increase in widow’s, widower’s, and parent’s insurance benefits

increase in widow’s, widower’s, and parent’s insurance benefits Sec. 104. (a) Section 202(e)(2) of such Act is amended to read as follows: “(2) Such widow’s insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to 82½ percent of the primary insurance amount of her deceased husband.” (b) Section 202(f)(3) of such Act is amended to read as follows: “(3) Such widower’s insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to 82½ percent of the primary insurance amount of his deceased wife.” (c) Section 202(h)(2) of such Act is amended to read as follows: “(2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), such parent’s insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to 82½ percent of the primary insurance amount of such deceased individual. “(B) For any month for which more than one parent is entitled to parent’s insurance benefits on the basis of such deceased individual’s wages and self-employment income, such benefit for each such parent for such month shall (except as provided in subparagraph (C)) be equal to 75 percent of the primary insurance amount of such deceased individual. “(C) In any case in which— “(i) any parent is entitled to a parent’s insurance benefit for a month on the basis of a deceased individual’s wages and self-employment income, and “(ii) another parent of such deceased individual is entitled to a parent’s insurance benefit for such month on the basis of such wages and self-employment income, and on the basis of an application filed after such month and after the month in which the application for the parent’s benefits referred to in clause (i) was filed, the amount of the parent’s insurance benefit of the parent referred to in clause (i) for the month referred to in such clause shall be determined under subparagraph (A) instead of subparagraph (B) and the amount of the parent’s insurance benefit of a parent referred to in clause (ii) for such month shall be equal to 150 percent of the primary insurance amount of the deceased individual minus the amount (before the application of section 203(a)) of the benefit for such month of the parent referred to in clause (i).” (d) (1) Subsections (e)(1) and (f)(1) of section 202 of such Act are amended by striking out “three-fourths” each place it appears therein and inserting in lieu thereof “82½ percent”. 75 Stat. 139 (2) Section 202(h)(1) of such Act is amended by striking out “three-fourths of the primary insurance amount of such deceased individual” each place it appears therein and inserting in lieu thereof “82½ percent of the primary insurance amount of such deceased individual if the amount of the parent’s insurance benefit for such month is determinable under paragraph (2)(A) (or 75 percent of such primary insurance amount in any other case)”. (e) The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to monthly benefits under section 202 of the Social Security Act for months beginning on or after the effective date of this title. (f) Where— (1) two or more persons were entitled (without the application of subsection (j)(1) of section 202 of the Social Security Act) to monthly benefits under such section 202 for the last month beginning before the effective date of this title on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of a deceased individual, and one or more of such persons is entitled to a monthly insurance benefit under subsection (e), (f), or (h) of such section 202 for such last month; and (2) no person, other than the persons referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection, is entitled to benefits under such section 202 on the basis of such individual’s wages and self-employment income for a subsequent month or for any month after such last month and before such subsequent month; and (3) the total of the benefits to which all persons are entitled under such section 202 on the basis of such individual’s wages and self-employment income for such subsequent month is reduced by reason of the application of section 203(a) of such Act, then the amount of the benefit to which each such person referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection is entitled for such subsequent month shall be determined without regard to this Act if, after the application of this Act, such benefit for such month is less than the amount of such benefit for such last month. The preceding provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any monthly benefit of any person for any month beginning after the effective date of this title unless paragraph (3) also applies to such benefit for the month beginning on such effective date (or would so apply but for the next to the last sentence of section 203 (a) of the Social Security Act).