NY Daily News
Soc Sec plan cuts kids, widows
WASHINGTON - President Bush's preferred approach for revamping Social Security would mean smaller survivor benefits for middle- and upper-income children and widows than are now promised, a top administration official said yesterday.
But Bush envisions no changes in the benefit system for the disabled, said Allan Hubbard, the administration's point man on Social Security.
In addition to retirees, Social Security provides benefits to the disabled as well as to children under 18 who have lost a working parent. Surviving spouses also can qualify for a benefit until the child turns 16.
Bush said the system needs a variety of fixes because Social Security will begin paying out more in benefits than it receives from payroll taxes in 2017.