A spouse passing away is already one of the most difficult things an individual must deal with. However, the situation is made worse when the widow(er) realizes their household income will be slashed. This brings about newfound financial insecurities the widow(er) must also handle.

The Underlying Problem

According to the Social Security Administration, 50% of married beneficiaries rely on their benefits for a large portion of their income. However, when one of the married beneficiaries passes away, this income shrinks.

Rather than paying the same household income to the surviving spouse, the most the surviving spouse can receive is either their own full benefit payment or the payment their deceased spouse received. Unfortunately for many, this means adapting to a new lifestyle to accommodate the smaller income and financial insecurity.

Additionally, it is important to note that, while retirees can work while receiving survivor benefits, they will be subject to the income threshold that applies for all benefit payments. This creates an even larger obstacle for survivors to get through.

The income threshold forces senior citizens to play a numbers’ game just to ensure they can live financially secure. This in and of itself is cruel and unjust. But when an additional factor is added in– like the death of a spouse– it becomes much more difficult to manage.

You Can Help

We support a groundbreaking bill with seven guarantees; these guarantees will help senior citizens throughout the nation live with more financial security. Of these guarantees, number six declares that household benefits will not be reduced after an individual passes away.

This guarantee allows the widow(er) to continue living with more financial security. It allows them to focus on grieving and moving forward instead of any new financial insecurities.

Become a part of history. We are continuing to urge the politicians in Congress to pass this bill, join us and take a stand now.