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Economic Report President

Economic Report of the President - The American Presidency Project

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Chart 4-9 Living Arrangements of Elderly WidowsBetween 1940 and 1990, the share of elderly widows living alone increased sharply,and the share living with adult children fell.Percent120100Alone With adult children In an institutionOther arrangement8060402001880 1900 1910 1920 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990Source: Kathleen McGarry and Robert Schoeni, "Social Security, <strong>Economic</strong> Growth, and the Rise inIndependence of Elderly Widows in the 20th Century," National Bureau of <strong>Economic</strong> ResearchWorking Paper No. 6511, 1998.composed about one-fifth of income. The share of income comprised oflabor earnings has declined substantially, as is to be expected given thedecline in elderly labor force participation during this period. Thesechanges took place during a period when the median incomes of bothmarried and single elderly persons nearly doubled.The composition of income looks quite different at different incomelevels. Among elderly households in the bottom fifth of the income distributionin 1996, Social Security accounted, on average, for 81 percent ofincome, public assistance for 11 percent, and asset income and pensionsfor only 3 percent each (Chart 4-11). Clearly, a large segment of the elderlyhave saved relatively little for their retirement. Elderly households in thetop quintile of the income distribution rely fairly evenly on Social Security,asset income, pensions, and labor market earnings.Saving Social SecuritySocial Security plays an important and unique role among thesources of income for the elderly. As discussed in Chapter 1, it is afamily protection plan as well as a pension system, providingAmericans for more than half a century with income in retirement andprotection against loss of family income due to disability or death. Inparticular, by providing a lifetime annuity, it offers a level of incomesecurity difficult to obtain in private markets. Through its specialcontribution to the well-being of the elderly, survivors, and thedisabled, Social Security has been an extremely successful socialprogram. Yet the demographic pressures of population aging,155

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