Press Releases

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew introduced the Protect American Widows Act to help alleviate the financial burden of grieving widows. Currently, widows are only able to file their taxes as a surviving spouse for two years. This bill would extend that period of time to five years, providing an extended lifeline to those facing some of their hardest times.

"This expansion of financial relief can make all the difference to those trying to navigate the loss of their loved one," said Congressman Van Drew. "Our fellow Americans deserve empathy and compassion, and two years is just not enough time to financially recover from such a deep loss. By extending the timeline of this relief, we are easing the financial pressure of these grieving spouses and lifting some of the weight off their shoulders."

Background:

• This bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow widowed spouses to file as a surviving spouse, which would qualify them to utilize the married filing jointly tax rate, for five taxable years as opposed to the current two-year limit.
• This bill would apply to returns filed for taxable years following December 31st, 2023.
• This bill was drafted in coordination with a group of widows from South Jersey who came to the Congressman with this proposal.