Retirement & Social Security
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About Retirement & Social Security
IWPR is a leading national resource on women’s income security—especially the economic security of women in retirement and the possible effects of Social Security changes on women.
Research from IWPR has shown the current Social Security program is a mainstay for women, and these findings have been supported by research from other organizations. Adult women are 57 percent (21 million) of all beneficiaries aged 65 and older, including retirees, the disabled, and the survivors of deceased workers (37 million). Women are more likely to rely on Social Security because they have fewer alternative sources of income, often outlive their husbands, and are more likely to be left to rear children when their husbands die or become disabled. Moreover, due to the recession many women have lost home equity and savings to failing markets, leaving them more economically vulnerable and dependent on Social Security benefits.
A recent survey developed by IWPR finds that in the aftermath of the Great Recession many Americans, especially women, feel bleak about their prospects for retirement security. Almost half (47 percent) of all women surveyed say they have little or no confidence that their resources will last throughout their retirement years, compared with 35 percent of men. Only 25 percent of women and 35 percent of men believe they are saving enough for retirement. Especially in the current economic crisis, American women and men value the support Social Security provides–to such a great extent that they do not mind paying taxes so that the program can continue to help secure the economic stability of retired persons, the disabled, and families of deceased workers.
IWPR produces and disseminates materials to keep women involved in the ongoing debate on Social Security, to ensure that women’s concerns are addressed in any changes to the system that might take place, and to highlight the special importance of Social Security to women. IWPR’s research shows that women aged 65 and over receive two-thirds of their income from Social Security on average. In 2009, 29 percent of older women are living on Social Security alone. Social Security lifts more than 14 million women and men aged 65 or older out of poverty.
In addition, IWPR is engaged in a collaborative project to educate and mobilize women’s organizations to safeguard Social Security. Working with the National Organization for Women (NOW) as co-leaders of the National Council of Women’s Organizations’ Task Force on Older Women’s Economic Security (OWES), IWPR strives to help women’s groups convey accurate information about Social Security and increase their participation in the political debate about Social Security’s future as well as in campaigns to preserve and improve the benefits of Social Security programs. A central goal of the project is to monitor media coverage on Social Security and to provide a balanced perspective that recognizes the importance of benefit adequacy and financial solvency as well as the special importance of Social Security to women.
Resources
Social Security Media Watch Project Blog
Social Security and the Changing Economic Role of Women --PowerPoint Presentation
Visit our external resources page for links to more information on this topic.
To see our experts on this and other initiatives, click here.
Latest Reports from IWPR
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Breaking the Social Security Glass Ceiling: A Proposal to Modernize Women's Benefits This report examines the valuable role women play as caregivers to both their children and to their aging parents. It looks at the impact of widowhood, and the difference in life expectancy between men and women and how that affects a growing number of older women --espeically those over age 86-- who are living below the poverty line. And it examines the special role that Social Security plays in meeting the income security needs of women from communities of color.
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Importance of Social Security by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Marital Status, 2010
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Can Boomer Women Afford to Retire?
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Talking Points on Retirement and Social Security Talking Points on Retirement and Social Security
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The Impact of the Great Recession on Older Women and Men
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Retirement on the Edge: Women, Men, and Economic Insecurity After the Great Recession The Great Recession dramatically altered the lives of many Americans, creating pronounced economic stress and uncertainty for both individuals and families. Even after the recession was officially declared over, unemployment levels remained persistently high, while housing values remained notably low. These circumstances led the Institute forWomen’s Policy Research (IWPR) to develop and analyze the IWPR/Rockefeller Survey of Economic Security, which was administered to 2,746 adults aged 18 and older between September and November 2010. The sample for the survey was stratified to yield approximately equal numbers of white, black, and Hispanic respondents, with results weighted by American Community Survey data to reflect the non-institutional, adult population of the nation. The survey included a select number of questions from earlier surveys, such as the Rockefeller Foundation’s February 2007 AmericanWorkers Survey and the National Academy of Social Insurance/Rockefeller Survey of 2009. These questions were worded the same or in similarways in the current survey to allowfor comparison between respondents’ views in 2010 and in the previous studies.
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D500, Report, 68 pages
$10.00
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Most Americans Think the Growth of Social Security Spending Should Not Be Cut to Reduce the Deficit
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Pension Crediting for Caregivers: Policies in Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan
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#D497, Report, 48 pages
$15.00
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Six Key Facts on Women and Social Security
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Social Security and Black Women
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Latinas and Social Security Social Security is a crucial source of income for many Americans. This is particularly true for women and people of color, who tend to have fewer alternative sources of income, experience higher poverty rates, and earn less on average throughout their working years (Hartmann, Hayes, and Drago 2011).
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Figures Excerpted from the Report, Social Security Especially Vital to Women and People of Color, Men Increasingly Reliant
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Social Security: Especially Vital to Women and People of Color, Men Increasingly Reliant Social Security is the bedrock of retirement income for older Americans. IWPR analysis of the 2010 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) shows that Social Security remains the largest source of income for older Americans.
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#D494, Report, 22 pages,
$10.00
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Women’s Economic Security in the Labor Market and in Retirement
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The Importance of Social Security Benefits to Women
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Who Are Social Security Beneficiaries? (Updated)
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Social Security: Vital to Retirement Security for 35 Million Women and Men
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#D487, Briefing Paper, 10 pages
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Women and Social Security: Benefit Types and Eligibility
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#D488, Briefing Paper, 9 pages
$5.00
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Women and Entitlements
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Why Americans Worry About Retirement Security, and Why Women Worry More Than Men This summary excerpts findings from a report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Women at Greater Risk of Economic Insecurity: A Gender Analysis of the Rockefeller Foundation's American Worker Survey. It draws out survey results that show how insecure Americans feel about their retirement income and why women are more anxious than men.
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