Crediting Caregivers in the Social Security System

Social Security Caregiver Credit Act would credit individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives for up to five years.

Part of a Series

Idea of the Day

Idea of the Day

Workers who temporarily leave the workforce to care for a relative—including to raise children—do not get credits toward their future Social Security benefits even though women spend an average of 12 years out of the workforce caring for children or elderly parents.

Many people consider this discriminatory as well as a particular problem for caregivers’ future financial security. To address this, the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act would credit individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives for up to five years.

For more information on this topic, please see:

Advancing the Economic Security of Unmarried Women by Liz Weiss and Page Gardner

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