America’s Most Vulnerable Populations

  1. Almost half of all widowed, divorced and single women age 65 or older receive 90 percent or more of their income solely from Social Security.  

  2. Thirty percent of African-American elderly couples and 57 percent of unmarried African-American seniors receive 90 percent or more of their incomes from Social Security. 

  3. For Hispanics, 39 percent of couples and 63 percent of singles almost completely rely on Social Security.

The Strength of Social Security

  1. 88% of Americans say Social Security is more important than ever as a result of today’s economic crisis.

  2. Three quarters of Americans say it is critical to preserve Social Security even if it means that working Americans have to pay higher taxes to do so.

  3. 90% of Americans want Congress to act within the next two years to preserve Social Security.

  4. Nearly half of current Social Security beneficiaries polled said that they wouldn’t be able to afford the basics (food, clothing and shelter) without Social Security. 

Fact Sheets

  1. NEW Social Security Pulic Education  Materials

  2. 10 Things You Should Know (about Social Security), OWL: Social Security Matters

  3. The Benefits of Social Security for Children, Generations United

  4. The Benefits of Social Security for Grandfamilies, Generations United

  5. Children and Families Have a Stake in Social Security, Generations United

  6. Who Are Social Security Beneficiaries?, Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)

  7. National Elder Economic Standard Index, Wider Opportunities for Women

http://owl-national.org/Support_Us.html

Will Social Security be there for us?

The Facts

  1. Social Security Keeps 20 Million Americans out of Poverty.

  2. The benefits cannot be found on the private market.

  3. The program is solvent until 2037.

  4. It offers a guaranteed benefit - unaffected by the ups and downs of the stock market.

YES...

We’ve all heard that “Social Security won’t be there” for future generations.

This is NOT true. 

It is a myth. 

Cutting Social Security Would Be Devastating for Americans 

  1. 48% of Americans 65 and older live at or below 200% FPL.

  2. 45% of women living alone who are 65 and older are poor.

  3. The average Social Security benefit is $13,800 a year.  Women on average receive $2,000 less.

  4. Half of couples 65 and older have no pension income to rely on.

  5. Two-thirds of singles 65 and older have no pension.


Social Security Matters is a campaign of OWL - The Voice of Midlife and Older Women

1-877-OLDRWMN (653-7966) [email protected]

1025 Connecticut Ave, NW Suite 701, Washington, DC 20036