Older Women's Retirement Security
A Primer
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6409642 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Heidi Hartmann (Institute for Women's Policy Research), Ashley English (0000-0001-6280-9452, InstituteForWomen'SPolicyResearch,Washington), Ashley E English (0000-0001-5340-1340, Institute for Women's Policy Research) |
| Year | 2009 |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue | 2-3 |
| Pages | 109-140 |
| Publication date | 2009-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Women & Politics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0195-7732 • E-ISSN: 1540-9473 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/15544770902901932 |
| OpenAlex | W2060592890 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 13 |
| References cited | 14 |
This article provides an overview of the basic facts of old age in the United States, including a description of the retirement programs commonly available to the elderly and an examination of gender differences in the retirement experience. Women's greater economic insecurity relative to men during the retirement years is closely linked to their different work experiences, including differences in earnings, years of employment, Social Security earnings records, and likelihood of pension participation and receipt. Decisions about marriage, childbirth, and caregiving, as well as societal expectations and arrangements, also affect women's retirement security. Women are also disproportionately affected by risks associated with their longer lifespans and chronic health conditions that often result in women outliving their income and assets, losing access to a spouse's resources, paying high out‐of‐pocket medical expenses, and requiring long-term care. Many more older women than men live alone and among the elderly the poverty rate is highest among single women living alone. After exploring the sources of women's retirement insecurity, the article concludes with brief recommendations for reform. The aging of the baby boom and the global financial crisis of 2008 combine to raise questions about the future of retirement. The authors argue it is important for policymakers and advocates to work to improve retirement security in the United States and strengthen Social Security for all, preserving those features of Social Security that work well for older women, while also reforming the outdated aspects of the Social Security system that disadvantage women
Affect (linguistics · Baby boom · Business · Demographic economics · Disadvantage · Earnings · Economic growth · Economics · Health and Retirement Study · Labour economics · Pension · Political science · Poverty · Receipt · Retirement age · Social security · Spouse · Work (physics · Employment and Welfare Studies · Medicine · Psychology · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Finance · Gerontology
Older Canadians’ Identity and Well-Being in Retirement
Retirement preparedness
State of Inertia
Multiple Marginalizations Based on Age
Splitting the Marital Home
Grace and Grit
What women want
What to Expect When You Retire
Gender differences in the mechanism of involuntary retirement affecting loneliness through vulnerability and coping resources
Do Women Legislators Have a Positive Effect on the Supportiveness of States Toward Older Citizens
Retirement Security for Black, Non-Hispanic White, and Mexican-Origin Women
Where Are All the Single Ladies? Marital Status and Women's Organizations’ Rule-making Campaigns
The Influence of Women Legislators on State Health Care Spending for the Poor
Measuring Poverty
Long-Term Care over an Uncertain Future
Explorations Gender and Aging
Health Coverage and Expenses
Economic Security in Retirement
Income, Assets, and Poverty
Women, Public Pensions, and Poverty
Who Will Care for the Women
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Women's Retirement Security
Making Claims as Workers or Wives
The Declining Significance of Gender
Handbook of Medical Sociology
| Unique citing works | 13 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,93 |
| Citation span | 2012 - 2025 (14) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 13 |