Social Security at 75:

Building Economic Security, Narrowing the Racial Wealth Divide

Figure 1- Poverty Rates for Groups by Social Security Benefit Receipt, Race and Ethnicity, 1997

8%

24%

12%8%

20%

48%

61% 59%

34%

56%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

White Black Native American

Asian Hispanic Origin

In Poverty with Social Security In Poverty without Social Security

Source: Office of Policy, Social Security Administration, Tabulations of March 1998 Current Population Survey Data.

74%

11%

15%

Retirement

43%

27%

30%

Disability

Whites Blacks “Other”

Figure 2 - Use of Social Security by Beneficiary Type and Race/Ethnicity

55%

15%

30%

Survivor

Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Supplement, Table 5A1, 2008

Figure 3 – 2009 Median Weekly Earnings of Full-Time Wage and Salary Workers by

Race/Ethnicity and Gender

952

845

621569

779

669582

509

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Asian White Black Hispanic

Current Dollars

Men Women

Source: US Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009, Table 6 .

Figure 4 - Children Receiving Benefits by Type of Benefit and Race, SSA 2008

1% 3% 3%

24%

49%

39%

17%22% 22%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Caucasian Black Other

Retirement Survivor Disability

Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Supplement , Table 5A1, 2008.