Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Provisions: Summary of Legislation, 1935–58

b y ROBERT J. MYERS* T HE Social Security Act of 1935 established the first Federal social security system in the United States—a system that has been substantially revised by successive amendments since that year. The major features of the largest program, now old-age, survivors, and disability insurance, and the changes in coverage, benefit, and financing provisions resulting from the amendments1 to the Act are summarized in the following pages. The detailed provisions are given in the accompanying tables. The program established by the Social Security Act of 1935 was a relatively simple one, designed to pay (1) old-age benefits to the worker when he retired at or after age 65 and (2) cash refunds to survivors when the wage earner died and to living workers aged 65 who had not been in covered employment long enough to qualify for monthly benefits. The ben-