Congress quietly expands Social Security for unpaid family caregivers
H.R. 8490 — Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2026 · Filed by Brad Schneider (D-IL) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 23, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a new Social Security credit for unpaid family caregivers. If you spend at least 80 hours per month caring for a child under 12 or a disabled relative without pay, the government will credit you with deemed wages (50% of the national average wage) toward your Social Security retirement benefits, up to 60 months total. This allows caregivers who leave the workforce to build retirement security they would otherwise lose.
Why we flagged it
The bill amends Title II of the Social Security Act to extend deemed-wage credits to unpaid family caregivers, expanding the social insurance system's coverage to recognize unpaid care work as a contribution to retirement security.
What the text implies
- The bill's 60-month cap means caregivers can only credit up to 5 years of care, potentially disadvantaging those who provide care for longer periods (e.g., a parent caring for a disabled adult child for 20+ years).
- Deemed wages are set at 50% of the national average wage index, which may undervalue caregiving relative to market wages and could create incentives for some caregivers to seek paid work instead of unpaid family care.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
unpaid family caregivers (primarily women); disabled individuals and elderly relatives (indirect benefit through caregiver retention)