Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2026

This bill creates a Social Security credit system for unpaid family caregivers who provide care to chronically dependent relatives, allowing them to earn credits toward future retirement benefits. It defines qualifying months as those where a caregiver spends at least 80 hours providing care to a child under 12 or an adult with significant daily living limitations without receiving monetary compensation. The legislation would credit these caregivers with up to 60 months of deemed wages, calculated as 50% of the national average wage index, starting in 2027, to help increase their future Social Security benefits. Caregivers must submit applications with documentation from physicians for adult dependents and certify their caregiving status annually. The bill requires the Social Security Administration to establish regulations and verification procedures to prevent fraud and abuse within one year of enactment.