More women work, pay Social Security taxes and earn credit toward monthly retirement income than at any other time in our nation’s history. Yet, on average, women face greater economic challenges than men in retirement.
Nearly 55 percent of the people receiving Social Security benefits are women. Women generally live longer than men while often having lower lifetime earnings and usually reach retirement with smaller pensions and other assets compared to men. Social Security is vitally important to women for these key reasons.
You could be eligible for your own benefits if you:
- worked and paid taxes into the Social Security system for at least 10 years and
- have earned a minimum of 40 work credits.
Once you reach age 62, you could be eligible for your own Social Security benefit. Whether you’re married or not and whether your spouse collects Social Security or not, you could be eligible. If you’re eligible and apply for benefits on more than one work record, you generally receive the higher benefit amount.
The sooner you start planning for retirement, the better off you’ll be. Specific information for women can be found at socialsecurity.gov/people/women.
Source: Social Security Administration
