How Heavily Do Retirees Rely On Social Security?

It’s estimated that about 40% of older Americans rely solely on Social Security income during retirement. That’s according to research from the National Institute for Retirement Security (NIRS). The Social Security Administration paints a slightly better picture. It found that Social Security benefits make up at least 90% of the total income for one in five Americans (or 20%) over the age of 65 – and that seems to be backed up by evidence from the Census Bureau. Forbes looked into this discrepancy and the findings may surprise you.

One thing that is certain is seniors deserve bigger Social Security benefits. That’s the overwhelming consensus of people surveyed by The Seniors Trust. It found that 98.2% of survey responses were in favor of supporting efforts in Congress to expand Social Security benefits. It’s time we make that happen by calling on our lawmakers to pass the Social Security Expansion Act during this legislative session.