Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment Act of 2025; SWIFT Act
Summary
The Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment Act of 2025 (SWIFT Act) aims to amend Title II of the Social Security Act, increasing survivor benefits for disabled widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses. It also increases the child's age limit for child-in-care benefits and modifies benefit limits for widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses, including increases for delayed claiming of benefits.
The Act includes provisions to hold current beneficiaries harmless and mandates the Commissioner of Social Security to publish and distribute information booklets regarding survivor benefits.
The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and will apply to determinations of eligibility for and the amount of widow's and widower's insurance benefits payable on or after that date.
Expected Effects
The SWIFT Act will likely increase the financial support available to disabled surviving spouses and children of deceased individuals. This will be achieved by increasing benefit amounts, expanding eligibility criteria, and providing additional incentives for delaying benefit claims.
It will also ensure that current beneficiaries of federal and state programs are not negatively impacted by the increased benefits. The Act mandates better information dissemination to eligible individuals.
Potential Benefits
- Increased financial security for disabled widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses.
- Expanded eligibility for survivors benefits, allowing more individuals to qualify.
- Increased child-in-care benefits by raising the age limit, providing more support for families.
- Incentives for delaying claiming benefits, potentially leading to higher benefit amounts in the long term.
- Protection for current beneficiaries of federal and state programs, ensuring they are not negatively impacted by the changes.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- The increased benefits may place additional strain on the Social Security system's finances.
- The complexity of the changes may make it difficult for individuals to understand and navigate the system.
- Delayed implementation (January 1, 2027) means beneficiaries will not see changes immediately.
- The Act's effectiveness depends on the Social Security Administration's ability to disseminate information and implement the changes efficiently.
- Potential for unintended consequences or loopholes that could be exploited.
Constitutional Alignment
The SWIFT Act appears to align with the Constitution's mandate to "promote the general Welfare" (Preamble). By increasing benefits for vulnerable populations like disabled surviving spouses and children, the Act seeks to improve their financial well-being.
Congress has the power to legislate in this area under Article I, Section 8, which grants it the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States.
However, the long-term fiscal impact of the Act should be carefully considered to ensure it does not unduly burden future generations or violate principles of fiscal responsibility.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).