Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement (POWR) Act
Bill: H.R.4851 | Sponsor: Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. (D-CA)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement (POWR) Act
This bill increases Social Security benefits for widows or widowers in two-income households by establishing an alternative method to calculate survivors benefits based on combined household benefit amounts.

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to improve social security 
       benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Our Widows and Widowers 
in Retirement (POWR) Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS IN 
              TWO-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Widows.--Section 202(e) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 402(e)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (iii) by striking subparagraph (D);
                            (iv) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and 
                        (F) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; 
                        and
                            (v) in the flush matter following 
                        subparagraph (E)(ii), as so redesignated, by 
                        striking ``or becomes entitled to an old-age 
                        insurance benefit'' and all that follows 
                        through ``such deceased individual,'';
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (A) in paragraph (2) 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(2)(A) Except as provided in subsection (k)(5), 
        subsection (q), and subparagraph (D) of this paragraph, such 
        widow's insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to the 
        greater of--
                    ``(i) the primary insurance amount (as determined 
                for purposes of this subsection after application of 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C)) of such deceased individual; 
                or
                    ``(ii) subject to paragraph (9), in the case of a 
                fully insured widow or surviving divorced wife, 75 
                percent of the sum of any old-age or disability 
                insurance benefit for which the widow or the surviving 
                divorced wife is entitled for such month and the 
                primary insurance amount (as determined for purposes of 
                this subsection after application of subparagraphs (B) 
                and (C)) of such deceased individual.'';
                    (C) in paragraph (5)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``paragraph (1)(F)'' and inserting ``paragraph 
                        (1)(E)''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``paragraph (1)(F)(i)'' and inserting 
                        ``paragraph (1)(E)(i)''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the amount 
        determined under such paragraph shall not exceed the primary 
        insurance amount for such month of a hypothetical individual--
                    ``(A) who became entitled to old-age insurance 
                benefits upon attaining early retirement age during the 
                month in which the deceased individual referred to in 
                paragraph (1) became entitled to old-age or disability 
                insurance benefits, or died (before becoming entitled 
                to such benefits); and
                    ``(B) to whom wages and self-employment income were 
                credited in each of such hypothetical individual's 
                elapsed years (within the meaning of section 
                215(b)(2)(B)(iii)) in an amount equal to 1\1/3\ of the 
                national average wage index (as described in section 
                209(k)(1)) for each such year.''.
            (2) Widowers.--Section 202(f) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 402(f)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (iii) by striking subparagraph (D);
                            (iv) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and 
                        (F) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; 
                        and
                            (v) in the flush matter following 
                        subparagraph (E)(ii), as so redesignated, by 
                        striking ``or becomes entitled to an old-age 
                        insurance benefit'' and all that follows 
                        through ``such deceased individual,'';
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (A) in paragraph (2) 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(2)(A) Except as provided in subsection (k)(5), 
        subsection (q), and subparagraph (D) of this paragraph, such 
        widower's insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to 
        the greater of--
                    ``(i) the primary insurance amount (as determined 
                for purposes of this subsection after application of 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C)) of such deceased individual; 
                or
                    ``(ii) subject to paragraph (9), in the case of a 
                fully insured widower or surviving divorced husband, 75 
                percent of the sum of any old-age or disability 
                insurance benefit for which the widower or the 
                surviving divorced husband is entitled for such month 
                and the primary insurance amount (as determined for 
                purposes of this subsection after application of 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C)) of such deceased 
                individual.'';
                    (C) in paragraph (5)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``paragraph (1)(F)'' and inserting ``paragraph 
                        (1)(E)''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``paragraph (1)(F)(i)'' and inserting 
                        ``paragraph (1)(E)(i)''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(9) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the amount 
        determined under such paragraph shall not exceed the primary 
        insurance amount for such month of a hypothetical individual--
                    ``(A) who became entitled to old-age insurance 
                benefits upon attaining early retirement age during the 
                month in which the deceased individual referred to in 
                paragraph (1) became entitled to old-age or disability 
                insurance benefits, or died (before becoming entitled 
                to such benefits); and
                    ``(B) to whom wages and self-employment income were 
                credited in each of such hypothetical individual's 
                elapsed years (within the meaning of section 
                215(b)(2)(B)(iii)) in an amount equal to 1\1/3\ of the 
                national average wage index (as described in section 
                209(k)(1)) for each such year.''.
    (b) Holding SSI Beneficiaries Harmless.--For purposes of 
determining the income of an individual to establish eligibility for, 
and the amount of, benefits payable under title XVI of the Social 
Security Act, the amount of any benefit to which the individual is 
entitled under title II of such Act shall be deemed not to exceed the 
amount of the benefit that would be determined for such individual 
under such title as in effect on the day before the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to widow's and widower's insurance benefits payable 
for months after December 2021.
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