Social Security experience of the Cohort Born in 1919

Bert Kestenbaum, U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA)
Craig A. Feinstein, U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA)

Using the administrative and statistical records of the Social Security Administration, we fashioned a 1-in-100 sample of 24,500 persons born in 1919 in the 48 States who had some connection with the social security program. For persons in this sample we tabulate earnings histories and benefit-receipt histories to answer the question of how persons born in 1919 fared under the social security program. While some histories are complete as of the reference date, others have to be projected into the future. Key classification variables are gender, race, and lifetime earnings level. Besides the substantive results, the methods used to deal with data issues are presented, as well.