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Research & Analysis by Janice Peterson

Hispanics' Knowledge of Social Security: New Evidence
from Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 79, No. 4 (released November 2019)
by Janice Peterson, Barbara A. Smith, and Qi Guan

Although Hispanics rely more on Social Security benefits for retirement income than other population groups, their knowledge about the programs is shallower. The authors of this article use data from a large Internet survey panel to identify gaps in Social Security knowledge between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites and among Hispanics across ancestry and primary-language groups and test the statistical significance of their findings. The results offer insights for further research and guidance for policy that aims to promote retirement security for U.S. Hispanics.

Hispanics' Understanding of Social Security and the Implications for Retirement Security: A Qualitative Study
from Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 77, No. 3 (released August 2017)
by Lila Rabinovich, Janice Peterson, and Barbara A. Smith

This article discusses why effective outreach to Hispanics is important to improve their understanding of Social Security and enhance their retirement security. It examines Social Security literacy and preferred ways of receiving information about the program by using focus groups of three ancestries (Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban) and of English and Spanish speakers. This article is one of the first to research between-group differences and discuss their implications.