A loved one passing away is already one of the most difficult things an individual must deal with. However, the way Social Security works make the devastation worse; the surviving spouse’s household income is slashed, bringing about newfound financial insecurities the widow(er) is forced to face.
The Fundamental Problem
The Social Security Administration (SSA) reported that 50% of married beneficiaries rely on benefit payments as a large portion of their monthly income. This becomes problematic when factoring in the death of a spouse.
When a spouse receiving benefits passes, the SSA cuts the household benefits of the surviving spouse. Instead of receiving both incomes, the surviving spouse gets either their own full benefit payment or survivor benefits. Regrettably, this means adopting a new lifestyle to accommodate a smaller income and newfound financial insecurity is necessary for many surviving spouses.
The cut to household benefits becomes even more devastating when the surviving spouse is under the full retirement age.
Help Make a Difference
Here at the Social Security Alliance, we believe retirees, no matter their age, deserve more financial security. To help retirees achieve this, we created a groundbreaking bill with seven rights for senior citizens.
Each of these has been crafted to help senior citizens nationwide live with more financial security during retirement. Among these guarantees is Right Number Six, which declares that household benefits are never reduced after a spouse passes away.
Such a guarantee allows the widow(er) to continue living with the comfort they’ve grown accustomed to. In addition, it allows for more financial security, something that all retirees deserve.
To ensure senior citizens get the financial security they deserve, we’re asking you to become a part of history. Help us urge the politicians in Congress to pass our essential piece of legislation.
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