Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2026

This bill would change Social Security so that people who provide unpaid care to a dependent relative for at least 80 hours in a month could receive credit toward Social Security benefits for that month, as if they had earned wages. Dependent relatives include children under 12 and certain family members who need daily help with at least two basic or independent-living activities. For a month with no paid work, the credited amount would be 50 percent of the national average wage index; for months with some earnings, the credit would be reduced based on those earnings. Only the last 60 qualifying months would count, and no credit would apply to months after the caregiver reaches retirement age. Caregivers would have to apply, provide a physician's documentation for relatives who are not children under 12, and recertify their information periodically.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Christopher Murphy Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors