Social Security: Vital to Florida Women

Post date: Jun 6, 2011 10:54:35 PM

Social Security is a family insurance plan that provides retirement benefits and life and disability insurance to Florida's working families.

Florida women depend on modest Social Security benefits to get by. Women are a majority of both adult beneficiaries and beneficiaries 65 and older. The average Social Security benefit for women 65 and older is about $12,000/year compared to about $15,800/year for men. Older women rely more on income from Social Security than older men do. The median income for women 65 and older living alone is $18,000/year and Social Security represents 64% of that amount. The median income for comparable men is $27,800 and Social Security represents 47% of that amount. Social Security has dramatically reduced poverty rates for women 65 and older from 51% to 11% and from 65% to 19% for older women living alone.

It is imperative that we support candidates who will keep Social Security and Medicare benefits in place. Our lives depend upon it.