Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act amends Social Security Act section 202(i), which governs the lump-sum death payment. Instead of the existing formula tied to three times the primary insurance amount subject to a low dollar cap, the bill sets the payment at $2,900. For insured individuals who die in calendar years after 2025, the payment is increased by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers from October 2024 through October of the prior calendar year, rounded to the nearest $10. The amendment takes effect January 1, 2025, and applies to lump-sum death payments for individuals who die on or after that date.
Who Benefits and How
Surviving spouses and eligible survivors benefit because the one-time Social Security death payment increases to $2,900 and then keeps pace with CPI-W. Families paying funeral, burial, or immediate estate costs benefit from a larger cash payment shortly after death. Funeral-cost payers and low-income survivors benefit most if the larger payment covers expenses that the existing low lump sum does not meaningfully address.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Social Security Administration must update payment systems, survivor-claim processing, notices, and inflation indexing. Social Security trust funds or federal budget accounts bear higher benefit costs. Claims staff must apply the January 1, 2025 effective date and CPI-W rounding rules.
Key Provisions
- Amends Social Security Act section 202(i) to set the lump-sum death payment at $2,900.
- Indexes payments after 2025 to CPI-W growth from October 2024 through the prior October.
- Requires rounded increases to the nearest $10.
- Provides a January 1, 2025 effective date for deaths on or after that date.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Updates the Social Security lump-sum death payment to $2,900, indexes it to CPI-W after 2025, rounds increases to the nearest $10, and applies the change to deaths on or after January 1, 2025.
Key Policy Areas
Social Security, Retirement, Families
Primary Purpose
Updates the Social Security lump-sum death payment to $2,900, indexes it to CPI-W after 2025, rounds increases to the nearest $10, and applies the change to deaths on or after January 1, 2025.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Surviving spouses
- Eligible survivors
- Families paying funeral costs
- Low-income survivors
Identified Costs
- Social Security Administration
- Social Security claims staff
- Social Security trust funds
- Federal budget accounts
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Amo (for himself, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Balint, Ms. Norton, …
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
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