Time To Raise The LSDB?

     David Weaver argues in The Hill that the Covid-19 pandemic is good reason to update Social Security’s Lump Sum Death Benefit (LSDB). Weaver thinks it should be increased from the absurdly low amount that is now paid, $255, to something that comes closer to the costs of a funeral, $2,500 and that it should be available not only to surviving spouses, as it mostly is now, but to any survivor handling the disposition of the earthly remains. I don’t think he goes far enough. I think the LSDB should be raised to $5,000 or even $10,000. There’s little point in the current LSDB. It probably costs more to administer than is paid out as benefits.