Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-8490119th CongressWALLET
Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a Social Security caregiver wage credit that would treat months of unpaid family care as earnings when calculating monthly Social Security benefits and lump-sum death payments. The bill sets who counts as a caregiver, how deemed wages are calculated, and limits how many months can be counted.
Show full summary
- Families and unpaid caregivers: Unpaid relatives who provide at least 80 hours of care in a month could have that month counted toward Social Security. If a person has more than 60 qualifying months only the last 60 months are counted.
- Benefit calculation: For months with no paid wages the deemed amount equals 50% of the national average wage index from the second prior year. For months with some wages the deemed amount equals the excess of that 50% amount over one half of actual wages.
- Administration and oversight: The Social Security Administration would have to issue regulations within one year and create application and certification rules. The bill requires physician documentation for chronically dependent relatives, ongoing certification after the first year, fraud protections, and special non‑monetary treatment for certain veteran family care under 38 U.S.C. 1720G.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Social Security credit for caregivers
This bill would create a Social Security caregiver credit for unpaid family caregivers for months after December 2026. A month would qualify if you provided at least 80 hours of unpaid care to a defined dependent relative. For each qualifying month you would be treated as having earned half of the national average wage index from two years earlier. If you had some wages that month, the deemed amount would be reduced by one-half of your actual wages. Only the last 60 qualifying months would be counted. Months after you reach retirement age would not count, and veteran caregiver payments under 38 U.S.C. 1720G would not be treated as wages. The Social Security Commissioner would have to issue rules within one year and require an application, physician documentation for non-child dependents, and periodic certifications.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/23/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/23/2026
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 7/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov