking into account applicable reductions
under this section, including any reduction under
subsection (k)(3)(A) based on the assumed entitle-
ment to an old-age or disability insurance benefit for
such month (if any) as described in subclause (I)).
‘‘(ii) If the deceased individual was entitled for the
month in which he died to a disability insurance benefit
under section 223, the amount determined under clause
(i) shall be determined as if he had remained entitled to
disability insurance benefits throughout the period com-
mencing with the month in which he died and ending with
the application month (or until becoming entitled to old-
age insurance benefits under subsection (a) during such
period).
‘‘(F) For purposes of subparagraph (C)(i)(II)—
‘‘(i) In the case of a widow (or surviving di-
vorced wife) who is entitled for the month preceding
the application month to an old-age insurance ben-
efit under subsection (a) or a disability insurance
benefit under section 223, to a wife’s insurance ben-
efit under subsection (b), or to both such an old-age
or disability insurance benefit and such a wife’s in-
surance benefit, the amount of her imputed survivor
benefit for the application month is the sum of—
‘‘(I) the amount of the old-age or disability
insurance benefit for the preceding month (if
any, taking into account applicable reductions
under this section), and
‘‘(II) the amount of the wife’s insurance
benefit for the preceding month (if any, taking
into account applicable reductions under this
section, including any reduction under sub-
section (k)(3)(A) based on the assumed entitle-
ment to an old-age or disability insurance ben-
efit for such month (if any) as described in sub-
clause (I)).
‘‘(ii) In the case of a widow (or surviving di-
vorced wife) who is not described in clause (i) but
has attained (or would attain) age 62 as of the end
of the application month, the amount of her imputed
survivor benefit is the sum of—
‘‘(I) the amount of the old-age insurance
benefit under subsection (a) to which the widow
(or surviving divorced wife) would be entitled
for the application month if she filed applica-
tion for such benefit on the last date of such
month (taking into account applicable reduc-
tions under this section), and
‘‘(II) the amount to which she would be
entitled as a wife’s insurance benefit under sub-
section (b) for the application month, based on
the deceased individual’s wages and self-employ-
ment income, if the deceased individual had
survived to the end of the application month
and she had filed application for such benefit
on the last date of such month (assuming a pri-
mary insurance amount for the deceased indi-
vidual determined under paragraph (2)(B) of
this subsection and taking into account applica-
ble reductions under this section, including any
reduction under subsection (k)(3)(A) based on
the assumed entitlement to an old-age insur-
ance benefit for such month (if any) as de-
scribed in subclause (I)).
In any case in which the widow (or surviving di-
vorced wife) would not attain age 62 before the end
of the application month, her imputed survivor ben-
efit shall be deemed to be zero.
‘‘(G)(i) The applicable increased benefit cap deter-
mined under this subparagraph in connection with a wid-
ow’s insurance benefit is—
‘‘(I) the applicable dollar amount for the later
of the application month of the widow (or surviving
divorced wife) or December 2002, determined under
clause (ii), reduced by
‘‘(II) the actuarial reduction determined under
clause (iii),
rounded, if not a multiple of $0.10, to the next higher
multiple of $0.10.
‘‘(ii) The applicable dollar amount for months in cal-
endar year 2002 is $1,000. In each calendar year after
2001, the Commissioner of Social Security shall determine
the applicable dollar amount for each month of the fol-
lowing calendar year. Such amount shall be determined
as of, and shall become effective with, January of such
following calendar year. The applicable dollar amount de-
termined for any month in such following calendar year
shall be the product derived by multiplying $1,000 by the
ratio of—
‘‘(I) the national average wage index (as de-
fined in section 209(k)(1)) for the calendar year be-
fore the year in which such determination is made,
to
‘‘(II) the national average wage index (as so de-
fined) for calendar year 2000.
Any applicable dollar amount determined under this clause
shall be rounded to the nearest $0.01, except that any
amount so established which is a multiple of $0.005 but
not of $0.01 shall be rounded to the next higher multiple
of $0.01.
‘‘(iii) The actuarial reduction determined under this
clause is the product derived by multiplying—
‘‘(I) 5⁄9 of 1 percent, by
‘‘(II) the number of months in the period begin-
ning with the first month for which the widow (or
surviving divorced wife) first became entitled to a
benefit under subsection (a), or to a benefit under
subsection (b) or (e) based on the deceased individ-
ual’s wages and self-employment income, and ending
with the last day of the month before the month in
which she attains (or would attain) retirement age
(as defined in section 216(l)).
‘‘(H) If, in determining the amount of the benefit
under this section pursuant to this paragraph, the im-
puted old-age insurance benefit or imputed husband’s in-
surance benefit of the deceased individual was deemed to
be zero pursuant to the last sentence of clause (ii) or (iii)
of subparagraph (D), or the imputed survivor benefit of
the widow (or surviving divorced wife) was deemed to be
zero pursuant to the last sentence of subparagraph (F),
effective for any month after the application month in
which the deceased individual attains age 62 or the widow
(or surviving divorced wife) attains age 62, the Commis-
sioner shall recompute the amount of the benefit under
this paragraph by substituting a reference to such month
for each reference in the preceding provisions of this para-
graph to the application month.’’.
(b) WIDOWER’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(10)(A) In any case in which the amount of a wid-
ower’s insurance benefit (as determined under the pre-
ceding provisions of this section, taking into account appli-
cable reductions under this section) for the application
month of the widower (or surviving divorced husband) is
less than the minimum benefit amount for such month de-
termined under subparagraph (C), the amount of such
benefit for such month and each succeeding month shall
be increased to such minimum benefit amount (or the
amount most recently established in lieu thereof under
section 215(i)).
‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘appli-
cation month’ of a widower (or surviving divorced hus-
band) means the month of the filing of his application for
widower’s insurance benefits.
‘‘(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the min-
imum benefit amount determined under this subparagraph
for the application month is an amount equal to the lesser
of—
‘‘(i) 75 percent of the sum of—