Women's History Month and Social Security

In 1940, Ida May Fuller, became the first person to receive recurring monthly Social Security benefits. Just a few months prior, the 65-year-old legal secretary had stopped by her local Social Security office in Vermont to learn about how the program worked. She knew she had paid into Social Security but wasn’t sure if she would get anything back. A clerk at the office helped her apply for retirement benefits. Aunt Ida, as her friends called her, continued to receive Social Security benefits until she died at age 100 in 1975.

Social Security continues to help women like Ida – and all people – with their retirement benefits. In fact, we’ve paid roughly $16.2 trillion to retired worker beneficiaries as of December 2023. Women retirees received about 43% – or $7 trillion – of that total.

Are you ready to retire and want to learn more about your future benefits? Start now by signing up for a personal my Social Security account. Through your account, you can view your Social Security Statement to get estimates of future benefits and other important planning information. You can also review your full earnings history with a personal account.

Are you age 70 or older – and not getting your Social Security benefits? Learn how to apply for the benefits you’re owed in this important article.

Our online booklet, Social Security: What Every Woman Should Know, provides detailed information about how life events can affect a woman’s Social Security retirement benefits. These events may include marriage, death of a spouse, divorce, self-employment, and other life or career changes. Two additional resources – our Retirement and Social Security for Women webpages – provide further details to help you navigate the process.

Social Security is with you through life’s journey, just as we were back in Ida’s day. We invite you to learn more about applying for retirement benefits on our website.

Please share this information with your friends and family – and post it on social media.