{
  "id": "R46182",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "R46182",
  "active": true,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 614053,
      "date": "2020-01-16",
      "retrieved": "2020-01-22T13:56:32.539889",
      "title": "Social Security and Vulnerable Groups\u2014Policy Options to Aid Widows",
      "summary": "As Congress actively considers Social Security reform options, one area of interest is Social Security policy levers to aid vulnerable groups\u2014widows, low earners, caregivers, older beneficiaries, spouses, and never-married individuals. In the context of widows, researchers and policymakers have raised concerns about both benefit adequacy and benefit equity. In 2017, about 18% of all individuals aged 60 or older were widows; however, nearly 26% of individuals aged 60 or older living in poverty were widows.\nBenefit adequacy concerns stem from the facts that the widow has outlived the spouse, may contend with a reduced monthly income after the spouse\u2019s death, may confront significant medical and long-term care expenses associated with the deceased spouse\u2019s end-of-life care, and is at risk of outliving retirement resources and incurring significant expenses for long-term care. The focus tends to be on widows (women) rather than widowers (men). In 2017, the poverty rate was 14.6% for widowed women aged 60 or older and 10.8% for widowed women aged 60 or older receiving Social Security benefits, compared with 10.5% and 7.7%, respectively, for widowed men aged 60 or older.\nBenefit equity concerns stem from Social Security program rules that provide higher benefits to one-earner couples than to two-earner couples with identical lifetime earnings and Social Security payroll tax contributions. More equitable program rules, reflecting changes in family structure and work patterns of husbands and wives, would provide equal benefits for equal contributions.\nSeveral approaches to modifying Social Security benefits to aid widows are available. One approach is to adjust the Social Security program policy levers that most directly affect widows. These levers include the widow(er)\u2019s limit, the provision of credits for delayed claiming, the parameters around benefits for disabled widows, and the lump-sum death benefit. Another approach is to develop an alternative widow benefit, envisioned as a percentage of the couple\u2019s combined Social Security benefits while both were alive, with the widow receiving the higher of this alternative benefit amount and the current-law widow benefit. Finally, proposals that would aid other vulnerable groups\u2014enhanced benefits for low earners, reduced marriage requirements for divorced spouse and divorced survivor benefits, increased benefits for older beneficiaries, caregiver credits, and paid family leave\u2014also would aid widows who are members of those targeted groups.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": true,
      "formats": [
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          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R46182",
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          "filename": "files/20200116_R46182_66998b131b9f94ccf5e7ef45873da125f1a6539c.html",
          "images": {}
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          "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R46182",
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      "topics": [
        {
          "source": "IBCList",
          "id": 4796,
          "name": "Social Security"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Aging Policy",
    "Domestic Social Policy",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}