Relevant Content

Acknowledgments: New experts is actually pleased to help you Howard Meters. Iams having his assistance regarding the venture. David Weaver, Linda Maxfield, Susan Graduate, additionally the reviewers given worthwhile statements and you can suggested statements on prior to drafts associated with the blog post. Thuy Ho offered outstanding research service. The fresh new findings and you will findings in this post are the ones of one’s article authors and do not always depict the fresh feedback of Personal Shelter Government. An early form of this works is actually presented within 2007 fulfilling of the Population Relationship out of America, Nyc, New york.

The newest conclusions and results demonstrated from the Bulletin are the ones regarding brand new article writers and do not always represent new views of Personal Protection Administration.

Bottom line and you can Introduction

Lead to the Public Safeguards system from inside the 1939, spouse and you will survivor gurus keeps extremely important effects to the senior years feel of women. After 2005, twelve.nine billion people Societal Cover beneficiaries aged 62 or older (59 %) obtained at least part of their work with once the wives or widows regarding titled professionals. 1 Of these girls, a partner otherwise widow work with given a much bigger percentage than just that of their own earnings number (SSA 2007, Dining table 5.A14).

Enough vibrant points dictate what number of ladies (and you will people) eligible for, and you will claiming, Social Security mate otherwise survivor benefits in the senior years. Past and present marital updates establishes possible work with eligibility (generally speaking, you must feel already hitched, widowed, otherwise have had good ten-season ount will be based upon a person’s lifestyle money number from inside the reference to a recent or former lover. This particular article focuses on brand new relationship history element that site of qualifications, while recognizing one to highest-level changes in women’s staff accessory over the past half-century, for example grows for the labor markets participation and you may earnings according to males, have led to an increase in the newest express of women retired people getting at least section of their benefit based on their earnings list.

The partnership ranging from marital record and you will eligibility having companion otherwise widow professionals is actually of expanding desire certainly policymakers and you may old age experts (Favreault and you can Steuerle 2007; Harrington Meyer, Wolf, and you will Himes 2006). Although relationship trends have begun to stabilize in the us nowadays (like, divorce proceedings pricing seem to have leveled regarding), an intensive literary works records dramatic changes in the marital models off females over the past multiple decades. Celebrated transform become expands in divorce proceedings, reduces in marriage durations, and a boost in what number of women who reduce or forgo marriage. dos Away from a retirement perspective, progressing relationship patterns are important while they may indicate that the express of women on the option of claiming a partner or widow work for at advancing years ple, current style reveal highest proportions of never ever-), that will reduce the share of women probably entitled to lover or widow benefits by the point they come to retirement.

Completely, this article shows crucial linkages anywhere between sociodemographic trends in , and its own beneficiaries. Because of the evaluating brand new so you can also aged ladies in 1985, this article brings an indication of just how relationship manner is actually changing as well as how instance change will get impact the extent that partner and widow pros could be a choice for upcoming female retirees. Results mean that most women aged forty to 69 within the 2001 (more about three-fourths) already had marital records which can be sure her or him the option of a wife otherwise widow benefit at senior years. However, a smaller proportion of these females would be potentially eligible to found companion or widow advantages in contrast to their alternatives inside the 1985 because of alterations in newest relationship updates otherwise earlier marital stage. The newest magnitude off transform anywhere between 1985 and you can 2001 varies significantly from the many years cohort, to your smallest shift in the ong brand new Older Age and you can Late Middle-age organizations and also the really remarkable among Middle age class. Prominent shifts, by and large, reflect relationship trend alterations in little wave of one’s higher baby-increase cohort you need to include an increase in the fresh express out of divorced girls that have faster marriages (lower than a decade) and never-partnered females.