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CATEGORY: FAMILY BENEFIT CHANGES
PROPOSAL: Create an alternative survivor benefit: Survivor receives the higher of the current law benefit or the alternative benefit equal to 75% of the survivor's own benefit plus the deceased worker's PIA
Start date: 2015 End date: not applicable Proposed by: Senators Mark Begich and Patty Murray
Start date: 2015 End date: not applicable Proposed by: Senators Mark Begich and Patty Murray
Projected effects on beneficiaries in 2030
| Characteristic | All Beneficiaries | Affected Beneficiaries | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median Percent Change | Percent With | Median Percent Change | Percent With | |||
| Lower Benefits | Higher Benefits | Lower Benefits | Higher Benefits | |||
| Total | 0% | 0% | 8% | 17% | 0% | 100% |
| Sex | ||||||
| Female | 0% | 0% | 10% | 17% | 0% | 100% |
| Male | 0% | 0% | 6% | 17% | 0% | 100% |
| Ethnicity/Race | ||||||
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 11% | 19% | 0% | 100% |
| White | 0% | 0% | 8% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 11% | 20% | 0% | 100% |
| Other | 0% | 0% | 8% | 18% | 1% | 99% |
| Country of Birth | ||||||
| U.S. | 0% | 0% | 8% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
| Foreign | 0% | 0% | 10% | 20% | 0% | 100% |
| Age | ||||||
| 60-69 | 0% | 0% | 8% | 19% | 0% | 100% |
| 70-79 | 0% | 0% | 9% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
| 80-89 | 0% | 0% | 8% | 14% | 0% | 100% |
| 90+ | 0% | 0% | 10% | 15% | 0% | 100% |
| Marital Status | ||||||
| Married | 0% | 0% | 1% | 17% | 0% | 100% |
| Divorced | 0% | 0% | 14% | 16% | 1% | 99% |
| Widowed | 0% | 0% | 29% | 17% | 0% | 100% |
| Never Married | 0% | 0% | 0% | . . . | . . . | . . . |
| Education | ||||||
| Graduate | 0% | 0% | 3% | 13% | 0% | 100% |
| Bachelor | 0% | 0% | 4% | 15% | 0% | 100% |
| Associate | 0% | 0% | 8% | 16% | 1% | 99% |
| High School | 0% | 0% | 11% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
| Less than 12 Yrs | 0% | 0% | 14% | 20% | 0% | 100% |
| Official Poverty | ||||||
| Above poverty | 0% | 0% | 8% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
| In poverty | 0% | 0% | 16% | 30% | 0% | 100% |
| Household Income Quintile | ||||||
| $175,526+ | 0% | 0% | 3% | 16% | 0% | 100% |
| $97,521 - $175,526 | 0% | 0% | 3% | 14% | 1% | 99% |
| $57,224 - $97,521 | 0% | 0% | 6% | 14% | 0% | 100% |
| $30,478 - $57,224 | 0% | 0% | 9% | 15% | 0% | 100% |
| $0-$30,478 | 0% | 0% | 20% | 18% | 0% | 100% |
| Current Law Benefit Type | ||||||
| Retired worker | 0% | 0% | 4% | — | — | — |
| Widow(er) | 0% | 0% | 32% | — | — | — |
| Spouse | 0% | 0% | 0% | — | — | — |
| Disabled worker | 0% | 0% | 0% | — | — | — |
| Source: SSA/Office of Retirement Policy, using MINT 7 Run: 03/09/2015 Ref #: MB0611v1 Notes: . . . = not applicable; — = sample size is too small. Providing these estimates does not imply SSA support for the proposal, nor is SSA responsible for any interpretations of these estimates.
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| Characteristic | All Beneficiaries | Affected Beneficiaries | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median Percent Change | Percent With | Median Percent Change | Percent With | |||
| Lower Income | Higher Income | Lower Income | Higher Income | |||
| Total | 0% | 0% | 7% | 6% | 0% | 89% |
| Sex | ||||||
| Female | 0% | 0% | 9% | 6% | 0% | 89% |
| Male | 0% | 0% | 6% | 6% | 0% | 90% |
| Ethnicity/Race | ||||||
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 10% | 7% | 0% | 89% |
| White | 0% | 0% | 7% | 6% | 0% | 89% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 10% | 8% | 0% | 91% |
| Other | 0% | 0% | 7% | 6% | 0% | 87% |
| Country of Birth | ||||||
| U.S. | 0% | 0% | 7% | 6% | 0% | 89% |
| Foreign | 0% | 0% | 9% | 7% | 0% | 89% |
| Age | ||||||
| 60-69 | 0% | 0% | 7% | 6% | 0% | 90% |
| 70-79 | 0% | 0% | 8% | 7% | 0% | 91% |
| 80-89 | 0% | 0% | 7% | 4% | 0% | 89% |
| 90+ | 0% | 0% | 8% | 4% | 0% | 78% |
| Marital Status | ||||||
| Married | 0% | 0% | 1% | 4% | 0% | 86% |
| Divorced | 0% | 0% | 13% | 6% | 0% | 92% |
| Widowed | 0% | 0% | 26% | 6% | 0% | 88% |
| Never Married | 0% | 0% | 0% | . . . | . . . | . . . |
| Education | ||||||
| Graduate | 0% | 0% | 2% | 3% | 0% | 83% |
| Bachelor | 0% | 0% | 4% | 4% | 0% | 87% |
| Associate | 0% | 0% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 89% |
| High School | 0% | 0% | 10% | 7% | 0% | 90% |
| Less than 12 Yrs | 0% | 0% | 13% | 8% | 0% | 90% |
| Official Poverty | ||||||
| Above poverty | 0% | 0% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 89% |
| In poverty | 0% | 0% | 15% | 20% | 2% | 94% |
| Household Income Quintile | ||||||
| $175,526+ | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 38% |
| $97,521 - $175,526 | 0% | 0% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 69% |
| $57,224 - $97,521 | 0% | 0% | 5% | 3% | 0% | 84% |
| $30,478 - $57,224 | 0% | 0% | 9% | 6% | 0% | 95% |
| $0-$30,478 | 0% | 0% | 20% | 13% | 0% | 98% |
| Current Law Benefit Type | ||||||
| Retired worker | 0% | 0% | 4% | — | — | — |
| Widow(er) | 0% | 0% | 29% | — | — | — |
| Spouse | 0% | 0% | 0% | — | — | — |
| Disabled worker | 0% | 0% | 0% | — | — | — |
| Source: SSA/Office of Retirement Policy, using MINT 7 Run: 03/09/2015 Ref #: MB0611v1 Notes: . . . = not applicable; — = sample size is too small. Providing these estimates does not imply SSA support for the proposal, nor is SSA responsible for any interpretations of these estimates.
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| Characteristic | Poverty Rate | Population Change (thousands) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | Option | Change | ||
| Total | 4.9% | 4.4% | -0.5% | -347 |
| Sex | ||||
| Female | 5.3% | 4.8% | -0.5% | -214 |
| Male | 4.3% | 3.9% | -0.4% | -133 |
| Ethnicity/Race | ||||
| Hispanic | 8.8% | 7.7% | -1.1% | -89 |
| White | 3.5% | 3.2% | -0.3% | -173 |
| Black | 9.0% | 8.2% | -0.7% | -54 |
| Other | 7.7% | 7.0% | -0.7% | -29 |
| Country of Birth | ||||
| U.S. | 4.2% | 3.8% | -0.4% | -250 |
| Foreign | 8.8% | 7.9% | -0.8% | -96 |
| Age | ||||
| 60-69 | 5.7% | 5.3% | -0.5% | -115 |
| 70-79 | 4.9% | 4.5% | -0.5% | -142 |
| 80-89 | 3.8% | 3.4% | -0.5% | -70 |
| 90+ | 2.5% | 1.9% | -0.6% | -17 |
| Marital Status | ||||
| Married | 1.9% | 1.9% | 0.0% | -11 |
| Divorced | 8.3% | 7.6% | -0.7% | -93 |
| Widowed | 5.8% | 3.9% | -1.9% | -242 |
| Never Married | 17.0% | 17.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| Education | ||||
| Graduate | 1.4% | 1.2% | -0.1% | -12 |
| Bachelor | 2.2% | 2.0% | -0.2% | -27 |
| Associate | 3.6% | 3.3% | -0.3% | -47 |
| High School | 6.1% | 5.5% | -0.6% | -168 |
| Less than 12 Yrs | 13.9% | 12.4% | -1.5% | -92 |
| Official Poverty | ||||
| Above poverty | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 |
| In poverty | 100.0% | 90.4% | -9.6% | -347 |
| Household Income Quintile | ||||
| $175,526+ | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | -1 |
| $97,521 - $175,526 | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% | -3 |
| $57,224 - $97,521 | 0.3% | 0.3% | -0.1% | -7 |
| $30,478 - $57,224 | 0.8% | 0.7% | -0.1% | -8 |
| $0-$30,478 | 23.0% | 20.8% | -2.2% | -326 |
| Current Law Benefit Type | ||||
| Retired worker | 4.6% | 4.3% | -0.2% | -114 |
| Widow(er) | 5.0% | 3.1% | -1.9% | -231 |
| Spouse | 5.5% | 5.5% | 0.0% | -1 |
| Disabled worker | 8.5% | 8.5% | 0.0% | 0 |
| Source: SSA/Office of Retirement Policy, using MINT 7 Run: 03/09/2015 Ref #: MB0611v1
Providing these estimates does not imply SSA support for the proposal, nor is SSA responsible for any interpretations of these estimates.
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| Characteristic | All beneficiaries | Affected beneficiaries | Beneficiaries with lower benefits | Beneficiaries with higher benefits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number (thousands) | Percent | Number (thousands) | Percent | Number (thousands) | Percent | Number (thousands) | Percent | |
| Total | 73,810 | 100.0 | 6,147 | 100.0 | 14 | 100.0 | 6,132 | 100.0 |
| Sex | ||||||||
| Female | 39,993 | 54.2 | 4,057 | 66.0 | 9 | 62.6 | 4,048 | 66.0 |
| Male | 33,817 | 45.8 | 2,090 | 34.0 | 5 | 37.4 | 2,084 | 34.0 |
| Ethnicity/Race | ||||||||
| Hispanic | 7,865 | 10.7 | 882 | 14.4 | . . . | . . . | 882 | 14.4 |
| White | 54,004 | 73.2 | 4,072 | 66.2 | 11 | 75.0 | 4,061 | 66.2 |
| Black | 7,559 | 10.2 | 820 | 13.3 | 2 | 10.9 | 819 | 13.4 |
| Other | 4,382 | 5.9 | 372 | 6.1 | 2 | 14.1 | 370 | 6.0 |
| Country of Birth | ||||||||
| U.S. | 62,372 | 84.5 | 5,036 | 81.9 | 14 | 100.0 | 5,022 | 81.9 |
| Foreign | 11,438 | 15.5 | 1,110 | 18.1 | . . . | . . . | 1,110 | 18.1 |
| Age | ||||||||
| 60-69 | 24,505 | 33.2 | 1,896 | 30.8 | 4 | 27.9 | 1,892 | 30.8 |
| 70-79 | 31,533 | 42.7 | 2,718 | 44.2 | 10 | 72.1 | 2,708 | 44.2 |
| 80-89 | 14,979 | 20.3 | 1,241 | 20.2 | . . . | . . . | 1,241 | 20.2 |
| 90+ | 2,793 | 3.8 | 292 | 4.7 | . . . | . . . | 292 | 4.8 |
| Marital Status | ||||||||
| Married | 41,785 | 56.6 | 499 | 8.1 | . . . | . . . | 499 | 8.1 |
| Divorced | 13,632 | 18.5 | 1,907 | 31.0 | 10 | 70.5 | 1,897 | 30.9 |
| Widowed | 12,828 | 17.4 | 3,741 | 60.9 | 4 | 29.5 | 3,737 | 60.9 |
| Never Married | 5,566 | 7.5 | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . |
| Education | ||||||||
| Graduate | 8,636 | 11.7 | 242 | 3.9 | . . . | . . . | 242 | 3.9 |
| Bachelor | 13,936 | 18.9 | 577 | 9.4 | 1 | 9.8 | 576 | 9.4 |
| Associate | 16,752 | 22.7 | 1,393 | 22.7 | 9 | 59.6 | 1,385 | 22.6 |
| High School | 28,256 | 38.3 | 3,057 | 49.7 | 4 | 30.6 | 3,053 | 49.8 |
| Less than 12 Yrs | 6,230 | 8.4 | 877 | 14.3 | . . . | . . . | 877 | 14.3 |
| Official Poverty | ||||||||
| Above poverty | 70,205 | 95.1 | 5,578 | 90.7 | 14 | 100.0 | 5,563 | 90.7 |
| In poverty | 3,604 | 4.9 | 569 | 9.3 | . . . | . . . | 569 | 9.3 |
| Household Income Quintile | ||||||||
| $175,526+ | 14,762 | 20.0 | 410 | 6.7 | 1 | 8.9 | 409 | 6.7 |
| $97,521 - $175,526 | 14,762 | 20.0 | 462 | 7.5 | 4 | 27.9 | 458 | 7.5 |
| $57,224 - $97,521 | 14,763 | 20.0 | 912 | 14.8 | 4 | 28.5 | 907 | 14.8 |
| $30,478 - $57,224 | 14,759 | 20.0 | 1,386 | 22.6 | 5 | 34.8 | 1,381 | 22.5 |
| $0-$30,478 | 14,763 | 20.0 | 2,977 | 48.4 | . . . | . . . | 2,977 | 48.5 |
| Current Law Benefit Type | ||||||||
| Retired worker | 51,869 | 70.3 | 2,218 | 36.1 | 13 | 89.2 | 2,205 | 36.0 |
| Widow(er) | 12,154 | 16.5 | 3,898 | 63.4 | 2 | 10.8 | 3,896 | 63.5 |
| Spouse | 6,571 | 8.9 | 32 | 0.5 | . . . | . . . | 32 | 0.5 |
| Disabled worker | 3,215 | 4.4 | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . | . . . |
| Source: SSA/Office of Retirement Policy, using MINT 7 Run: 03/09/2015 Ref #: MB0611v1 Note: . . . = not applicable. Providing these estimates does not imply SSA support for the proposal, nor is SSA responsible for any interpretations of these estimates.
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| Characteristic | Current Law Beneficiaries | Changes in beneficiary status under proposed option | Policy Option Beneficiaries | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Added | Removed | Net Change | |||
| Total | 73,810 | +8 | 0 | +7 | 73,818 |
| Sex | |||||
| Female | 39,993 | +6 | 0 | +5 | 39,998 |
| Male | 33,817 | +2 | 0 | +2 | 33,819 |
| Ethnicity/Race | |||||
| Hispanic | 7,865 | +7 | 0 | +7 | 7,872 |
| White | 54,004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54,004 |
| Black | 7,559 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 7,560 |
| Other | 4,382 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,382 |
| Country of Birth | |||||
| U.S. | 62,372 | +3 | 0 | +2 | 62,374 |
| Foreign | 11,438 | +5 | 0 | +5 | 11,443 |
| Age | |||||
| 60-69 | 24,505 | +8 | 0 | +7 | 24,513 |
| 70-79 | 31,533 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31,533 |
| 80-89 | 14,979 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14,979 |
| 90+ | 2,793 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,793 |
| Marital Status | |||||
| Married | 41,785 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41,785 |
| Divorced | 13,632 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13,632 |
| Widowed | 12,828 | +8 | 0 | +7 | 12,836 |
| Never Married | 5,566 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,566 |
| Education | |||||
| Graduate | 8,636 | +2 | 0 | +1 | 8,638 |
| Bachelor | 13,936 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13,936 |
| Associate | 16,752 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16,752 |
| High School | 28,256 | +4 | 0 | +3 | 28,259 |
| Less than 12 Yrs | 6,230 | +2 | 0 | +2 | 6,233 |
| Official Poverty | |||||
| Above poverty | 70,205 | +8 | 0 | +7 | 70,213 |
| In poverty | 3,604 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,604 |
| Household Income Quintile | |||||
| $175,526+ | 14,762 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14,762 |
| $97,521 - $175,526 | 14,762 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14,762 |
| $57,224 - $97,521 | 14,763 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 14,764 |
| $30,478 - $57,224 | 14,759 | +4 | 0 | +4 | 14,763 |
| $0-$30,478 | 14,763 | +3 | 0 | +2 | 14,766 |
| Current Law Benefit Type | |||||
| Retired worker | 51,869 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51,869 |
| Widow(er) | 12,154 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12,154 |
| Spouse | 6,571 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,571 |
| Disabled worker | 3,215 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,215 |
| None | 0 | +8 | 0 | +7 | 8 |
| Source: SSA/Office of Retirement Policy, using MINT 7 Run: 03/09/2015 Ref #: MB0611v1
Providing these estimates does not imply SSA support for the proposal, nor is SSA responsible for any interpretations of these estimates.
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