Social Security benefits of female retired workers and two-worker couples. 1982

B A Lingg

This article makes available for the first time actual program data on benefits of couples in which both spouses receive benefits as retired workers. Traditional data have always classified two retired workers married to each other as separate "worker-only" beneficiaries. In this study of 1976 data, however, the benefits of husbands and wives were linked. It was found that average benefits for all couples--those in which the wife received a benefit as a retired worker and those in which she received a benefit only as a spouse--were about 8 percent higher than the amount usually reported from administrative records. Average benefits for couples in which the wife received a retired-worker benefit were about 18 percent higher than those for couples in which she received only a spouse's benefit. This article also examines the benefit levels and entitlement status of never-married, divorced, and widowed female retired workers according to their marital status. This information is likewise not routinely available from administrative records. Widows were about as likely as wives to be entitled only on the basis of their own earnings. Among all women, benefits were found to be highest for dually entitled widows and lowest for wives entitled only to a spouse's benefit.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007182 Income Revenues or receipts accruing from business enterprise, labor, or invested capital. Income Distribution,Income Generation Programs,Savings,Distribution, Income,Distributions, Income,Income Distributions,Income Generation Program,Incomes,Program, Income Generation,Programs, Income Generation
D008297 Male Males
D008393 Marriage The social institution involving legal and/or religious sanction whereby individuals are joined together. Marital Relationship,Arranged Marriage,Commonlaw Marriage,Consensual Union,Consummation of Marriage,Dowry,Husband-Wife Comparisons,Intermarriage,Marriage Age,Marriage Duration,Marriage Patterns,Marriage Postponement,Mate Selection,Multiple Marriages,Nuptiality,Polygamy,Polygyny,Remarriage,Same-Sex Marriage,Age, Marriage,Ages, Marriage,Arranged Marriages,Commonlaw Marriages,Comparison, Husband-Wife,Comparisons, Husband-Wife,Consensual Unions,Dowries,Duration, Marriage,Husband Wife Comparisons,Husband-Wife Comparison,Intermarriages,Marital Relationships,Marriage Ages,Marriage Consummation,Marriage Consummations,Marriage Pattern,Marriage Postponements,Marriage, Arranged,Marriage, Commonlaw,Marriage, Same-Sex,Marriages,Marriages, Arranged,Marriages, Commonlaw,Marriages, Multiple,Marriages, Same-Sex,Mate Selections,Postponement, Marriage,Postponements, Marriage,Relationship, Marital,Relationships, Marital,Remarriages,Same Sex Marriage,Same-Sex Marriages,Selection, Mate,Selections, Mate,Union, Consensual,Unions, Consensual
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012179 Retirement The state of being retired from one's position or occupation. Retirements
D012943 Social Security Government sponsored social insurance programs. Aid to the Blind,Aid to the Totally Disabled,Social Insurance,Aid to Totally Disabled Persons,Aid to Visually Impaired,Aid to Visually Impaired Persons,Insurance, Social,Security, Social

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