While the law is cut and dry, we can be kind. Either because we know the wishes of the woman or because we can presume her wishes, we refer to a widow with “Mrs.” and to the man as her husband. Women usually outlive men. I knew one who would put the t.v. on, on Sunday afternoons, to hear the football games being broadcast from another room, as that reminded her of her deceased husband. It is only decent of us to respect these ladies.
If an insurance company wanted to offer a policy to cover the living expenses of children conceived by stored sperm (and, presumably, stored eggs) after the death of the insured, there could be no objection. The premiums such an insurance company would have to charge, would have to reflect the different cost involved.
The Social Security survivor benefits program was not designed to cover the cost of raising children conceived by stored sperm after the death of the father. If we, as a society, wanted it to do that, the proper way would be for Congress to work the thing out, not for the Supreme Court to change the law with respect to who is recognized to be a survivor.
Were the Supreme Court to change the law, how would this effect inheritance? Certainly, you recognize there would have to be some time limit in view of inheritance? You can’t wait forever to disburse an estate because there may be store sperm. If there is a limit, then why is the current limit, which is that you have to be pregnant at the time your husband passes away, a bad limit?
yeah I agree this is a mess best sorted out by congress, the court should probably stay out of it.