Action
Tell your Senators and Representatives that you support a strong and solvent Social Security program - one that does not carve out private accounts from the existing payroll tax.
Background
For 70 years, Social Security has provided benefits to citizens of all ages and across generations, including relatives raising children. While often viewed solely as a retirement program, 30 percent of those who receive benefits from Social Security are not elderly. Instead, they receive support through Social Security's disability insurance and survivors' insurance programs. Social Security saves millions of American families - 14 million family members in 2001 - from financial hardship in the event of a worker's death or disability.
Disability Insurance
Many children under age 18 receive Social Security benefits as dependents of insured workers who are retired, disabled or deceased. Benefits are also paid to children 18 or older who become disabled before age 22. Benefits continue into their adult years as long as they remain disabled.
Survivor’s Insurance
Survivor benefits are paid to a deceased worker’s family. Children under the age of 18, youths age 19 and younger who are still attending high school, and children 18 or older who become disabled before the age of 22 can receive survivor benefits on behalf of a deceased parent. Nearly seven million Americans receive survivor benefits; of those, 1.4 million are children. A widow(er) who is caring for children under age 16 or who is disabled may receive benefits. Often survivors are elderly women who have little earnings because they did not work outside the home or their careers were interrupted by caregiving responsibilities.
Dependent Grandchildren
Recent studies indicate that half of the grandparents providing a home for their grandchildren do not have the resources to meet their grandchildren's needs. Raising grandchildren has been found to put grandparents at a significantly higher risk of poverty. While some grandchildren and step-grandchildren can qualify for survivor or disability benefits on the earnings record of a grandparent or step-grandparent, many grandparent-headed families remain in need of assistance.
Connect
To see if your agency or network has aligned with a broad coalition of groups and organizations promoting the intergenerational value of this core program, click here.
For more information on Social Security, including a series of fact sheets, click here. |
Social Security - ABCs