SWIFT Act Expands Social Security for Disabled Survivors, Ending Benefit Cuts Starting 2027

The “Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment Act of 2025,” or SWIFT Act, is a major overhaul of how Social Security handles survivor benefits, especially for disabled individuals. Starting January 1, 2027, this bill removes two major hurdles that have historically penalized disabled widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses: age restrictions and automatic benefit reductions.

Full Benefits for Disabled Survivors, No Matter the Age

Currently, if you are a disabled survivor, you generally have to be between ages 50 and 60 to qualify for benefits based on disability. The SWIFT Act wipes that requirement off the books (Sec. 2). If you are disabled, you can now receive full survivor benefits at any age, provided you meet the other criteria. The bill also eliminates the rule that your disability must have started within a specific time frame after your spouse or ex-spouse died. This is a huge deal for younger survivors or those whose disability developed years later. It also clarifies that remarriage after becoming eligible won’t stop your benefits—a major relief for those who find love again after loss. Crucially, the bill amends Section 202(q) to eliminate the benefit reduction that typically hits disabled survivors who claim benefits before full retirement age. For a 35-year-old disabled widow, this means accessing the full benefit amount immediately, rather than a drastically reduced one.

Supporting Parents of Older Kids

The bill also addresses a common pain point for parents receiving “child-in-care” benefits. These benefits are paid to a surviving parent who is caring for a child who qualifies for benefits. Right now, that child must be under 16. The SWIFT Act raises that qualifying age from 16 to 18 (Sec. 3). This change, effective January 1, 2027, acknowledges the reality that children often rely on their parents well beyond age 16, especially while finishing high school. For a surviving parent who had to quit a job or cut back hours to care for a 17-year-old, this provides two extra years of crucial income support.

New Incentives for Delaying Claims

One of the most complex, yet potentially valuable, parts of the SWIFT Act is Section 4, which creates new rules for delayed retirement credits for survivors. Just like workers can earn more by delaying their own retirement benefits, this bill allows surviving spouses to earn increased benefits if they delay claiming their survivor benefits past their early retirement age, both before and after their full retirement age. This means a survivor who is financially able to wait can see their monthly check grow significantly. The calculation is complicated, involving “applicable percentages” and “increment months,” but the takeaway is simple: delaying the claim can now result in a permanently higher benefit, up to the maximum the deceased spouse could have earned.

The Critical “Hold Harmless” Provision

Perhaps the most practical section for low-income beneficiaries is Section 5, the “Hold Harmless” provision. When Social Security benefits increase, people often lose eligibility for other essential programs like Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), or housing assistance because their income is now too high. This bill prevents that. It states that any extra income a person receives because of these new Social Security changes will not be counted against their eligibility for existing federal, state, or local assistance programs. This protection is vital, ensuring that a survivor doesn't get a Social Security raise only to lose their health insurance or food aid. However, note the fine print: this protection ends if the individual stops being eligible for the other program. If you lose Medicaid for an unrelated reason, the protection doesn't apply if you try to re-apply later.

Better Information for Families

Finally, the bill mandates better communication. The Social Security Administration (SSA) must publish an easy-to-understand booklet detailing the interactions between old-age and survivor benefits, how claiming timing affects the amount, and other key details (Sec. 6). Starting January 1, 2027, the SSA must mail this booklet to every known widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse within 30 days of being informed of a death. This is a much-needed step to ensure families navigating grief aren't also left to navigate confusing, complex benefit rules alone.