Social Security

Overview

Social Security is one of the government’s most effective social welfare policies, providing financial support to retirees, survivors of deceased workers, and workers who become disabled and members of their families. For the Latino community, the benefits from Social Security are critical. Latino seniors are more likely to depend on them as their sole source of income than other recipients. However, Latino seniors receive a lower average Social Security benefit than other groups. Social Security is also extremely important to Latino workers because they are unlikely to have access to other forms of retirement savings.

Other key facts about Latinos and Social Security include the following:

• Latino Social Security beneficiaries are growing at a rapid pace. In 2006 6% of all Social Security beneficiaries age 62 or older were Hispanic, a figure that is expected to more than double to 15% by 2050.
• Latino beneficiaries are twice as likely to be poor. In 2005, 8% of all Hispanics age 15 or older were beneficiaries of Social Security. In the same year, Latino Social Security beneficiaries were nearly twice as likely as all beneficiaries to be living below the federal poverty level—20.3% and 10.7%, respectively.
• Latino seniors are less likely to receive Social Security. In 2006, 76% of Latinos age 65 and older received Social Security, compared to 89% of the general population age 65 and older.

NCLR Public Education

Given the importance of Social Security to Latino workers and retirees, NCLR recognizes the critical stake Latinos have in Social Security’s future. Thus, we are starting a public education campaign with in-language, culturally relevant materials and media vehicles that communicate the importance of the program and to ensure that Hispanic workers are aware of their rights to Social Security benefits.

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