Fast Facts & Figures About Social Security, 2017

 

Did You Know That…

66.0 million people received benefits from programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in 2016.

5.5 million people were newly awarded Social Security benefits in 2016.

62% of aged beneficiaries received at least half of their income from Social Security in 2015.

55% of adult Social Security beneficiaries in 2016 were women.

54.2 was the average age of disabled-worker beneficiaries in 2016.

86% of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients received payments because of disability or blindness in 2016.

General Information

Tax rates, 2017 (in percent)
Program Employee Employer Self-employed
Total 7.65 7.65 15.30
OASI 5.015 5.015 10.03
DI 1.185 1.185 2.37
HI a 1.45 1.45 a 2.90
a. Earned income exceeding $200,000 for individual filers and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly is subject to an additional HI tax of 0.90 percent.
Taxes payable, 2017 (in dollars)
Type of earner OASI DI HI
Average 2,573 608 744
Maximum 6,379 1,507 No limit
Self-employed maximum 12,758 3,015 No limit
 
Maximum earnings subject to Social Security taxes, 2017 (in dollars)
Program Amount
OASDI 127,200
HI No limit
 

Earnings required for work credits, 2017: $1,300 for one work credit (one quarter of coverage)

NOTE: A worker may earn a maximum of four credits a year. Doing so in 2017, therefore, requires $5,200 in earnings.

Benefit payments as a percentage of gross domestic product, 2015–2016
Calendar year Total OASI DI
2015 4.97 4.16 0.81
2016 4.97 4.18 0.79
NOTES: Figures are subject to change.

Cost-of-living adjustment, 2017: 0.30%

Age for full retirement benefit for retired workers
Year of birth Full retirement age (FRA)
1937 and earlier 65
1938 65 and 2 months
1939 65 and 4 months
1940 65 and 6 months
1941 65 and 8 months
1942 65 and 10 months
1943–1954 66
1955 66 and 2 months
1956 66 and 4 months
1957 66 and 6 months
1958 66 and 8 months
1959 66 and 10 months
1960 and later 67
 

Maximum monthly Social Security benefit: $2,687 for workers retiring at FRA in 2017

NOTE: Higher benefits are possible for those who work or delay benefit receipt after reaching FRA.

Benefit formula bend points (for workers with first eligibility in 2017):

Primary insurance amount (PIA) equals
90% of the first $885 of average indexed monthly earnings (AIME), plus
32% of AIME over $885 through $5,336, plus
15% of AIME over $5,336

Average wage index, 2015–2017
Year Dollars Increase from previous year (in percent)
2015 48,098.63 3.5
2016 (estimated) 49,364.95 2.6
2017 (estimated) 51,314.31 3.9
 
Exempt amounts under the retirement earnings test, 2017 (in dollars)
Age of retired person in 2017 Annually Monthly
Under FRA ($1 for $2 withholding rate) 16,920 1,410
FRA ($1 for $3 withholding rate) a 44,880 3,740
Above FRA No limit No limit
NOTE: Retired-worker beneficiaries younger than FRA have some of their benefit withheld if they have earnings above the exempt amounts.
a. The test applies only to earnings made in months prior to the month of attainment of FRA.
SSI payment rates and resource limits, January 2017 (in dollars)
Program aspect Individual Couple
Federal benefit rate 735 1,103
Resource limit 2,000 3,000
 
Monthly earnings levels affecting disability program eligibility, 2017 (in dollars)
Determinant Monthly amount
Substantial gainful activity  
For nonblind persons 1,170
For blind persons 1,950
Trial work period 840
 
Trust fund operations, 2016–2017 (in billions of dollars)
Calendar year and trust fund Income Outgo Fund at end of year
2016 (actual)  
Total 957.5 922.3 2,847.7
OASI 797.5 776.4 2,801.3
DI 160.0 145.9 46.3
2017 (estimated)  
Total 1,013.8 955.2 2,906.2
OASI 839.8 807.2 2,883.9
DI 174.0 148.0 72.4
NOTE: Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.
Poverty thresholds, 2016 (in dollars)
Family unit Amount
Aged individual 11,511
Family of two, aged head 14,507
Family of four 24,755
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau as of January 2017 (preliminary estimates).

OASDI administrative expenses: Costs were 0.7% of contributions in calendar year 2016

Workload, fiscal year 2016 (in millions)
Type of filing Number
OASI claims 5.3
DI claims 2.9
SSI applications 2.3
 

Income of the Aged Population

Income Levels, 1962 and 2015

Median annual income for married couples and nonmarried persons aged 65 or older increased markedly from 1962 (the earliest year for which data are available) to 2015. Even after adjusting for inflation, median income rose 144% for married couples and 135% for nonmarried persons. A married couple is aged 65 or older if the husband is aged 65 or older or if the husband is aged 54 or younger and the wife is 65 or older.

Median income of aged units, by marital status (in 2015 dollars)
Bar chart. Median income has risen for married couples from $22,564 in 1962 to $55,108 in 2015. Likewise, it has risen for nonmarried persons from $8,869 in 1962 to $20,825 in 2015.
SOURCES: Data for 1962 are from SSA, The Aged Population of the United States: The 1963 Social Security Survey of the Aged (1967). Data for 2015 are SSA calculations from the March 2016 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey.
NOTE: An aged unit is a married couple living together or a nonmarried person, which also includes persons who are separated or married but not living together.

Sources of Income, 1962 and 2015

Social Security benefits—the most common source of income for married couples and nonmarried persons aged 65 or older in 1962—are now almost universal. The proportion of the aged population with asset income—the next most common source—was greater in 2015 than it was in 1962. Over the 53-year period, receipt of private pensions increased by four times, and receipt of government pensions nearly doubled. The proportion of couples and nonmarried persons aged 65 or older who had earnings was smaller in 2015 than it was in 1962.

Percentage of aged units receiving income, by source
Bar chart with tabular version below.
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Table equivalent for chart. Percentage of aged units receiving income, by source
Income source 1962 2015
Social Security 69 84
Asset income 54 63
Earnings 36 29
Private pensions 9 37
Government employee pensions 9 16
 
SOURCES: Data for 1962 are from SSA, The Aged Population of the United States: The 1963 Social Security Survey of the Aged (1967). Data for 2015 are SSA calculations from the March 2016 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey.
NOTE: An aged unit is a married couple living together or a nonmarried person, which also includes persons who are separated or married but not living together.

Shares of Aggregate Income, by Source, 1962 and 2015

In 1962, Social Security, earnings, income from assets, and government employee and private pensions made up only 85% of the aggregate total income of couples and nonmarried persons aged 65 or older, compared with 96% in 2015. The shares from Social Security, earnings, government employee pensions, and private pensions increased after 1962, while the share from asset income declined.

Aggregate income, by source (in percent)
Two stacked bar charts with tabular version below.
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Table equivalent for chart. Percentage distribution of aggregate income, by source
Income source 1962 2015
Social Security 31 33
Earnings 29 34
Asset income 16 9
Government employee pensions 6 8
Private pensions 3 12
Other 15 4
 
SOURCES: Data for 1962 are from SSA, The Aged Population of the United States: The 1963 Social Security Survey of the Aged (1967). Data for 2015 are SSA calculations from the March 2016 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey.
NOTE: The unit of analysis is the aged unit, defined as a married couple living together or a nonmarried person, which also includes persons who are separated or married but not living together.

Relative Importance of Social Security, 2015

In 2015, 85% of married couples and 84% of nonmarried persons aged 65 or older received Social Security benefits. Social Security was the major source of income (providing at least 50% of total income) for 50% of aged beneficiary couples and 71% of aged nonmarried beneficiaries. It was 90% or more of income for 23% of aged beneficiary couples and 43% of aged nonmarried beneficiaries. Total income excludes withdrawals from savings and nonannuitized IRAs or 401(k) plans; it also excludes in-kind support, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) benefits and housing and energy assistance.

Percentage of aged units receiving Social Security benefits, by relative importance of benefits to total income
Bar chart described in the text. In addition, Social Security provided at least 50% of total income for 62% of all beneficiary units. It was 90% or more of income for 34% of all beneficiary units.
SOURCE: SSA calculations from the March 2016 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey.
NOTE: An aged unit is a married couple living together or a nonmarried person, which also includes persons who are separated or married but not living together.

Poverty Status Based on Family Income, 2015

The aged poor are those with income below the poverty line. The near poor have income greater than or equal to the poverty line and less than 125% of the poverty line. Nonmarried women and minorities had the highest poverty rates in 2015, ranging from 15.3% to 18.4%. Married persons had the lowest poverty rates, with 4.4% poor and 2.5% near poor. Overall, 8.8% were poor and 5.0% were near poor.

Poverty status, by marital status, sex of nonmarried persons, race, and Hispanic origin
Bar chart with tabular version below.
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Table equivalent for chart. Poverty status, by marital status, sex of nonmarried persons, race, and Hispanic origin, 2015 (in percent)
Characteristic Poor Near poor
All persons 8.8 5.0
By marital status
Married 4.4 2.5
Nonmarried men 12.9 6.0
Nonmarried women 15.3 9.1
By race and Hispanic origin
White alone a 7.5 4.6
Black alone a 18.4 7.7
Hispanic 17.5 8.2
 
SOURCE: SSA calculations from the March 2016 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey.
a. Current Population Survey respondents may identify themselves in more than one racial group. The “white alone” and “black alone” categories reflect respondents who reported only one race.

OASDI Program

Earnings in Covered Employment, 1937–2016

People contribute to Social Security through payroll taxes or self-employment taxes, as required by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA). The maximum taxable amount is updated annually on the basis of increases in the average wage. Of the 171 million workers with earnings in Social Security–covered employment in 2016, about 6% had earnings that equaled or exceeded the maximum amount subject to taxes, compared with 3% when the program began and a peak of 36% in 1965. About 83% of earnings in covered employment were taxable in 2016, compared with 92% in 1937.

Taxable earnings as a percentage of earnings in covered employment and percentage of workers with maximum taxable earnings, selected years
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Table equivalent for chart. Taxable earnings as a percentage of earnings in covered employment and percentage of workers with maximum taxable earnings, selected years
Year Taxable earnings Workers with maximum taxable earnings
1937 92.0 3.1
1945 87.9 13.7
1955 80.3 25.6
1965 71.3 36.1
1975 84.4 15.0
1985 88.9 6.5
1995 85.8 5.8
2005 84.1 6.1
2015 82.5 5.8
2016 82.8 6.4
 
SOURCE: SSA, Office of the Chief Actuary.

Insured Status, 1970–2016

The percentage of persons aged 20 or older who are insured for benefits has changed very little in recent years. To be fully insured, a worker must have at least one work credit (quarter of coverage) for each year elapsed after age 21 (but no earlier than 1950) and before the year in which he or she attains age 62, becomes disabled, or dies. The maximum number of work credits needed to be fully insured is 40. An individual is said to be permanently insured if he or she has earned 40 work credits. To be insured for disability, the worker must be fully insured and have at least 20 work credits during the last 40 calendar quarters. (Requirements for disability-insured status are somewhat different for persons younger than age 31.) Disability benefits are available up to FRA.

Insured workers as a percentage of the corresponding Social Security area population, selected years
Year Population aged 20 or older Population aged 20 to FRA a
Millions Percentage permanently insured Percentage fully insured Millions Percentage insured for disability
1970 135.0 50 77 113.9 63
1975 147.3 51 81 123.7 66
1980 161.8 53 83 135.2 70
1985 174.9 58 84 145.5 72
1990 185.9 63 86 153.7 75
1995 196.0 66 86 161.5 76
2000 206.9 68 87 171.3 78
2005 219.7 68 87 183.5 77
2010 230.8 69 87 192.0 76
2011 233.3 69 87 193.9 76
2012 235.5 69 87 194.8 76
2013 237.8 69 87 195.6 76
2014 240.3 69 87 196.7 75
2015 242.9 69 87 197.9 76
2016 245.5 70 87 199.0 76
SOURCE: SSA, Office of the Chief Actuary.
NOTES: The population in the Social Security area includes residents of the 50 states and the District of Columbia adjusted for net census undercount; civilian residents of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands; federal civilian employees and persons in the U.S. armed forces abroad and their dependents; noncitizens living abroad who are insured for Social Security benefits; and all other U.S. citizens abroad.
Figures are subject to revision.
a. Insured for disability excludes those who have reached FRA.

Insured Status, by Sex, 1970 and 2016

Although men historically were more likely than women to be insured, the gender gap is shrinking. The proportion of men who are insured declined slightly from 1970 to 2016, with 89% fully insured and 78% insured for disability in 2016. By contrast, the proportion of women who are insured increased dramatically—from 63% to 85% fully insured and from 41% to 73% insured for disability.

Percentage of population in the Social Security area fully insured and insured for disability benefits, by sex
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Table equivalent for chart. Percentage of population in the Social Security area fully insured and insured for disability benefits, by sex
Sex 1970 2016
Fully insured
Men 93 89
Women 63 85
Insured for disability a
Men 84 78
Women 41 73
 
SOURCE: SSA, Office of the Chief Actuary.
NOTES: The population in the Social Security area includes residents of the 50 states and the District of Columbia adjusted for net census undercount; civilian residents of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands; federal civilian employees and persons in the U.S. armed forces abroad and their dependents; noncitizens living abroad who are insured for Social Security benefits; and all other U.S. citizens abroad.
Figures are subject to revision.
a. Insured for disability excludes those who have reached FRA.

New Benefit Awards, 2016

Benefits were awarded to about 5.5 million persons; of those, 53% were retired workers and 13% were disabled workers. The remaining 34% were survivors or the spouses and children of retired or disabled workers. These awards represent not only new entrants to the benefit rolls but also persons already on the rolls who become entitled to a different benefit, particularly conversions of disabled-worker benefits to retired-worker benefits at FRA.

New awards, by type of beneficiary
Beneficiary Number (thousands) Percent
Total 5,456 100
Retired workers and dependents 3,486 64
Workers 2,911 53
Spouses and children 576 11
Disabled workers and dependents 1,093 20
Workers 706 13
Spouses and children 386 7
Survivors of deceased workers 877 16
 
New awards, 2016
Pie chart described in the text.
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

New Awards to Workers, 1976–2016

Awards to retired workers increased considerably over the past four decades, at a rate that nearly triples the rate by which awards to disabled workers increased. The annualized rate of increase over the period from 1976 to 2016 is 1.7% for retired workers and 0.6% for disabled workers. The annual number of awards to retired workers rose from 1.5 million in 1976 to 2.9 million in 2016, while for disabled workers it increased from 551,000 in 1976 to 706,000 in 2016.

New awards to retired and disabled workers
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Table equivalent for chart. New awards to retired and disabled workers (in thousands)
Year Retired workers Disabled workers
1976 1,475.77 551.46
1977 1,593.63 568.87
1978 1,472.79 464.42
1979 1,590.85 416.71
1980 1,612.67 396.56
1981 1,578.99 351.85
1982 1,618.41 297.13
1983 1,669.74 311.55
1984 1,607.37 362.00
1985 1,690.49 377.37
1986 1,734.25 416.87
1987 1,681.72 415.85
1988 1,654.07 409.49
1989 1,656.74 425.58
1990 1,664.75 467.98
1991 1,695.35 536.43
1992 1,707.95 636.64
1993 1,661.28 635.24
1994 1,625.35 631.87
1995 1,609.17 645.83
1996 1,581.45 624.34
1997 1,718.62 587.42
1998 1,631.51 608.13
1999 1,690.02 620.49
2000 1,960.65 621.65
2001 1,779.23 691.31
2002 1,812.55 750.00
2003 1,791.32 777.46
2004 1,883.06 795.78
2005 2,000.16 829.69
2006 1,999.02 798.68
2007 2,035.78 804.79
2008 2,279.00 877.23
2009 2,739.97 970.70
2010 2,634.44 1,026.99
2011 2,577.65 998.98
2012 2,735.01 960.21
2013 2,794.29 868.97
2014 2,771.93 778.80
2015 2,838.99 741.48
2016 2,910.75 706.45
 
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

Beneficiaries in Current-Payment Status, December 2016

Sixty-one million beneficiaries were in current-payment status; that is, they were being paid a benefit. Sixty-eight percent of those beneficiaries were retired workers and 14% were disabled workers. The remaining 18% of beneficiaries were survivors or the spouses and children of retired or disabled workers.

Beneficiaries in current-payment status
Beneficiary Number (thousands) Percent
Total 60,907 100
Retired workers and dependents 44,266 73
Workers 41,233 68
Spouses and children 3,033 5
Disabled workers and dependents 10,610 17
Workers 8,809 14
Spouses and children 1,801 3
Survivors of deceased workers 6,031 10
 
Beneficiaries, by type
Pie chart illustrating the Percent data from the previous table. The chart presents the spouses and children of both retired and disabled workers as a combined category that accounts for 8% of beneficiaries in current-payment status.
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

Average Benefit Amounts, 2016

Benefits payable to workers who retire at FRA and to disabled workers are equal to 100% of the PIA (subject to any applicable deductions). At FRA, widow(er)s' benefits are also payable at 100% of the insured worker's PIA. Nondisabled widow(er)s can receive reduced benefits at age 60. Disabled widow(er)s can receive reduced benefits at age 50. Spouses, children, and parents receive a smaller proportion of the worker's PIA than do widow(er)s.

Average monthly benefit for new awards and for benefits in current-payment status (in dollars)
Beneficiary New awards Benefits in
current-payment
status, December
Retired workers 1,413 1,360
Spouses 627 708
Children 616 657
Disabled workers 1,293 1,171
Spouses 368 324
Children 352 355
Survivors of deceased workers
Nondisabled widow(er)s 1,018 1,301
Disabled widow(er)s 699 718
Widowed mothers and fathers 920 947
Surviving children 833 837
Parents 1,109 1,154
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

Beneficiaries, by Age, December 2016

About four-fifths of all OASDI beneficiaries in current-payment status were aged 62 or older, including 22% aged 75–84 and 9% aged 85 or older. About 14% were persons aged 18–61 receiving benefits as disabled workers, survivors, or dependents. Another 5% were children under age 18.

Beneficiaries, by age
Pie chart described in the text. Chart also shows that 8% of all OASDI beneficiaries in current-payment status were aged 62 to 64 and 42% were aged 65 to 74.
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

Age of Disabled and Retired Workers, 1960–2016

The average age of disabled-worker beneficiaries in current-payment status declined between 1960, when DI benefits first became available to persons younger than age 50, and 2016. In 1960, the average age of a disabled worker was 57.2 years. The rapid drop in average age in the following years reflects a growing number of awards to workers under 50. By 1995, the average age fell to a low of 49.8, but by 2016, it rose to 54.2. By contrast, the average age of retired workers has changed little over time, rising from 72.4 in 1960 to 73.8 in 2016.

Average age of disabled-worker and retired-worker beneficiaries, selected years
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Table equivalent for chart. Average age of disabled-worker and retired-worker beneficiaries, selected years
Year Retired-worker beneficiaries Disabled-worker beneficiaries
1960 72.4 57.2
1965 72.5 54.7
1970 72.3 54.2
1975 72.3 53.8
1980 72.4 53.2
1985 72.8 52.1
1990 73.1 50.5
1995 73.6 49.8
2000 73.9 50.8
2005 73.9 51.8
2010 73.7 52.8
2015 73.7 53.9
2016 73.8 54.2
 
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 10 percent sample for 1990–2005 and 100 percent data for all other years.

Beneficiaries, by Sex, December 2016

Of all adults receiving monthly Social Security benefits, 45% were men and 55% were women. Eighty-one percent of the men and 66% of the women received retired-worker benefits. Thirteen percent of the women received survivor benefits.

Adult beneficiaries, by type of beneficiary and sex (in percent)
One bar chart for Men and one bar chart for Women described in the text. Charts also show that 18% of the men and 14% of the women received disabled-worker benefits and 8% of the women received benefits as spouses of retired and disabled workers.
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.
NOTE: Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.
a. Less than 1 percent of men received benefits as survivors (widowers or fathers) or as spouses of retired and disabled workers.

Average Monthly Benefit, by Sex, December 2016

Among retired and disabled workers who collected benefits based on their own work records, men received a higher average monthly benefit than did women. For those with benefits based on another person's work record (spouses and survivors), women generally had higher average benefits.

Average monthly benefit (in dollars)
Beneficiary Men Women
Workers
Retired 1,519 1,202
Disabled 1,293 1,043
Spouses of—
Retired workers 590 715
Disabled workers 338 323
Survivors of deceased workers
Nondisabled widow(er)s 1,143 1,306
Disabled widow(er)s 535 732
Mothers and fathers 815 958
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

Women Beneficiaries, 1940–2016

The proportion of women among retired-worker beneficiaries quadrupled between 1940 and 2016. The percentage climbed from 12% in 1940 to 47% in 1980, 48% in 1990, and 50% in 2016. The proportion of women among disabled-worker beneficiaries more than doubled between 1957, when DI benefits first became payable, and 2016. The percentage rose steadily from 19% in 1957 to 35% in 1990 and 49% in 2016.

Women as a percentage of retired-worker and disabled-worker beneficiaries, selected years
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Table equivalent for chart. Women as a percentage of retired-worker and disabled-worker beneficiaries, selected years
Year Retired-worker beneficiaries Disabled-worker beneficiaries
1940 11.6 --
1950 17.1 --
1957 -- 19.1
1960 35.3 21.8
1970 42.4 28.4
1980 46.5 32.6
1990 47.7 34.7
2000 48.2 43.3
2010 49.0 47.0
2016 50.0 48.8
NOTE: -- = not available.
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

Women with Dual Entitlement, 1960–2016

The proportion of women aged 62 or older who are receiving benefits as dependents (that is, on the basis of their husbands' earnings record only) declined from 57% in 1960 to 21% in 2016. At the same time, the proportion of women with dual entitlement (that is, paid on the basis of both their own earnings records and those of their husbands) increased from 5% in 1960 to 25% in 2016.

Women aged 62 or older, by basis of entitlement, selected years
Area chart described in the text. Chart also shows that the percentage of women who are entitled solely on their own earnings records remained fairly close to 40% from 1960 to 2000, before slowly rising in recent years to 53% in 2016.
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record. All data for 2005 and dual entitlement data for 1995 and 2000 are based on a 10 percent sample. All other years are 100 percent data.

Child Beneficiaries, December 2016

More than 3.1 million children under age 18 and students aged 18–19 received OASDI benefits. Children of deceased workers had the highest average payments, in part because they are eligible to receive monthly benefits based on 75% of the worker's PIA, compared with 50% for children of retired or disabled workers. Overall, the average monthly benefit amount for children was $569.

Number of and average monthly benefit for children of worker beneficiaries
Number of children of—
Bar chart with tabular version below.
Average monthly benefit for children of—
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Table equivalent for chart. Number and average monthly benefit for children receiving OASDI, by type of beneficiary, December 2016
Type of beneficiary Number (thousands) Average monthly benefit (dollars)
Children of retired workers 353 639
Children of disabled workers 1,544 345
Children of deceased workers 1,238 829
 
SOURCE: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record, 100 percent data.

SSI Program

Number of Recipients, 1974–2016

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides income support to needy persons aged 65 or older, blind or disabled adults, and blind or disabled children. Eligibility requirements and federal payment standards are nationally uniform. SSI replaced the former federal/state adult assistance programs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Payments under SSI began in January 1974, with 3.2 million persons receiving federally administered payments. By December 1974, this number had risen to nearly 4 million and remained at about that level until the mid-1980s, then rose steadily, reaching nearly 6 million in 1993 and 7 million by the end of 2004. As of December 2016, the number of recipients was about 8.3 million. Of this total, 4.8 million were between the ages of 18 and 64, 2.2 million were aged 65 or older, and 1.2 million were under age 18.

Persons receiving federally administered SSI payments, December
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Table equivalent for chart. Persons receiving federally administered SSI payments, December (in millions)
Year Total Under 18 18–64 65 or older
1974 4.0 0.1 1.5 2.4
1975 4.3 0.1 1.7 2.5
1976 4.2 0.1 1.7 2.4
1977 4.2 0.1 1.7 2.4
1978 4.2 0.2 1.7 2.3
1979 4.1 0.2 1.7 2.2
1980 4.1 0.2 1.7 2.2
1981 4.0 0.2 1.7 2.1
1982 3.9 0.2 1.7 2.0
1983 3.9 0.2 1.7 2.0
1984 4.0 0.2 1.8 2.0
1985 4.1 0.2 1.9 2.0
1986 4.3 0.2 2.0 2.0
1987 4.4 0.3 2.1 2.0
1988 4.5 0.3 2.2 2.0
1989 4.6 0.3 2.3 2.0
1990 4.8 0.3 2.4 2.1
1991 5.1 0.4 2.6 2.1
1992 5.6 0.6 2.9 2.1
1993 6.0 0.7 3.1 2.1
1994 6.3 0.8 3.3 2.1
1995 6.5 0.9 3.5 2.1
1996 6.6 1.0 3.6 2.1
1997 6.5 0.9 3.6 2.1
1998 6.6 0.9 3.6 2.0
1999 6.6 0.8 3.7 2.0
2000 6.6 0.8 3.7 2.0
2001 6.7 0.9 3.8 2.0
2002 6.8 0.9 3.9 2.0
2003 6.9 1.0 4.0 2.0
2004 7.0 1.0 4.0 2.0
2005 7.1 1.0 4.1 2.0
2006 7.2 1.1 4.2 2.0
2007 7.4 1.1 4.2 2.0
2008 7.5 1.2 4.3 2.0
2009 7.7 1.2 4.5 2.0
2010 7.9 1.2 4.6 2.0
2011 8.1 1.3 4.8 2.1
2012 8.3 1.3 4.9 2.1
2013 8.4 1.3 4.9 2.1
2014 8.3 1.3 4.9 2.1
2015 8.3 1.3 4.9 2.2
2016 8.3 1.2 4.8 2.2
 
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.

Payment Amounts, by Age, December 2016

The average monthly federally administered SSI payment was $542. Payments varied by age group, ranging from an average of $650 for recipients aged under 18 to $437 for those aged 65 or older. The maximum federal benefit rate in December 2016 was $733 for an individual and $1,100 for a couple, plus any applicable state supplementation.

Average monthly federally administered SSI payment
Bar chart described in the text. Chart also shows that recipients aged 18 to 64 received an average payment of $563.
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
NOTE: Amounts exclude retroactive payments.

Federally Administered Payments, December 2016

A total of 8.3 million persons received federally administered SSI payments. The majority received federal SSI only. States have the option of supplementing the federal benefit rate and are required to do so if that rate is less than the income the recipient would have had under the former state program.

Type of SSI payment
Pie chart. 82% of SSI recipients received only a federal SSI payment, 16% received federally administered state supplementation along with their federal SSI payment, and 2% received only federally administered state supplementation.
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.

Basis for Eligibility and Age of Recipients, December 2016

Fourteen percent of SSI recipients received benefits on the basis of age and the rest qualified on the basis of disability. Twenty-seven percent of the recipients were aged 65 or older. In the SSI program, a disabled recipient is still classified as “disabled” after reaching age 65. In the OASDI program, DI beneficiaries are converted to the retirement program when they attain FRA.

SSI recipients, by basis for eligibility and age
Two pie charts. The first pie chart shows the percentage distribution of SSI recipients by basis for eligibility: 85% were disabled, 14% were aged, and 1% were blind. The second pie chart shows the same group distributed by age: 15% were under 18, 59% were aged 18 to 64, and 27% were 65 or older.
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
NOTE: Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.

Percentage Distribution of Recipients, by Age, 1974–2016

The proportion of SSI recipients aged 65 or older declined from 61% in January 1974 to 27% in December 2016. The overall long-term growth of the SSI program occurred because of an increase in the number of disabled recipients, most of whom are under age 65.

Percentage distribution of SSI recipients, by age, December
Line chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for chart. Percentage distribution of SSI recipients, by age, December
Year Under 18 18–64 65 or older
1974 1.8 37.6 60.6
1975 2.5 39.4 58.1
1976 3.0 40.5 56.6
1977 3.5 41.0 55.5
1978 3.9 41.4 54.6
1979 4.3 41.6 54.1
1980 4.6 41.8 53.6
1981 4.8 42.4 52.8
1982 5.0 42.9 52.1
1983 5.1 43.6 51.3
1984 5.3 44.2 50.6
1985 5.5 45.4 49.1
1986 5.6 47.1 47.3
1987 5.7 48.3 46.0
1988 5.7 49.3 44.9
1989 5.8 50.1 44.1
1990 6.4 50.9 42.7
1991 7.8 51.6 40.6
1992 10.0 52.3 37.7
1993 12.1 52.6 35.3
1994 13.4 53.0 33.7
1995 14.1 53.5 32.5
1996 14.4 54.0 31.6
1997 13.5 54.8 31.6
1998 13.5 55.5 31.0
1999 12.9 56.3 30.8
2000 12.8 56.7 30.5
2001 13.2 57.0 29.8
2002 13.5 57.1 29.4
2003 13.9 57.3 28.8
2004 14.2 57.5 28.3
2005 14.6 57.4 28.0
2006 14.9 57.4 27.7
2007 15.2 57.4 27.4
2008 15.3 57.6 27.0
2009 15.6 58.0 26.4
2010 15.7 58.5 25.8
2011 15.7 58.9 25.4
2012 15.9 58.9 25.2
2013 15.8 59.0 25.2
2014 15.6 58.9 25.5
2015 15.2 58.8 25.9
2016 14.7 58.7 26.6
 
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.

Recipients, by Sex and Age, December 2016

Overall, 53% of the approximately 8.3 million SSI recipients were women, but that percentage varied greatly by age group. Women accounted for 66% of the 2.2 million recipients aged 65 or older, 52% of the 4.8 million recipients aged 18–64, and 33% of the 1.2 million recipients under age 18.

SSI recipients, by sex and age
Bar chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for chart. Percentage distribution of SSI recipients by sex, by age, December 2016
Age Men Women
All ages 47 53
Under 18 67 33
18–64 48 52
65 or older 34 66
 
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.

Other Income, December 2016

Almost 56% of SSI recipients aged 65 or older received OASDI benefits, as did 29.5% of those aged 18–64 and 7.0% of those under age 18. Other types of unearned income, such as income from assets, were reported most frequently among those under age 18 (21.2%) and those aged 65 or older (10.7%). Earned income was most prevalent (4.9%) among those aged 18–64.

Percentage of SSI recipients also receiving other income, by source and age
Bar chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for chart. Percentage of SSI recipients also receiving other income, by source and age, December 2016
Age OASDI Other unearned income Earnings
All ages 33.1 10.0 3.2
Under 18 7.0 21.2 0.2
18–64 29.5 6.9 4.9
65 or older 55.6 10.7 1.3
 
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.

Child Recipients, December 1974–2016

As of December of the program's first year, 1974, 70,900 blind and disabled children were receiving SSI. That number increased to about 955,000 in 1996, declined to about 847,000 in 2000, and increased to 1,213,079 in 2016. The relatively high average payment to children (compared with payments made to blind and disabled adults) is due in part to a limited amount of other countable income. The spike in average monthly benefits in 1992 is due to retroactive payments resulting from the Sullivan v. Zebley decision. As of December 2016, blind and disabled children were receiving SSI payments averaging $650.

Number of children under age 18 receiving SSI
Line chart with tabular version below.
Average monthly SSI payment to children under age 18 a
Line chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for chart. Number of children under age 18 receiving SSI, and average monthly SSI payment to children under age 18
Year Number of children receiving SSI (in thousands) Average monthly SSI payment a
1974 70.90 109.15
1975 107.03 141.09
1976 125.41 154.24
1977 147.36 170.03
1978 165.90 171.72
1979 177.31 193.26
1980 190.39 219.08
1981 194.89 240.84
1982 191.57 263.22
1983 198.32 280.96
1984 211.59 292.86
1985 227.38 301.26
1986 241.20 321.34
1987 250.90 327.27
1988 255.14 343.24
1989 264.89 357.64
1990 308.59 403.72
1991 397.16 446.05
1992 556.47 610.98
1993 722.68 460.54
1994 841.47 448.07
1995 917.05 447.57
1996 955.17 442.01
1997 879.83 433.83
1998 887.07 441.75
1999 847.06 450.13
2000 846.78 463.05
2001 881.84 476.09
2002 914.82 487.73
2003 959.38 490.63
2004 993.13 505.98
2005 1,036.50 522.80
2006 1,079.00 542.00
2007 1,121.00 555.00
2008 1,153.80 561.00
2009 1,199.79 593.00
2010 1,239.30 597.00
2011 1,277.00 601.00
2012 1,311.86 621.00
2013 1,321.68 631.00
2014 1,299.76 633.23
2015 1,267.16 643.06
2016 1,213.08 649.58
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
NOTE: SSI = Supplemental Security Income.
a. As of 1998, these figures exclude retroactive payments.
SOURCE: SSA, Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
a. As of 1998, these figures exclude retroactive payments.

Cross-Program Beneficiaries

All Beneficiaries, December 2016

About 66 million people received a payment from one or more programs administered by SSA. Most (57.8 million) received OASDI benefits only, 5.5 million received SSI only, and 2.7 million received payments from both programs.

Beneficiaries receiving OASDI, SSI, or both
Benefit Number (thousands)
Total (unduplicated) 66,026
OASDI 60,497
OASDI only 57,775
SSI 8,251
SSI only 5,529
Both OASDI and SSI 2,722
 
Distribution of all beneficiaries
Pie chart. 88% of beneficiaries received only OASDI benefits, 8% received only SSI payments, and 4% received both OASDI and SSI payments.
SOURCES: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record and Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
NOTE: OASDI beneficiaries who are entitled to both a primary and a secondary benefit (dual entitlement) are counted only once. SSI includes federal SSI payments and federally administered state supplementation.

Beneficiaries Aged 65 or Older, December 2016

Benefits were paid to 45.4 million people aged 65 or older. About 1.2 million received both OASDI and SSI.

Beneficiaries aged 65 or older receiving OASDI, SSI, or both
Beneficiary Number (thousands)
Total (unduplicated) 45,401
OASDI 44,425
Retired workers 38,340
Disabled workers 496
Spouses 2,198
Widow(er)s a 3,300
Disabled adult children 92
OASDI only 43,208
SSI b 2,192
Receiving SSI only 976
Receiving both OASDI and SSI 1,217
 
Distribution of beneficiaries aged 65 or older, by program
Pie chart. 95% of beneficiaries aged 65 or older received only OASDI benefits, 2% received only SSI payments, and 3% received both OASDI and SSI payments.
SOURCES: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record and Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
NOTES: OASDI beneficiaries who are entitled to both a primary and a secondary benefit (dual entitlement) are counted only once. SSI includes federal SSI payments and federally administered state supplementation.
Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.
a. Includes persons who received dependent parent's benefits or mother's and father's benefits.
b. Includes 1,027,793 SSI beneficiaries aged 65 or older who are disabled or blind.

Disabled Beneficiaries Aged 18–64, December 2016

Payments were made to nearly 13 million people aged 18–64 on the basis of their own disability. Sixty-two percent received disability payments from the OASDI program only, 28% received payments from the SSI program only, and 10% received payments from both programs.

Disabled beneficiaries aged 18–64 receiving OASDI, SSI, or both
Beneficiary Number (thousands)
Total (unduplicated) 12,809
OASDI disability 9,274
Workers aged 64 or younger 8,298
Disabled adult children 867
Widow(er)s 109
OASDI disability only 7,964
SSI disability 4,846
Receiving SSI disability only 3,535
Receiving both OASDI and SSI disability 1,310
 
Distribution of disabled beneficiaries aged 18–64
Pie chart described in the text.
SOURCES: SSA, Master Beneficiary Record and Supplemental Security Record, 100 percent data.
NOTES: OASDI beneficiaries who are entitled to both a primary and a secondary benefit (dual entitlement) are counted only once. SSI includes federal SSI payments and federally administered state supplementation.
Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.

Social Security Financing

How Social Security Is Financed

Social Security is largely a pay-as-you-go program. Most of the payroll taxes collected from today's workers are used to pay benefits to today's recipients. In 2016, the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds collected $957.5 billion in revenues. Of that amount, 87.3% was from payroll tax contributions and reimbursements from the General Fund of the Treasury and 3.4% was from income taxes on Social Security benefits. Interest earned on the government bonds held by the trust funds provided the remaining 9.2% of income. Assets increased in 2016 because total income exceeded expenditures for benefit payments and administrative expenses.

Sources and uses of Social Security revenues in 2016
Two pie charts. The Sources of Revenue pie chart is described in the text. The Uses of Revenues pie chart has four slices. Benefit payments: 95.2%. Increase in trust funds: 3.7%. Administrative expenses: 0.7%. Railroad Retirement financial interchange: 0.5%.
SOURCE: 2017 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds, Table II.B1.
NOTE: Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of rounded components.
a. Includes General Fund reimbursements, which accounted for less than 0.1% of Trust Fund income.

Social Security's Demographic Challenge

The 2017 Trustees Report projects that the number of retired workers will grow rapidly, as members of the post–World War II baby boom continue to retire in increasing numbers. The number of retired workers is projected to double in about 50 years. People are also living longer, and the birth rate is low. As a result, the Trustees project that the ratio of 2.8 workers paying Social Security taxes to each person collecting benefits in 2016 will fall to 2.1 to 1 in 2036. In 2010, tax and other noninterest income did not fully cover program cost, and the 2017 Trustees Report projects that this pattern will continue for at least 75 years if no changes are made to the program. However, the Trustees also project that redemption of trust fund assets will be sufficient to allow for full payment of scheduled benefits until 2033.

Ratio of covered workers to Social Security beneficiaries
Line chart. In 1955, there were 8.6 workers supporting each retiree. By 1975, that ratio had declined to 3.2 workers per beneficiary and remained between 3.1 and 3.4 over the next 30 years before starting to decline again in 2008. Current projections have the ratio continuing to decrease until it reaches 2.1 workers per beneficiary in 2036. Thereafter, it fluctuates narrowly between 2.0 and 2.2 workers per beneficiary through 2095.
SOURCE: 2017 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds, Table IV.B3 (intermediate assumptions).

The Long-Run Financial Outlook

Social Security is not sustainable over the long term at current benefit and tax rates. In 2010, the program paid more in benefits and expenses than it collected in taxes and other noninterest income, and the 2017 Trustees Report projects this pattern to continue for the next 75 years. The Trustees estimate that the combined OASI and DI trust fund reserves will be depleted by 2034. At that point, payroll taxes and other income will flow into the fund but will be sufficient to pay only about 77% of program costs. As reported in the 2017 Trustees Report, the projected shortfall over the next 75 years is 2.83% of taxable payroll.

Social Security income minus costs as a percentage of taxable payroll
Line chart showing Social Security trust fund balance (income minus costs), expressed as a percentage of taxable payroll, from 2017 to 2091. The trust fund balance is about -0.38 percent of taxable payroll in 2017 and is projected to decline rapidly in coming years. Costs will continue to exceed income and the trust fund will become insolvent in 2034. Annual trust fund balances are projected to range between -3.32 and -4.48 percent of taxable payroll from 2035 to 2091.
SOURCE: 2017 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds, Table IV.B1 (intermediate assumptions).

Abbreviations

AIME
average indexed monthly earnings
DI
Disability Insurance
FICA
Federal Insurance Contributions Act
FRA
full retirement age
HI
Hospital Insurance
OASDI
Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance
OASI
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
PIA
primary insurance amount
SECA
Self-Employment Contributions Act
SSA
Social Security Administration
SSI
Supplemental Security Income