Restricted-survivor modeling ruling¶
For the contributed S.770 section 2 preset, a worker who died before 2026,
before attaining 62, and without prior disability eligibility receives the 95%
first factor at the death-based computation benchmark. The parameter
recompute_pre2026_death_before_eligibility controls only the 18% increase
to that benchmark’s first bend point. False therefore retains the 95% factor;
true applies both changes. Deaths after 2025 and workers with accepted
authoritative prior-disability eligibility are outside this switch.
Every survivor record requires an explicit prior-eligibility answer:
ss_calculator_prior_disability_eligibility=1 asserts that the worker initially
became eligible through disability before death; 0 asserts no prior eligibility.
The default -1 is unspecified and raises ValueError; other values also fail.
The pure SurvivorBasis.prior_disability_eligibility field accepts the same
answers as True/False, with None unspecified. Prior eligibility requires
an authoritative computation basis; no prior eligibility permits a benchmark
derived from death and age-62 attainment. An authoritative year alone never
establishes prior eligibility.
Section 2(c)(2)(B) covers workers who “initially became eligible for old-age or disability insurance benefits before January 1, 2026”. Prior disability is initial eligibility, so the 18% increase applies at that earlier benchmark regardless of this switch.
For deaths without prior initial eligibility, this is an explicit scenario interpretation, not a statutory conclusion. The switch defaults false and must be recorded with the scenario. For AIME above the increased first bend point, the raw monthly gain is .05 * original BP1 with the switch false, or .1634 * original BP1 with it true.